The BP oil spill has devastated the Gulf of Mexico, pummeled the oil company's market value, and created a lingering problem for the Obama Administration, which has been criticized for responding too cerebrally, without sufficient forcefulness or authenticity. The spill has also provided an interesting historical footnote: during an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today Show last week, Obama declared that one of his goals during meetings on the crisis has been to determine "whose ass to kick."