Secretary Of Energy Repeats Katrina Oil Spill Lie: ‘Not One Case’ Where Oil ‘Spilled In The Environment’
Secretary Of Energy Repeats Katrina Oil Spill Lie: ‘Not One Case’ Where Oil ‘Spilled In The Environment’
After meeting with his cabinet today, President Bush renewed his call for “Congress to lift the legislative ban that prevents offshore exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf.” Bush has previously claimed that such offshore drilling can be done in a manner that will “ensure that our environment is protected.”
In order to support Bush’s message, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman went on Fox News today to push the claim that offshore drilling is safe for the environment. But in the midst of his interview, Bodman repeated the right-wing lie that no oil spilled in 2005 during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita:
JARRETT: Has technology improved so dramatically that drilling can now be done in a way that protects the environment?
BODMAN: I believe that it can. When we had Katrina and Rita, the two worst hurricanes in — at least in recent memory, in ‘05, some three years ago, there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.
Watch it:
As ThinkProgress has previously noted, the clear satellite evidence of major spills was borne out by final reports. In May 2006, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) published their offshore damage assessment: “113 platforms totally destroyed, and 457 pipelines damaged, 101 of those major lines with 10 inches or larger diameter.”
In all, the two hurricanes caused 124 offshore spills for a total of 743,700 gallons, including six spills of 42,000 gallons or greater.
It’s one thing for right-wing hacks like the Wall Street Journal editorial page to push these lies, but America’s highest-ranking energy official should know better.
Transcript:
Look, you’re an engineer by background.BODMAN: That’s right.
JARRETT: Has technology improved so dramatically that drilling can now be done in a way that protects the environment?
BODMAN: I believe that it can. When we had Katrina and Rita, the two worst hurricanes in — at least in recent memory, in ‘05, some three years ago, there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.
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“but America’s highest-ranking energy official should know better.”
_____
It’s a BushStooge. On POX Spews.
WTF do you EXPECT?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:22 pmThey lie with impunity and no one challenges them. Not that anyone at FOX would even consider such betrayal in the name of truth, but even on the MSM, no one challenges their blatant lies.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:23 pmDo they get a stipend per lie? Like our trolls get per post?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:23 pm“America’s highest-ranking energy official should know better.”
Are you kidding? “Know better”? Not in this administration!
July 30th, 2008 at 5:24 pmThe lie that won’t die. Bushco is incapable of telling the truth – absolutely incapable.
This has been debunked so often, it earns frequent flier miles. Are they really that stupid, or do they think the Low Information Voters (our trolls) are that stupid? Maybe both?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:24 pmStratRat, definitely both.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:25 pmFunny how the FoxBot didn’t correct his lie. . .
July 30th, 2008 at 5:26 pmHey Quagmire, ya wanna come over to this thread and deny that the Bushies distribute talking points to the media? By the end of the clip the talking head was feeding Bodman his lines.
Jane E. Schneider Says:
StratRat, definitely both.
Darn, I was afraid of that. This doubles the amount of work we have to do. “So many lies, so little time”.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:26 pmpaleolib Says:
Funny how the FoxBot didn’t correct his lie. . .
Hey Quagmire, ya wanna come over to this thread and deny that the Bushies distribute talking points to the media? By the end of the clip the talking head was feeding Bodman his lines.
Perfectly stated…Absolutely perfect.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:27 pmAh, the Secretary of Energy Lies, I presume?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:28 pmThey lie with virtual impunity everywhere.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:31 pmThat’s because ‘journalists’ are forbidden by their bosses from actually citing sources of competing information without there being an intervenor in the process…
It’s gotta be “he said/he said”
Librul media, you know
not prudent
Gee, we have the ex CEO of Cabot Corp, a major independent oil company as SecofEnergy. And he would LIE about oil spills?
Kinda like putting,…oh, say…. Cheney in charge of the Energy Department. Fox and hen houses, and all.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:32 pmBODMAN: When we had Katrina and Rita……. there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.
Technically, this is not a lie. There were actually 124 cases where oil was spilled, not one.
