Skimming for Truth, LeMieux Sees Gulf Cleanup Going Backward

Frustrated by what he calls a lack of answers, conflicting information and the apparent disappearance of oil-clearing skimmers from Florida's coast, Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla., blasted the Obama administration's response to the Gulf oil spill.

"Last Tuesday, there were 32 skimmers off the coast of Florida. Today, there are 20," LeMieux told state Republicans meeting in Tampa on Saturday.

"I'm told there are 2,000 skimmer vessels available around the country, and that federal officials are 'in the process' of requesting them. I'm also told that some states are reluctant to give them up because there might be an oil spill (somewhere else).

"That's like the fire department saying they can't send a fire engine to your burning house because a fire might erupt somewhere else," LeMieux said.

LeMieux is tracking the skimmer problem on his Web site, which features a video here.

Attorney General Bill McCollum paid President Barack Obama a backhanded compliment Saturday, when he said the administration's establishment of a $20 billion BP settlement account "may be the only good thing this president has done."

McCollum claimed he came up with the idea for an escrow fund two weeks before the White House did.