President Barack Obama yesterday sought to dispel gloom churned up by the Gulf oil spill, billing the worst US environmental disaster in military terms, as an assault that would be repelled.
"As Americans, we don't quit, we keep coming, none of these challenges we face are going to be easy, none of them are going to be quick," he told 3,500 marines, naval recruits and officers at a Florida naval air base.
President Obama reached for patriotic, campaign-style rhetoric after days of grim briefings and news about the disaster which is devouring wildlife, pristine wetlands, and threatening tourist beaches on the southern US Gulf coast.
He also sought to rekindle a sense of national purpose and optimism ahead of his primetime Oval Office speech last night, designed to show he is in command of oil spill relief efforts.
"Make no mistake, the United States of America has been through tough times before, but has always come out strong, and we will do so again," Mr Obama said, drawing raucous cheers from his military audience.
The President listed a series of crises that have faced his administration since he took office last year, including wars in Afghan-istan and Iraq and the worst economic crisis in generations.
"Yes this is an unprecedented environmental disaster - it's the worst in our nation's history," said Mr Obama, who is trying to overcome early perceptions that his administration initially underestimated the catastrophe.
"We're going to continue to meet it with an unprecedented federal response and recovery effort, the largest in our nation's history.
"This is an assault on our shores, and we're going to fight back with everything that we've got."
President Obama, who some critics fault for a cool, analytical approach to problems, also used the speech, the last stop of a three-state, two-day tour of disaster areas, to forge a connection with local people hurt by the disaster.
"I'm going to speak to the nation tonight about this, but let me say to the people of Pensacola and the Gulf Coast, I am with you, my administration is with you for the long haul."