Next time can we play Simon Says?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:33 pmIt wont go away.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pmDrilling is the magic bullet.
Driving is WAAAAAY more an attractive demagoguery point than is the destruction of the planet.
You see, we have a RIGHT to drive…Our whole economy is predicated upon the divine right of automotion. We ARE our cars, they were promised to us to help us regain our stature and status.
the political point is too easy:
1) there’s oil under there
2) you need oil
3) we’ll get it, they won’t
there is not room in that discourse for the slightest hint of nuance.
this argument is addressed mostly to mouth-breathers.
you know, of course, how man of them there are…
It seems the Energy Department is as effective as FEMA.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pmOT:Ticketed McCain protester pleads not guilty… Bush = McCain protester
The Denver Post readers need help with the comment section.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pmThe only thing that matters is the FACT that roughly 1/3 of the voting public will believe everything they say.
Collective insanity.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pmDo someone think we should call Mr. Bodman out on this.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pmFor Example send his comments to other new outlets.
Like CNN; MSNBC; KO; CBS; ABS with a BIG Headline
“MR BODMAN IS LYING !!!”
Fox and hen houses, and all.
worse: Fox in the newsroom…
July 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pmToday they’re playing the Energy Bowl. The Bushies pulled all the stops to push Congress into passing expanded exploration. Bodman is the pulling guard, huffing and puffing around the right end.
Urrggghhh, that was a bad fall. I tried to warn Sam about the oil spill. Bummer, he didn’t see it. But that’s only one lineman going arse over tea kettle.
Chevron’s and Exxon’s earnings should take out the rest of Bush’s oil offense.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:41 pmI think a mistake is being made in the assumption that we all share the same definition of “environment”.
How can you expect a Bush-loyalist to know that the environment, in this sense, extends beyond their day to day perceived environment and own “beautiful minds”?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:42 pmtokin,
I was hoping someone would pick up on that
July 30th, 2008 at 5:43 pmthere was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.
Define spilled please.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:46 pmHey, Jim Wilkes told me that black stuff in the satellite photo was dirt or sea foam!
July 30th, 2008 at 5:47 pmJim Wilke Says:
“Please post pictures of all the oil washing up on LA and MS beaches. Thanks.”
http://www.katrinadestruction.com/images/v/damaged+energy+facilities/
Well, this isn’t “all” of them, but you’re welcome.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pmJim Wilke Says:
——————————————————————————–
Please post pictures of all the oil washing up on LA and MS beaches. Thanks.
Why, do you get your jollys looking at dead, oil covered sea birds?
July 30th, 2008 at 5:50 pmJim Wilke Says:
Please post pictures of all the oil washing up on LA and MS beaches. Thanks
Jim, buddy. You and I – and the rest of TP – went over this very same topic not one week ago. Don’t you recall?
Please don’t give us additional reasons to suspect you have developmental issues. We feel badly enough for you as it is.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pmHey Jim’s here!!!
July 30th, 2008 at 5:53 pmJim’s busy jacking off while looking at the pictures of oil washing up on LA and MS beaches.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:54 pmand here:
http://skytruth.mediatools.org/node/12828
July 30th, 2008 at 5:54 pmI like Jim, he’s silly…
July 30th, 2008 at 5:54 pm666lattes, those pics are all photoshopped. Right Jim? Oh wait, Jim thinks that just because a spill doesn’t get to a beach then it’s not bad for the environment.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pmReally – are these people just completely stupid & ignorant? Or just plain liars? It seems the only 2 options.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pm666lattes,
Stop sending dirty pictures to Jim.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pmWell, don’t you just feel better that a twice failed oilman has assured you that offshore drilling will be just fine. Would that be the same person who said Iraq would greet us with flowers ? Or the same leader who took a country with money into a 600 Billion deficit. Oh, yeah I can sleep tonight.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pm“Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman”
Puts a whole new perspective on the phrase, “oily character,” eh?
Slather, mince, repeat, repeat, repeat….
July 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pmRemember just last week, when John McCain was going to do a photo op at an oil rig to show how safe it is, but he had to call it off because the hurricane made it unsafe?
