Now Obama Wants to Meet With Him

Looks like the president has changed his mind: The top federal official overseeing the Gulf oil spill has invited British Petroleum executives to meet with Barack Obama next week. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen issued the invitation in a letter today to BP's chairman, Carl-Henric Svanberg. The letter requests that Svanberg and "any appropriate officials from BP" meet next Wednesday with senior administration officials. Obama will participate in a portion of the meeting, the letter says.

"As a responsible party, BP is financially responsible for all costs associated with the response to the spill, including efforts to stop the leak at its source, reduce the spread of oil, protect the shoreline and mitigate damages, as well as support long term recovery efforts to ensure that all individuals and communities impacted by the spill are made whole," Allen wrote. (More British Petroleum stories.)