I think you are seeing this debacle much as I see it. Obama by instinct or information sees a political cloud on the horizon. He says or is instructed by his enablers e.g. Jarrett that something needs to be done to keep the rain out. Nothing said about how, what, or in this situation who. The servants go about carrying out the chiefs orders. Presumably, by some people, the chief had nothing to do with what the servants did.
Yep, pretty obvious.