'Small People' Remark: BP Exec Is Sorry for Unintentional Slight

I would have to guess that BP's Chairman Svanberg probably didn't intentionally mean to hurt anyones feelings or offend anyone by his 'small people' remark. You have to realize that this is just the way that 'those people' talk all the time, and it just slipped out. And also you have to realize that 'those people' live a base level of existence, although they think VERY highly of themselves. There is no true spiritual values on a base level. But don't they look very "illuminated" in appearance?? Anyways $20 billion dollars is a nice gesture on their part, but compared to the way our President hands out $800's of billions of dollars, it feels like pocket change...(they may have to cough up more than that...) It is amazing how the hugest ongoing thought from BP on how to contain the oil spill must have been- How can we capture all that oil that's gushing out...we can't just stop it or we'll lose all that money. If oil is at appx. $70 per barrel, how much is 60,000 barrels a day going to bring?

as English is not this gentleman's first language....this is did not upset me at all...he is just trying to say "Main Street" citizens....and "Main Street" people are "little" in Washington DC politicians' mind. BUT NOT FOR LONG...NOT ONE OF US HAS FORGOTTEN THAT OBAMA AND HIS DEMOCRATS SPIT IN OUR FACES WHEN WE SAID "NO OBAMACARE" AND THEY IGNORED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE......NOT ONE DEMOCRAT WHO VOTED FOR OBAMACARE AND/OR SUPPORTED IT WILL BE RE-ELECTED!

So leave this gentleman alone and hit on our real problem.....Washington DC!

I wonder who the little people really are? It sure isn't the wealthy or rich... Perhaps, small people makes for an angry group... This is funny, really... Almost like those who always complain, minority use the race card. So some White people have a problem with this European referring to them as "small people." Too funny, really...

Whether you like it or not, politicians who would fight to protect the oil industry and not make sure certain safety precautions were in place, also think you're small, implies or otherwise. Don't get mad at the truth. It's been staring you in the face for quite a while now.

The comment made concerning "small People", was made by a person whose English was not his native language so the criticism of what he said was thoughtless. In fact, there are plenty of native Americans whose English is pretty bad so don't criticize foreigners because their second language is no better.

The democrats think by having a show trial in congress, that it
will help their chances in November. Sorry it wont work.

This is silliness. I am in the process of learning a foreign language, and know first hand how hard it is to find idioms and figures of speech that move from one to the next. I heard his remarks live. I noticed overall his words were very mildly awkward, but when he said "small people" I could tell right away by his inflections that he realized he hadn't translated in his head what he wanted to say.

I know a BP employee said this, but let's crucify Obama for the remark. Right guys?