The thing I love most about irony is that right-wingers don’t understand it.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:01 pmBODMAN: I believe that it can. When we had Katrina and Rita, the two worst hurricanes in — at least in recent memory, in ‘05, some three years ago, there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.
Just so happens I have a copy of the American Right Wing Hack’s Dictionary on my desk here and so I looked up the word environment and it states:
en·vi·ron·ment Pronunciation[en-vahy-ruhn-muhnt, -vahy-ern-]
–noun
1. a space entirely devoid of matter.
2. a space not filled or occupied; emptiness; void.
3. not existing; not real.
Just saying . . .
July 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pm“… not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment…”
Actually it was spilled in the non-environment or the un-environment, take your pick.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:04 pmI’ll be charging for the rest, Jim.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:04 pmright wing hack … Bush Administration official … but I repeat myself!
July 30th, 2008 at 6:07 pmJim is silly.
But genial. Genial goes a long way.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:07 pmit’s easy for these people because even if they see the satellite photos, they’ll just turn around and say these were photoshopped…
July 30th, 2008 at 6:11 pmAh the old well it wasn’t so much argument…
July 30th, 2008 at 6:12 pmWasn’t it enough for Bush and McBush to eat cake while New Orleans drowned? Now they add insult to injury.
Can we raise a fund to send a delegation of Gulf Coast shrimpers to DC with photographic evidence?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:12 pmThere a miles of desolation in Utah that could be drilled so why the push for Florida ? Possibly cheaper so what if miles of ocean and beach are spoiled. Gotta feed those SUV’s.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:14 pmhey, darryl’s other brogher (what is a “brogher, anyway?) — did you intend your link to somehow magically prove that the Secretary of Energy didn’t lie?
‘Cause it didn’t work. Sorry.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:14 pmMaybe not birds, but have you been to a beach with oil rigs within 5 miles ? I have, not pretty, not only oil all over the beach but the rigs are sloppy with their trash which washes up on the beach. And this you want for Florida ?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:16 pmAnd lets look at the sealife that is in danger, we have other resources it doesn’t have to be more offshore drilling. Haven’t 8 years of oil interests in the White House been enough?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pmThe question of the effect of wind turbines on migratory birds has yet to be established. D’s made up brother seems to lack this knowledge. Still it is a concern but the proper placement of wind powered electrical facilities relative to flyways and the use of technologies to minimize bird losses should be able to manage this problem.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:19 pmshoeless Says:
The thing I love most about irony is that right-wingers don’t understand it.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
They don’t understand it, shoeless, because in order to see the irony of something, you have to see the contradiction within. The right-wingers (and especially the trolls who come here to poop) are capable of holding in their heads and believing two contradictory ideas. And that’s why they never see the irony inherent in the Bush Administration.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:19 pmdaryllsotherbrogherdaryll Says:
“I haven’t heard of that many birds dying due to oil drilling in the Gulf.”
You also haven’t heard of that many birds dying due to child molesting, either, so does that make molesting children okay? Nevermind, I actually really don’t want to know your answer to that question.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:19 pmThe big question is: in light of two consecutive months of falling demand, huge cutbacks in auto and airliner production, a probable winding down of U.S. disruption in the Mideast, and no one inside the oil indusrty calling for expansion of existing infrastructure, why do we need to give the oil companies new leases in protected areas?
For extra credit:
Has anyone in the oil industry claimed they are willing to make the huge investment in these new resources so long as they can simply ship from existing fields?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:20 pmBTW. The U.S. is already the third largest oil producer on Earth. How much more do we really need?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:25 pmThey can’t even refine all the available oil now.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pmNobody’s building new refining facilities here, anyway, cuz they know there’s not enough oil left to amortize the costs.
They cant get one frigging DROP up out off the shelf or from the ANWR before 2011, soonest. So there is a ZERO effect on extant supply, which (allegedly) determines prices.
These facts should be introduced into EVERY discussion with Pols about energy supply and plans…
Daryll and Jim should have been with me about a week after the hurricanes and looked out the window of my plane as we flew over the N Gulf Coast. Those oil slicks were pretty evident as they came off production and pipeline platforms.
