Mississippi’s Turn

McClatchy reports what everyone who has been following the oil forecasts already knew: No skimmers in sight as oil floods into Mississippi waters.

But it did bring the governor back to the state for a change: As oil threatens Mississippi, Barbour at GOP fundraisers

BILOXI, Miss. — Gov. Haley Barbour rushed back to Mississippi from Washington early on Friday upon news that large amounts of oil is threatening the Coast, and said his national political work is not distracting him from guiding the Magnolia State through the BP disaster.

Barbour on Thursday held Washington fund-raisers for the Republican Governors Association, which he heads, and for one of his political action committees, which is raising money for GOP congressional candidates. His fund-raising is receiving some national media attention and fueling speculation that he is already gearing up for a run for president in 2012.

BP controls the money, so they allocate the resources, and they don’t do anything without a written report, as Pensacola found out. Many of the people complaining would raise hell if the Federal government just took over by requiring BP to set up another escrow fund.

Jimmy Buffett doesn’t even live on the Mississippi Coast any more but he helps out: Jimmy Buffett and friends present unique animal-rescue SWAT boat to USM

Called SWAT, for Shallow Water Attention Terminal, the shallow-draft boat boasts a silent electric motor contributed by Evinrude.

A canopy – built to 7 feet to accommodate 6-foot 7-inch research lab professor Jim Franks – provides protection from the sun, Jimbo Meador told a crowd of about 30 people gathered for the event that included christening, blessing by the Rev. Chris Cumbest and launch.

The vessel is 17 feet long and can easily carry three to four people, plus numerous animals.

The vessel delivery was followed by a reception on the beach. The lab plans to start using it in the marshes and estuaries of south Mississippi in the next several weeks, according to USM.

Jimmy is helping to rescue birds, while Haley Barbour is out-of-state raising money for Republican politicians. Maybe if the governor of Mississippi had spent a little time at the meetings on the problems and stopped complaining about people who criticize the oil industry, the state would be in better shape.