Obama: BP must pay for its recklessness

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he will demand that the chairman of BP must set aside whatever money is needed to compensate the many people who have been hurt by the company's "recklessness."

In his Oval Office address Tuesday night, Obama said his administration will do whatever is necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from the spill.

Obama said officials will make BP pay for all costs associated with cleaning up the oil spill, the nation's worst environmental disaster.

The administration sent BP a $69 million bill earlier this month, the first in what is expected to be a series of bills. Total costs for the spill are expected to reach into the billions.

The president said the oil spill in the Gulf region has caused a sense of sadness and anger that goes must deeper than dollars. He spoke of anxiety that people may lose their entire way of life.

Said the president, "I refuse to let that happen."

He announced that he had asked former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus to develop a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan -- to be funded by BP PLC -- in concert with local states, communities, fishermen, conservationists and residents "as soon as possible."

Obama did not detail what this plan should include.

Obama was delivering his first Oval Office address to try reassure the nation he is in command of the crisis.

The speech comes just ahead of his meeting in the White House on Wednesday with top BP executives.