Singer Sophie B. Hawkins: Obama throwing country 'under the bus,' choking on spill response

Singer Sophie B. Hawkins told The Hill on Thursday that "America's being thrown under the bus" by President Barack Obama as he presses forward with his agenda and comes under criticism for his response to the Gulf oil spill.

Hawkins, who scored Top 10 Billboard hits in the 1990s with "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" and "As I Lay Me Down," is donating all proceeds from her new single, "The Land, the Sea and the Sky," to the Waterkeeper Alliance, which has launched coordinated efforts to combat the effects of the spill.

She was also critical of the White House earlier this month in a Huffington Post editorial, writing, "BP executives are pointing fingers while the government continues hand-wringing. ... The irony that Obama rushes in the lawyers while the well is still spewing is not lost on most Americans."

The singer campaigned on the trail with Hillary Rodham Clinton during her presidential campaign, and told The Hil from her tour bus that she "never believed in [Obama's] philosophy" -- which she said runs contrary to her beliefs in "smaller government, smart government, flexible government."

"I think the writing was on the wall," Hawkins said. "I honestly couldn't believe so many people were into him."

She describes herself as a centrist who's identified with the Democratic and Green parties, but said even though she's never been Republican she wouldn't cross that vote off the list if the right leader came along.

In fact, she's open to a Republican Congress.

"I want the Congress that really is going to listen to the people," she said. "I really don't care what party it is anymore."

Hawkins said she attended a Tea Party rally in Santa Monica, Calif., that was "mostly all Democrats."

"The Tea Parties are only here because people are not listening," she said.

The singer said she viewed the government's attitude as "arrogant" and said people are hungry for leaders who will "take us in a direction that's truly American."

"Obama may be brilliant, but he's not a leader," Hawkins said.

"The lack of leadership on this Gulf issue is so shocking," she said, adding that while government organization is lacking, the president "should be galvanizing people who voted for him to go to the Gulf and help."