Last week, Rush Limbaugh went Oil Spill Truther, suggesting that the Deepwater Horizon disaster may have been caused by opponents of offshore oil drilling. Limbaugh's rant, as quoted by Matt Corley of Think Progress (so you don't have to click to Limbaugh's site):
But this bill, the cap-and-trade bill, was strongly criticized by hardcore environmentalist wackos because it supposedly allowed more offshore drilling and nuclear plants, nuclear plant investment. So, since they’re sending SWAT teams down there, folks, since they’re sending SWAT teams to inspect the other rigs, what better way to head off more oil drilling, nuclear plants, than by blowing up a rig? I’m just noting the timing here.
(Emphasis Corley's)
Today, Faux News follows Limbaugh's lead, even hinting that the Obama Administration may have been involved. First, former Bush Spokesidiot Dana Perino asks the question. Corley:
On Fox and Friends this morning, former Bush Press Secretary Dana Perino said she was "not trying to introduce a conspiracy theory" before asking, "But was this deliberate?" "If there was sabotage involved," wondered Perino.
And here's the Media Matters video:
Then, Faux Business's Eric Bolling lets loose. The quote, again with Corley's emphasis:
The question is, and I saw Dana Perino earlier on the show saying, you know, what, why the delay in the response. You guys were pointing out, nine days before it’s even addressed. Twelve days before he made a formal comment. The question is did they let this thing leak? I mean, I know BP said 1,000 barrels a day went to 5,000. Did they let it leak a little bit and say, "boy I don’t know." I mean, the conspiracy theorists would say, maybe they let it leak for a while and then they address the issue.
The conspiracy theorists would say. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Notice his facial expression and demeanor.
The Media Matters video:
As Corley points out, BP says it was a faulty piece of equipment, and it was Halliburton that was cementing the well, at the time of the disaster. But Dana Perino and Faux want you to consider other possibilities. And as always, with Faux News, the facts be damned.