Massive oil spill may reach Florida and beyond

President Obama traveled to Louisiana yesterday for a first-hand briefing on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The “Deepwater Horizon” oil rig exploded on April 20th, rupturing its well and eventually sinking into the Gulf. An estimated 200,000 gallons of oil are gushing into the Gulf each day, as federal government and BP officials frantically explore options to contain the spill.

The oil slick is expected to hit the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama; if the oil gets into the Gulf Stream, it could extend to the beaches of Florida and beyond.

The New York Times reporter Campbell Robertson is covering the story from Gulfport, Miss. Mike Tidwell is author of “Bayou Farewell.” He explains the scope and size of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the likelihood of human error causing a disaster of this scale.