But maybe to them, it would have been just a pretty ’slick’ picture.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm“…there was not one case where we had a situation with oil or gas being spilled in the environment.”
____________________________________________________
I suspect we may need a definition of the word “ENVIRONMENT” from these clowns. Apparently, 743,700 gallons spilled in the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t count, and the only thing I can think of is that they don’t count the Gulf of Mexico as “the environment”.
Does “the environment” only consist of dry land? Hope they don’t like shrimp…or fish…
July 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pmdaryllsotherbrogherdaryll Says:
Texaslady, all of the Republican proposals would give states a veto on oil exploration within 100 miles of their coastlines.
And as proof, you offer………..
July 30th, 2008 at 6:31 pmtexaslady Says:
——————————————————————————–
There a miles of desolation in Utah that could be drilled so why the push for Florida ? Possibly cheaper so what if miles of ocean and beach are spoiled.
Who wants to spend years in desolation looking for oil? The oil men want us to give them a nice beach like Malibu or Marcos Island so they can have some fun while they are drilling.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:32 pmdaryllsotherbrogherdaryll:
July 30th, 2008 at 6:34 pmMight you comment on you expertise as to marine ecosystems? The thing is that I actually have one so I was hoping you might so that we might have a discussion in which both parties are qualified.
First of all, oilrigs ARE less than 5 miles off the coast of Corpus Christi but you are asking that we believe a group that have lied about everything to believe this ? Also, when the Alaskan Pipeline was put in, we heard the same thing and it would take care of oil needs for years and years. Well the pipeline is not being maintained and oil is leaking out. So much for that promise. As for spills there is at least 6 or more in the Gulf each year and lets not forget about the refiniries.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:36 pmAnd the “accidents” of toxic fumes getting released, first happening during the day with blue and green clouds close to the ground now being released at night. Trust oil companies are you insane ?
daryllsotherbrogherdaryll Says:
Texaslady, all of the Republican proposals would give states a veto on oil exploration within 100 miles of their coastlines.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Wow, does that mean we can drill in Cuba, brogher?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:37 pmTalk to anyone living around the refiniries, strange that Dupont has its own hospital which maintains records of skin disease, brain tumors around Galveston or Pasadena. Personally I know of people who living in CC after being sick with strange illness’s moving away and become healthy at advanced ages. So, oil is NOT good for people and environment in anyway shape or form.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pmExcellent facts, but with the wrong conclusion. The oil companies will not build more refineries until they know they have more drilling capacity so that they can amortize their costs over a 20-25 year refining period. Once they know they have ANWR and more of the Gulf, they will know they have the oil resources to begin building new refineries. Then we won’t be buying so much gas from Venezuela and can tell Chavez to STFU.
Over 60,000 square miles have been applied for, inspected and approved for drilling – including sites off-shore RIGHT NOW. If there was no oil on those sites, I doubt the oil drillers would have applied to drill there. So that stands to reason our hypothesis is wrong.
They want more land, because they want more land – not more oil. More oil means fewer profits for them, as the price will go down. Drill in the areas already set aside for the drilling or get out of the business.
PS. I thought a right side talking point was that we would get all of our oil from Iraq – is that not operative any longer?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pmdaryllsotherbrogherdaryll Says:
What do you suggest, Texaslady? What source of energy do you consider good and safe for the environment?
Hot air from our trolls would move mountains…
Break like the wind, Daryll!
July 30th, 2008 at 6:44 pmWhat are the odds that our newest daryll doll is an employee of an oil or oil service company?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:45 pmDo I really have to post the whole thing? Although marine geology is just an interest and marine engineering especially as related to oil recovery isn’t my thing I do have advanced degrees in marine biology and education and have almost 2 decades of research in whale behavior behind me. I have worked in multiple aspects of a variety of fisheries including hook and line, trap, and dive. I have also been involved in the partyboat and boat delivery industry. I have field experience throughout the east from the Canadian provinces through the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Baja and the Sea of Cortez, the Gulf of Mexico, and the east and west coasts of Central America.
