Out of His Depth

There is something surreal about what's happening with the oil spill. A Hollywood director is offering his two cents, as is a young genius from Long Island

.

Even if the hole is quickly plugged, what's been eroded (almost as much as the environmental health of hte Gulf Coast) is President Obama's image of competence.

No doubt all these well-meaning people intend to help, but their public suggestions only emphasize the fact that everyone -- even the President's supporters -- are growing increasingly aware that he is out of his depth (no pun intended) and that it's causing him (and the country) real political pain.

Are we really at a point when the government -- yes, the same one that Obama insists can effectively run the health care system -- is so impotent that the public is offering suggestions about how to stop an environmental catastrophe?