I think the thing that Obama is missing is Leadership.
Of course he doesn’t have the know-how or the time or whatever to fly down there and start combing out tar balls, but by not doing the types of things that Boyo Jim suggested above, he just looks like he’s ignoring it.
First and foremost, the President is a Leader. He doesn’t have a whole lot to do officially when compared to the Judicial/Legislative branches. What has he been doing for the last 40 days?
Obama and his staff seem to be seriously dropping the ball on the Leader aspect of what the President is.