The U.K. government continues to keep a low profile on the issue, despite increased calls from business to intervene on BP's behalf. This included a call in a report by U.S. investment bank J.P. Morgan for Britain to raise a "diplomatic red flag" on BP's behalf. Trade group the Institute of Directors said that aggressive U.S. political rhetoric was "inappropriate" and could prejudice other U.K. business abroad. Prime Minister David Cameron is set to raise the issue in a call to President Barack Obama on Saturday, but the call was scheduled a long time ago and was described as routine by Downing Street.
BP on the Defensive as Shares Drop - WSJ.com
Could BP be any bigger morons? The truth is that American anger is directed at BP not because of the “accident,” but because of their arrogant and shoddy treatment of its victims, the north Gulf Coast and the American public. The political rhetoric is not “inappropriate” in any way other than it is fairly restrained given the popular sentiment. Americans don’t think that rhetoric is close to sufficiently hostile, and that is because BP has acted in the most arrogant “everything-is-a-negotiation” fashion without recognition of the general American public’s connection with the people of the Gulf coast since Katrina. Comedian Lewis Black said it best last night on the Joy Behar show when he said BP has treated us as if they were a separate country not subject to our laws, regulations, rules or power, so we should treat them the same and just invade BP, have the military take them over. That is how America feels.
What kind of idiotic company (or the lawyers in that company) treats victims so badly? Are they stupid? Do they think that the publicity won’t catch up with them? Did they have no inkling of the way in which the American public would react to a) a large powerful and very wealthy oil company, b) killing 11 people, c) in and around New Orleans, d) destroying a coastline, e) treating people with economic and moral arrogance, f) slow to react, g) denying things are as bad as they are and apparently lying about their role, h) trying to stifle the press, and i) coating wildlife with sludge?
This isn’t the third world. This isn’t a place where the press can be muzzled or avoided. This America, home of “Day 50” of whatever the latest catastrophe is splashed all over CNN and therefore all over the world. This is America, who just torched the careers of executives who fly private jets to testify at congress and is in the midst of a terrible recession. This is America where the populace is desperate for a large, wealthy, arrogant target on which to vent all their pent up frustration and anger. This is America where we care about the underdog and the victim of power and corruption more than we care about anything. This is the Gulf Coast, home of Jazz and Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street and vacation spots and fishing and the Gulf Shrimp on the menu of every Steak or Seafood restaurant in the United States. These are the battered and bruised victims of Katrina, you morons. The fact that all I have to say is “Katrina” and everyone in this country knows of what and about whom I am speaking, should tell you something about Americans connection to this region. And you want to treat it as “business as usual”? And you want to lie, obfuscate, delay, diminish and hide? This from one of the largest corporate organizations on the planet? What the f--- planet are you from?
If the Brits try to think about asking us to not treat BP so badly, people will start treating them like Iran. Instead the Brits might want to tell the Oil Company that bears their name to wake up and smell the coffee. And banks like J.P. Morgan might want to keep their yap shut. They aren’t exactly on the most favored list at the moment.
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