DCExaminer Morning Must Reads

Byron York - Who told Obama drilling is 'absolutely safe'?
There was one particularly striking moment in President Obama's widely panned Oval Office speech on the Gulf oil disaster. About midway through his talk, Obama acknowledged that he had approved new offshore drilling a few weeks before the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion on April 20. But Obama said he had done so only "under the assurance that it would be absolutely safe." (thats something I'd like to know as well)


Julie Mason - Democrats fates will hinge on Obama's handling of spill
Democrats had planned to campaign this fall on health care reform, but President Obama's deep pivot to the BP oil spill changes both the equation and focus of midterm campaigning.


Susan Ferrechio -GOP leaders threatened Barton with loss of committee post
Rep. Joe Barton, R-Tex., was ordered by the top House leadership to retract his apology to BP and to apologize for making the statement in the first place or risk losing his position on a powerful House committee. (he shoulda told 'em to pound sand)


Mark Hemingway - NJ Gov Chris Christie approval rating rises to 51 percent
The latest Rasmussen poll has New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with his head above water at a 51 percent approval rating. This is a signifcant uptick, as teachers unions in the state have carpet bombed the airwaves with $6 million in ads attacking him since March.


David Freddoso - CNN: We only think Obama’s speech was lousy because we’re not smart enough
Apparently, the real problem with President Obama’s Tuesday night speech is not that it contained no substance, little reassurance, and no sign that he is on top of the oil spill. Rather, the problem is that he used too many big words and long sentences, CNN dutifully reports:

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