I am really interested in hearing of your background and those of the rest who have the sea in them
Thanks for asking…
July 30th, 2008 at 6:46 pmDamn and just when I wanted to here from “Jacques”
July 30th, 2008 at 6:50 pmupside99 Says:
What are the odds that our newest daryll doll is an employee of an oil or oil service company?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Do people still pump gas for a living or just work the counter at convenience stores?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:53 pmAn automotive exec said when oil companies can control new methods of energy for cars and all other needs we will have them. There are many enviromentally safe ways to construct, however pricing controls who can obtain it.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:56 pmOil companies are drilling in Rifle, CO, in Wyoming and Utah so why the pressure for ocean drilling ?
Opinions anyone ?
dbadass,
great resume!
I have degrees in Environmental Science and Human Ecology and a minor in Geology.
I spent 15 years in the ‘awl bidness’ and traveled all over the world and saw things that the industry would NEVER want us to know about. Both on and offshore, and here and in other countries.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:57 pmNot one case, huh? What puzzles me is that no one in the media has attacked this false claim with photographs of the lake nearby that was absolutely ruined by the cleanup efforts. Seems that by moving most of the spill from an open waterway to a closed one means that it never happened in the first place.
And yet, you’ve got this lake full of thick black sludge with all of its life killed. The information is out there. We just have to counter their lies with true stories of fact. It’s all anyone can do.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:57 pmdbadass Says:
Damn and just when I wanted to here from “Jacques”
July 30th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Aw db. You scared them off. Don’t you know that bona fide experts are like kryptonite to trolls? One must remember that we are discussing oil policy with people who don’t know polymer from poly-sci.
BTW, “The Silent World”, and exploring tide pools from age 5, began my fascination with the oceans and their life.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pmNo, nobody around here pumps, nor do they restock the tape for the gaspumps so you have to either remember or go into the store for a receipt. And watch out for the extra charge of 65 cents using certain credit cards.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pmdbadass has, on many occasions, answered with expertise.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:59 pmAs for you: “cutting and pasting” and having NO understanding of anything…
You’ll lose in one post! (it’s a great deal easier to move or reposition a windmill farm than a nasty oil rig. “Apples and Oranges” as the adage goes.
Texaslady,
Much of the drilling in the Roan Plateu in W. COlorado and much of the new drilling in Wyoming and Utah is for natural gas, which is becoming an even bigger profit maker than oil for the domestic industry.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:59 pmupside99 Says:
Much of the drilling in the Roan Plateu in W. COlorado and much of the new drilling in Wyoming and Utah is for natural gas, which is becoming an even bigger profit maker than oil for the domestic industry.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
And yet no one seems to be interested in making cars that run on natural gas. Too bad Jimmy Carter pushed it so it’s been declared “insane” by the Reichwing. Granted, it would do little about carbon emissions but it sure would help with the shock at the pump.
Though I do recall an article about a car that used a little turbine (which could run on just about anything from liquefied coal to hydrogen, including natural gas) that served as a generator to supply batteries and drive motors. No mechanical drive train at all. It got the equivalent of 100mpg, rising to 300-400 if it was plugged in and used for short trips. The generator would only kick in to supply extra acceleration without depleting the batteries.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:11 pmOur “new” troll has already been downgraded to harpy? How sad.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:13 pmTo be fair, there are 2 major points in defense of the poor secretary:
1) why would you expect the secretary (now called administrative assistant) of energy to have an intimate knowledge of oil
2) There wasn’t / weren’t *ONE* single spill, there were hundreds. So technially, their statement is correct.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:13 pmBTW, stupid troll/harpy. If one actually debated, one wouldn’t be banned. In this case it’s definitely about style over substance. Or lack of substance.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:15 pmdary11:
It is spelled Daryll.
Anyway since you seem curious I should explain. Circumstance has temporarily sidelined me inland. Till my ship comes in I have to entertain my first love as a late night fishmonger. Thus I awake in the late morning. Bullshit around till mid day then hit work till the am. Watch the pattern and you will see. Also if you dig the ocean and stuff you might be interested in the recent sighting of a red-tailed tropic bird in NE.
