Barbour Downplays Spill — ‘The Coast Is Clear, Come On Down’ — Calls For More Drilling Before Cause

[TomCADem]

Source: Think Progress

On Fox News Sunday today, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) continued to aggressively downplay the massive BP oil gusher, explaining that tar balls washing up on his state’s beaches are “no big deal” because you can “pick them up and throw them in the bag.” And instead of attacking BP for causing the spill, he blamed the media for creating a “misperception” of crisis by daring to call attention to one of the worst environmental disasters in American history:

BARBOUR: Well, the truth is, Chris, we have had virtually no oil. … We have had a few tar balls but we have tar balls every year, as a natural product of the Gulf of Mexico. … So, tar balls are no big deal. In fact, I read that Pensacola or the Florida beaches when they have tar balls yesterday didn’t even close. They just sent people out to pick them up and throw them in the bag. The biggest, the biggest negative impact for us has been the news coverage. … The average viewer to this show thinks that the whole coast from Florida to Texas is ankle-deep in oil. … So it may be hard for the viewer to understand, but the worst thing for us has been how our tourist season has been hurt by the misperception of what is going on down here. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is beautiful. As I tell people, the coast is clear. Come on down!

Barbour has consistently refused to accept the gravity of the situation in the Gulf, and blamed the media for supposedly over-hyping the disaster. He’s compared oil to tooth paste, said all the oil on Mississippi’s beaches could barely “fill up a milk jug,” and handed out gas cards to encourage tourists to “ome on down here and play golf, enjoy the beach, catch a fish.” Meanwhile, dead dolphins have washed ashore on Mississippi’s beaches.

Barbour went on to suggest that President Obama was “destroying himself” by not adequately responding to the spill, but he had nothing negative to say of BP. Barbour — who received $1.8 million from oil and gas companies for his gubernatorial campaign — explained, “When we ask BP for something, they try to do it.” The lobbying firm Barbour founded relied highly on oil industry clients, with Barbour personally lobbying for regulation changes to the Bush White House.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/06/barbour-tar-no-big-deal/

[saltpoint]

1. Quite a gamble for Barbour to be poo-pooing the Gulf oil disaster

at a time when he clearly is interested in national office.

There's almost as much bullshit spewing from Barbour's mouth as there is crude oil from that hole in the Gulf floor.

[TomCADem]

14. Well, Barbour also thought that forgetting about slavery being related to Civl War...

Was not a big deal, so its no wonder that he compares the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history to a motorboat gas sheen.

[wordpix]

2. Barbour should be out on his ass next time around

[Angry Dragon]

3. Let us see when he starts asking for help

Soon the day will be here when the beaches are full of oil.

[Downwinder]

4. Barbour might want to swim in the Gulf, I think I'll pass.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4415862

[aquart]

5. So Haley's enjoying his spill. God knows he helped it to happen.

[caseymoz]

6. Reminds me of former Iraqi Information Minister Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf

I'm waiting for the press conference with him four feet in oil.

[SILVER__FOX52]

7. Will somebody please >>>>>>>>

Shut this God damn idiot up. This moron is over the top. Tar balls today, oil sheens tomorrow, dead birds the next day, shoreline destruction right around the corner. I hope you Mississippi voters remember what he's saying and who this guy is working for.

[dencol]

8. Guess they don't need any federal money for cleanup, then.

He'll probably be squealing for fed money within the month, just like Piyush Jindal.

[1Hippiechick]

9. Tourism-connection contributors to his campaign? n/t

[obxhead]

10. What an asshat

Maybe we should use him for the next well 'hat' we try.

[Winterblues]

11. Does he even know what comes out of his mouth

Oil spill no big deal but...Barbour went on to suggest that President Obama was “destroying himself” by not adequately responding to the spill,

[hayu_lol]

12. Keep in mind that Barbour just got...

fifteen million dollars from BP. He received this just before Louisiana got their initial 25 million.

Wonder how much of that 15 mil stuck to Barbour's fingers?

[WinkyDink]

13. It's July 4th! Don't mention the shark!