The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been devastating. With commentators on both the right and left focused on questioning Obama's response to the disaster and arguing over who is accountable for damage, it seems coverage of the actual spill and its repercussions for Gulf states, the environment, and the entire country has been lost.

Unless you've been following Rachel Maddow. Her reports move beyond politics in a manner that's characteristically intelligent, earnest and thorough. Last night she brought to light the administration's estimates of how much oil has actually been spilled, graphed out the possible underwater damage, and explained how it cold affect both the Louisiana coastline and the responders trying to clean up the spill.

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