So can we get back to the real discussion?
July 30th, 2008 at 7:19 pmTill my ship comes in I have to entertain my first love as a late night fishmonger.
I crewed on a broadbill swordfish boat (the Annette Marie) for a while. Hard work, I’ll tell ya. Very spartan conditions.
I’m glad I did it, but I’m glad I don’t have to do it.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:26 pmStratRat:
July 30th, 2008 at 7:28 pmThat is way more rugged than a lot of what I have done. I’ll bet there are some parts of it that you miss! Longline?
How did I miss #80? It’s priceless!
July 30th, 2008 at 7:58 pmdbadass Says:
How did I miss #80? It’s priceless!
July 30th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I think it’s safe to add “debate” to the list of words a troll will never comprehend.
July 30th, 2008 at 9:22 pmpete Says:
Though I do recall an article about a car that used a little turbine (which could run on just about anything from liquefied coal to hydrogen, including natural gas) that served as a generator to supply batteries and drive motors. No mechanical drive train at all. It got the equivalent of 100mpg, rising to 300-400 if it was plugged in and used for short trips. The generator would only kick in to supply extra acceleration without depleting the batteries.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Remember the Chrysler turbine car from the 1960’s? I think at least one was saved from the crusher and is in private hands.
Anyway, Chevy is working on a prototype called the Volt which will do what you describe. I believe it can run on pure electricity for up to a max of 40 miles and then the gas engine (or whatever fuel-powered generator they decide to install in the future) kicks in to recharge the batteries and provide power to the electric motors. Only drawback is, it reportedly will sticker for around $40,000, out of reach for many drivers.
10 years after Honda introduced a hybrid car to America, the Big Three still do not have a vehicle to compete with the current 2008 Civic Hybrid, especially in terms of technology. The closest GM comes is the “mild hybrid” Aura and upcoming Malibu, which use a belt-driven alternator/electric motor that provides a power boost to the gas engine when accelerating; it can’t even power the car on pure electricity.
You have to spend over $50,000 to currently get GM’s most technologically advanced hybrid, a Tahoe.
July 30th, 2008 at 10:41 pmCan’t somebody nail these creeps for their blatant lies?
July 30th, 2008 at 11:19 pmWhat these lying Republicans are doing is making a “talking point” false claim while leaving out the basis for this false claim.
A friend made the same “no oil was spilled” claim, at which point I produced the data from the U.S. Minerals Management study about the huge amount and number of oil spills, both on land and in the Gulf of Mexico, following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Then he said, “Oh, but the oil companies capped the offshore oil rigs before they were evacuated, so no oil leaked from the hole in the sea floor below any of these rigs.”
At which point I said, “Then why the hell didn’t you say this at the same time you said no oil was spilled? Why didn’t you qualify this “no oil was spilled” claim, adding this additional information, because we all know by now that massive amounts of oil spilled after the hurricanes?”
Then he stated again, “Well, no oil was spilled.”
At which point my brain short-circuited, because I realized that I was in a Republican disinformation talking points loop, like one often sees on Faux News, where information is intentionally withheld from viewers, while some right-wing pundit authoritatively proclaims a selective slant, that is, a Republican talking point, which conveniently leaves out the rationale, no matter how crazy, behind their deceptive propaganda.
July 30th, 2008 at 11:35 pmWizard2000, what a horrifying story. My jaw literally dropped while reading it. Did you let out a primal scream and walk away?
July 30th, 2008 at 11:41 pmThe Mineral Management Service report you cite says this on page 65:
“Hurricanes Katrina and Rita confirmed that our offshore oil and gas industry produces environmentally safe energy for America. Even in the face of two back-to-back major hurricanes, all subsurface safety valves held on the OCS and there was no significant spill from production. The small amounts of oil observed in the water surrounding platforms may have come from damaged pipelines or petroleum supplies for running platform machinery, but, as stated, it did not come from OCS production wells.”
July 31st, 2008 at 11:29 am