Reporting From Louisiana: This morning, I was briefed on the strategic response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Houma, Louisiana. The Incident Command Post, the hub charged with the unprecedented task of cleaning up the Louisiana coast, is an amazing operation. Dedicated people are working day and night to protect the Gulf; and many of them have been away from their homes and their families for days and weeks at a time. Their efforts should be applauded by all of us.

I was so proud to meet the California state employees that are helping in this effort. California has been on the receiving end of disaster assistance from other states during our times of need, and now is the time to pay it forward. I had the privilege of spending some time with Dr. Mike Ziccardi , the wildlife director from the University of California Davis, who is aiding the wildlife recovery effort. All of them are doing a great job and it was fantastic meet such dedicated people.

This was an excellent experience, because not only did I get to meet and thank those who have worked so hard to help the Gulf Coast, I also learned a lot about the successes and challenges of dealing with an oil spill of this size. Looking forward to my next meeting with the California Travel and Tourism COO, Karin Fish, the Louisiana Lt. Governor Scott Angelle and Secretary for Tourism, Jim Hutchinson, to talk about getting tourists back to the Gulf.