FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Rand Paul is blasting President Barack Obama again for his handling of the Gulf oil spill, saying he has shown "a failure to lead."
The U.S. Senate candidate from Kentucky unleashed on Obama in a statement on Friday, suggesting that Obama should "look in the mirror" if he wants to know "whose -ss to kick," referencing a comment Obama made about holding people accountable.
Paul had previously made headlines by accusing the Obama administration of sounding "un-American" in its criticism of BP, the company responsible for the offshore oil rig that exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and fouling the Gulf with crude.
The Kentucky eye surgeon called the oil spill "an environmental disaster of epic proportions" and acknowledged it should be treated as such.
"But it should be noted that offshore drilling of this kind has been in place for 40 years with few problems," he said in the statement.
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Paul frequently criticizes Obama while campaigning against Democrat Jack Conway in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Jim Bunning, a 78-year-old former major league pitcher who opted not to seek a third term.
Polls have shown Obama unpopular among Kentucky voters, and Paul has tried to link Conway to him since the general election campaign kicked off last month. Paul has especially focused on the health care reforms that Obama pressed for and that Conway supports.
Obama has maintained a harsh tone with BP, earlier this week accusing the company of "recklessness" and vowing to make the company pay for the damage it has caused.
Obama also called for a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf. Paul criticized that moratorium, saying it will cost jobs and increase costs to American consumers and businesses. Paul also criticized the moratorium in the statement Friday.
"This crisis has been a case study in failure to lead, failure to act, and using a crisis to advance your own agenda rather than solve the problem," he said.
