President Obama blasted BP officials today for sponsoring a $50 million television ad campaign to "manage their image" as they try to stop the oil gusher that is polluting the Gulf of Mexico and threatening the livelihoods of coastal residents.

"They've got moral and legal obligations here in the Gulf for the damage that has been done," Obama said, also noting that BP just paid out quarterly dividends of $10.5 billion. "That's billion, with a b," he added.

"What I don't want to hear is, when they're spending that kind of money on their shareholders and spending that kind of money on TV advertising, that they're nickel-and-diming fishermen or small businesses here in the Gulf who are having a hard time," the president said.

Obama -- who has been criticized for not showing enough emotion over the oil spill -- demanded that BP process damage claims from the area as quickly as possible, or his administration would pressure the company to do so.

"They say they want to make it right -- that's part of their advertising campaign," Obama said. "Well, we want them to make it right."

Obama also said it is "way too early to be optimistic" about BP's latest plan to cap the gushing oil spill.

The president spoke with reporters after meeting with his Gulf Coast point person Thad Allen, other aides, Gulf Coast officials and regional governors including two Republicans: Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Bob Riley of Alabama. They discussed the environmental and economic consequences of the oil spill that is now spreading toward the coast of Florida.

It is Obama's third trip to the region since the April 20 explosion on a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president will meet at the White House next week with the families of the 11 workers who were killed by the rig explosion.

Because of bad weather in Louisiana, Obama planned to motorcade two hours to Grand Isle to speak with residents and business owners who are in the path of the oil slick.

"This has been a disaster for this region and people are understandably frightened and concerned about what the next few months and the new few years may hold," Obama said. "I am absolutely confident about the resilience of this area long term, but if we can make sure that BP is doing the right thing on the front end."

The president visited Grand Isle just last week. Gibbs said that because this trip had been planned on such short notice, the Secret Service wanted a place that had already been secured.

(Posted by David Jackson)