"Plug The Damn Hole"

Those are Obama's words. Amy Davidson begs the President:

Some political leadership now would be much for the better. It’s not enough to rage and pose for picturesthe Administration has to make sure that the hole is plugged. Many things are worse than politics, and the wanton destruction of a swath of our coastline is one of them. Obama has to do much more than just witness it.

Al Giordano rants:

[A]s a longtime vocal opponent of off shore oil drilling, and proponent of renewable energy, I wish to publicly disassociate myself from all the newly concerned voices screaming at the top of their lungs that the government must “do something” if they don’t come with concrete suggestions for what exactly can be done. They do not represent me and please don't ever confuse me with them, okay?

David Roberts wonders whether there is no solution:

BP is attempting the "top kill" maneuver -- pumping mud into the well. If it doesn't work, well ... then what? Junk shot? Top hat? Loony stuff like nukes? Relief wells will take months to drill and no one's sure if they'll work to relieve pressure. It's entirely possible, even likely, that we're going to be stuck helplessly watching as this well spews oil into the Gulf for years. Even if the flow were stopped tomorrow, the damage to marshes, coral, and marine life is done. The Gulf of Mexico will become an ecological and economic dead zone. There's no real way to undo it, no matter who's in charge.

I'm curious to see how the public's mood shifts once it becomes clear that we are powerless in the face of this thing. What if there's just nothing we can do? That's not a feeling to which Americans are accustomed.

(Image: Bags of oil collected from the beach await pickup May 25, 2010 at Elmer's Island, Louisiana. Cleanup crews had worked for days to scrub the beach and dispose of the material. By John Moore/Getty Images)