Mississippi governor says drilling moratorium worse than oil spill

Mississippi's Republican governor -- a former chairman of the Republican National Committee -- said in an interview Sunday that President Barack Obama's moratorium on deepwater drilling is worse than BP's massive oil spill for his state.

"Governor, what's worse, the moratorium or the effects of this spill on the region?" "Meet the Press" host David Gregory asked the governor on Sunday.

"Well, the moratorium," Barbour replied. "The spill's a terrible thing, but the moratorium is a terrible thing that's not only bad for the region, it's bad for America."

Barbour, however, said he thought the Obama Administration has done "more right than wrong."

"What is your assessment of how well coordinated the federal, state and local officials are, not only in your state, but also in Louisiana and Florida?" Gregory asked.

"Nothing is satisfactory until the well is shut in," Barbour responded. "When the well's capped and then clean up the oil and then BP pay the bills. Until all of that is done, nothing is satisfactory. But as I've said before and I said it to the president, I think that the government has done more right that wrong. I thought appointing Ken Feinberg, who's got a great reputation that is well deserved, is good for BP and good for the government. Leave BP out of that. But BP's got to pay."

This video is from NBC's Meet the Press, broadcast June 20, 2010.

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