York: Obama Once Claimed He Can Handle Gulf Emergencies

Byron York points out an interesting comment that Obama made in 2008 about his ability to handle emergencies in the Gulf:

It’s not mentioned much now, but in the late summer of 2008, a major hurricane, Gustav, was in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward New Orleans, threatening a replay of the disastrous Katrina experience.  On September 1, 2008, Barack Obama, fresh from his Roman-colonnade speech on the final night of the Democratic convention in Denver, talked to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about Gustav and the Gulf.  The question: As president, could he handle an emergency like that?  Obama pointed to the size of his campaign and its multi-million dollar budget as evidence of his executive abilities.  “Our ability to manage large systems and to execute, I think, has been made clear over the last couple of years,” Obama said. That executive ability, he added, “indicates the degree to which we can provide the kinds of support and good service that the American people expect.”