Gov. Bob Riley says the president “understands how hard people are being hit” along the Gulf Coast.

Riley says he watched the president during his visit to Alabama this week.

And that’s why he calls last night’s speech “disappointing.”

This morning on FOX6 News Good Day Alabama, Riley said it was disappointing to see the president “morph this into a political debate about alternative energy.”

“We need compensation and protection… now,” Riley told Good Day.

Riley is reacting to President Obama’s Oval Office speech from Tuesday night.

During that speech, the president vowed to restore the Gulf and called for the nation to support an energy agenda that ends the nation’s “addiction” on fossil fuels.

Riley’s argument: focus on the immediate needs of the Gulf.

The governor also raised questions about newly announced deputy commanders assigned to Alabama, Florida and Mississippi to oversee cleanup and response efforts.

Riley said again this morning on Good Day the process needs to be streamlined.

“If they give this new deputy commander that kind of authority where he can make an immediate decision that does not have to be approved, then maybe it helps. If not, then its another level of bureacracy we have to contend with.”

Tuesday, Riley’s press office released a statement that seemed much more upbeat about the deputy commander.

“’I’m very hopeful this will eliminate some of the problems that have been experienced since the beginning of this disaster,’ said Governor Riley. ‘I appreciate the President’s understanding that the more we streamline this effort, the quicker and more effective the response will be.’”

The release went on to state:

“Governor Riley said having one federal official in charge of each state’s response will help address problems as they arise on the ground in the states.”

Alabama’s 7th district congressman Spencer Bachus, a Vestavia Hlls Republican, echoed Riley’s criticism of last night’s speech.

In a statement emailed to reporters last night, Rep. Bachus argued “President Obama’s attention should be on the critical situation in the Gulf and shoreline states including Alabama, not on pushing ‘cap and tax’ or other costly energy proposals.”

The current Agriculture Commissioner and Democratic nominee for governor, Ron Sparks, praised the president’s speech.

“I am heartened by President Obama’s remarks tonight, particularly the appointment of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to head up an unprecedented program for the recovery of the Gulf Coast states.”

Sparks met with President Obama during his visit to the Mobile county town of Theodore.

Read more of Rick Journey’s blogs here.

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