He’s never been shied away from showing off his toned physique. But President Barack Obama’s latest beach moment might yet come back to haunt him after he enlisted his youngest daughter for a publicity stunt.
In an attempt to show the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, despite the massive BP oil spill, were safe he took the plunge with youngest daughter Sasha in a very carefully controlled photo opportunity.
No photographers or reporters were allowed to be present for the short dip in the Gulf waters off Alligator Point in Panama City Beach, Florida out of the Gulf..
But the White House later released one photo of the pair smiling as they frolicked with heads just above the water in warm waters of the Gulf.
Officials said they released the photograph to show that the region is back in business and was a safe destination for tourists.
But Mr Obama has come under fire for the decision – both for using his daughter to score political points, and for staying in the area for just 26 hours.
The family will instead holiday later this month on Martha’s Vineyard, an elite resort island off the coast of Massachusetts – far to the north of the oil-stricken Gulf waters.
Mr Obama had sparked fears about the safety of the Gulf by declaring the BP oil spill as America’s worst environmental disaster.
His doom-laden prediction turned out to be untrue as BP spent over £4billion on a clean up and containment operation to stop the spread of the oil following the April explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig.
Fears that the white sandy beaches along the Florida coast and other states would be affected proved unfounded.
The leaking well has been capped but has cost BP more than a third its value as shares plunged and also cost chief executive Tony Hayward his job having been pilloried by the Obama administration.
BP has set up a $20billion fund to pay compensation to those along the Gulf coast whose livelihoods have been affected.
UK papers do not read the AP press……….UK papers not a FOB.
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