Critics Blast BP CEO for Attending Yacht Race as Oil Spews

(June 19) -- Critics slammed BP's embattled CEO Tony Hayward for leaving the United States to attend a yacht race while the company's ruptured oil rig continues to disgorge thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, said Hayward's attendance is the latest in a "long line of PR gaffes," while Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., called it the "height of arrogance," according to Fox News.

"I can tell you that yacht ought to be here skimming and cleaning up a lot of the oil," Shelby said.

Hayward, who previously sparked outrage when he told reporters, "There's no one who wants this thing over more than I do, I'd like my life back," while discussing the oil spill, watched his boat "Bob" take part in the annual race around England's Isle of Wight. The race was sponsored by J.P. Morgan Asset Management.




The race's website describes it as a "great opportunity to watch world-renowned sailors racing against families and first time racers." Every boat receives a memento to mark the race, and there are over 60 prizes up for grabs, according to the website.

Hayward's boat finished fourth in its class, Fox News reported.

"This will be seen as yet another public relations disaster for him from people who have got exceedingly upset about this whole thing," said Hugh Walding of the environmental organization Friends of the Earth, according to The Daily Mail. "He should at least be managing the image of the company better."

Yesterday, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg said that Hayward would be taking a back seat in the Gulf clean-up operation. Svanberg acknowledged that some of Hayward's comments in the aftermath of the disaster had harmed the company.

"It is clear Tony has made remarks that have upset people," Svanberg told Sky News.

Hayward's blunders include downplaying the size of the spill by saying, "The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean" and commenting that growing health problems among clean-up workers may be related to food poisoning, rather than their exposure to crude oil and dispersants.

BP's stock has tumbled since the disaster began, and credit rating agencies Moody's, Standard and Poor's and Fitch have all cut the oil giant's rating. On Friday, Anadarko Petroleum, the junior partner in the oil rig that exploded, killing 11 oil workers, accused BP of "reckless" behavior.

Today, BP rushed to Hayward's defense. Robert Wine, a spokesman for the company, told Fox News that this was the first break that Hayward had taken since the April 20 disaster.

"He's spending a few hours with his family at a weekend. I'm sure that everyone would understand that," Wine told Fox News. "He will be back to deal with the response. It doesn't detract from that at all."


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