President Barack Obama is on the Gulf Coast, ready for a firsthand look at the devastating oil spill and a briefing on how to clean it up.
Obama touched down at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at midmorning local time.
He plans to tour a beach with Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen and visit with local officials. Obama's visit comes a day after a White House news conference where he asserted responsibility over the spill. The trip was designed to demonstrate his engagement.
Obama arrived 38 days into the disaster, as BP worked to plug the leak with heavy mud. That procedure is expected to continue for a couple of days before its outcome is clear.