You have to hand it to British Petroleum. Top kill failed, new evidence shows that the company was well warned of the Deepwater Horizon rig's "serious problems and safety concerns," and the company's "systemic failure" now endangers the cleanup workers; but at least it knows how to stage a photo op.
Via Amanda Terkel, of Think Progress, New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU reports:
Officials from Jefferson Parish claim BP bused 400 cleanup workers into Grand Isle on Friday in time for a visit from President Barack Obama.
Extra workers supposedly were brought in to help, but...
The extra workers were brought in for Friday only, at a rate of $12 an hour, officials told WDSU. They were mostly from Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.
President Obama was visiting Grand Isle, a tourist haven now facing economic destruction as its beaches are soaked in oil and chemical dispersants.
(Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris) Roberts said that since oil started coming ashore in Grand Isle last week, no more than a dozen workers hired by BP have been seen on the beaches in the area, until Friday when the president arrived.
BP is on top of at least one part of the story. The story part of the story.