Time’s Joe Klein: Oil Spill is ‘Bush’s Second Katrina,’ ‘Republicans Look Worse Than Democrats’

On Sunday’s syndicated Chris Matthews Show, Time magazine columnist Joe Klein joined the ranks of left-leaning media figures like Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann in blaming the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on the Bush administration. As the panel discussed President Obama’s handling of the disaster, Klein opined that "this is more Bush’s second Katrina than Obama’s first," and, after agreement from host Matthews, Klein continued: "Yes, because it was the Bush regulations, it was Dick Cheney’s deregulation, and lording over the Minerals Management [Service]-"

Later in the show, as the group discussed whether President Obama would recover from his current sagging approval numbers, Klein asserted that Obama is lucky because Republicans "look worse" on the oil spill than do Democrats: "He is incredibly lucky in his opposition. I mean, you know, the oil spill is a great example. The Republicans look worse on that than the Democrats do. I think that, because there are no really coherent Republican leaders now, he’ll come back."

Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Sunday, May 30, syndicated Chris Matthews Show:

JOE KLEIN, TIME MAGAZINE: This is more Bush’s second Katrina than Obama’s first.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: I agree, if you go to the management issue.

KLEIN: Yes, because it was the Bush regulations, it was Dick Cheney’s deregulation, and lording over the Minerals Management-

...

KLEIN: He is incredibly lucky in his opposition. I mean, you know, the oil spill is a great example. The Republicans look worse on that than the Democrats do. I think that, because there are no really coherent Republican leaders now, he’ll come back.

MATTHEWS: Just like in Illinois when he ran for the Senate, terrible opponents.