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Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour earned a place at number five on our countdown of oil spill gaffes.
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari
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The ongoing catastrophe in the Gulf is a clear tragedy—but that hasn't kept some people from misunderstanding it's impact. From misguided governors to confused ex-governors, Planet 100 counts down the Top 5 Oil Spill Gaffes.
WATCH VIDEO: Top 5 Oil Spill Gaffes
Get Complete Coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill From TreeHugger and Planet Green
5. Haley Barbour
On Sunday's Meet the Press, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said the moratorium on drilling is worse than that spill itself.
This was after last week's clanger when Barbour blamed sensational media reports for a downturn in the Mississippi economy. Did we mention that Barbour's rise in politics has been largely fueled by big oil contributions?
4. Carl-Henric Svanberg
In at number four, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, told reporters in Washington that BP cares about the "small people."
While the comment may have been an unintentional slight from the Swede or a case of lost in translation, coastal residents are not amused—with one local claiming "We're not small people, we're human beings."
3. Joe Barton
Republican Joe Barton of Texas stunned the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week with his apology to BP.
Barton, the recipient of $1.4 million in oil and gas donations, apologized to CEO Tony Hayward, accusing the White House of a quote "illegal shakedown" of the foreign oil giant to secure a $20 billion escrow fund. Barton was swiftly criticized by the Democrats and Republicans and then apologized for the apology.
2. Sarah Palin
No oil spill gaffe story would be complete without Sarah Palin who says the spill is the fault of environmentalists who wouldn't let BP drill on land.
In an online Facebook rant titled "Extreme Enviros: Drill, Baby, Drill in ANWR—Now Do You Get It?" she said: "Look, here's the deal: when you lock up our land, you outsource jobs and opportunity away from America and into foreign countries that are making us beholden to them." Okaaaay.
1. Tony Hayward
In at number one, Tony Hayward's gaffes are so numerous and outrageous, they almost deserve a show unto themselves. But here are the highlights.
He called amount of volume of oil and dispersant tiny compared with the amount of water in the Gulf of Mexico and he denied that there were any plumes of oil beneath the surface. Those alongside the classic, "I just want my life back," Hayward has sent the gaffe soaring to dizzy new heights.
Get Complete Coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill From TreeHugger and Planet Green
Credits:
Haley Barbour looking crazy İGetty Images
Poor people in the south İGetty Images
Fat greedy business guys İ David Allan Brandt/Getty Images
Carl-Henric Svanberg İGetty Images
mad coastal residents İGetty Images
Joe Barton İAP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke
Obama cabinet İAP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Joe Barton looking dejected İAP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari
Sarah Palin İGetty Images
Saudi Sheiks İAP Photo/Hassan Ammar
Oil Gusher underwater Gulf İAP Photo/BP PLC
Tony Hayward İAP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari
Recent satellite of Gulf oil spill İAP Photo/NASA (image taken 06-21)
