BP hires ex-Energy Dept official for US media effort

[highplainsdem]

Source: Reuters

BP hires ex-Energy Dept official for US media effort
HOUSTON
Sun May 30, 2010 10:21pm EDT

HOUSTON May 30 (Reuters) - BP (BP.L) has hired a former U.S. Department of Energy official as head of U.S. media relations, as it fights to defend its reputation in the face of political attacks and public rage over its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anne Kolton, former head of public affairs at the DOE, starts this week, the head of group media at London-based BP, Andrew Gowers, said on Sunday.

BP's media team has been overwhelmed by press and public attention since the Deepwater Horizon rig, which BP hired to drill an oil well, exploded and sank in April, killing 11 workers and unleashing what has become the largest oil spill in U.S. history.

The company has flown in staff from London to help deal with media requests, but has also been forced to put its media hotline on voicemail to process the many calls -- some abusive -- that come in.

-snip-


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN3022354920100531

[doublethink]

1. Same Anne Kolton that was in the Bush Administration?

wait ...... let me guess .... :eyes:

[rpannier]

4. She knows all the bag men

[rpannier]

2. There's someone I would want to call

pert of the crony, criminal, cabal that caused the whole thing

[RKP5637]

3. As BP "...fights to defend its reputation." At this point BP should be

fighting to shed its reputation. They never had a reputation worth defending...

[rpannier]

5. They could change their name... Again

I think this would be their fourth name in thirty years

[Lorien]

6. PR is about all they care about at this point. So when does anyone else

get a chance at stopping the gusher and cleaning up the mess?

[Divine Discontent]

7. oh yeah... that'll work! lololol. change their name yet again... sorry BP, those damned internets

will make sure everyone knows your old name!

they can't do shit right, and their record proved they couldn't - NO ONE should have trusted them to do jack shit... Their record is like 10x worse than the next oil offender.

[jillan]

8. They don't need to hire anyone. They need to fix this mess.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. They couldn't afford Baghdad Bob?

I'll bet this move will stop the oil in it's tracks!

[bananas]

13. "BP Barbie"

This article has a lot of good information on her:

http://ricksblog.biz/?p=10302

BP hires uber Barbie

BP has found it has too many men speaking for it nationally and will now use its local BP Barbie approach nationwide. “BP Barbie” is my description for the various female community liaisons hired by the oil giant to deflect criticism and avoid answering any difficult questions.

<snip>

I found this Washington Post article that describes how Kolton met daily with then Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman. She is definitely a political insider who saw how the Bush/Cheney energy policies set the stage for the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

<snip>

[Altoid_Cyclist]

10. This name's already taken, but it does seem appropriate.

"WESAYSO: We'll do what's right, if you leave us alone"

Anyone else remember "The Dinosaurs" TV show from the early 90's?

WESAYSO is the omnipresent, seemingly omnipotent corporation on Dinosaurs. The company has many subdivisions and an economic interest in nearly every conceivable field. The WESAYSO Development Corporation is its most visible branch, focusing on tract housing development. B.P. Richfield is one of the field executives for this division, acting as supervisor and senior foreman, while low-level employees include Earl Sinclair, Roy Hess, and fellow tree-pushers Sid, Ralph, and Ed, amongst others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaurs_(TV_series)

[disndat]

11. They should have hired Mary Matalin.

She's been screaming her head off on CNN, that Obama is the sole person responsible for the spill becoming a catastrophe because he wasn't there personally directing operations. Of course, to divert attention from BP and of course, the real culprit, her boss of 8 years, Cheney.

[bdamomma]

12. speaking of???where is that bastard Cheney hiding.

[cory777]

14. BP hires Cheney spokeswoman to lead PR effort

Source: The Raw Story

As if the water wasn't deep -- or oily -- enough around British Petroleum's public relations, the company has hired a former spokeswoman for Vice President Dick Cheney to be its public face for the disaster.

Anne Womack Kolton, former head of public affairs at the Department of Energy and Cheney's onetime campaign press secretary, will take the baton from BP this week.

While at Cheney's side, Kolton defended the secrecy of the Vice President's Energy task force, a group which held secretive meetings with energy company executives. When the General Accounting Office -- the research arm of Congress -- sued the Administraton for records relating to Cheney's meetings, Kolton (then Womack) was at his side.

"We are ready to defend our principles in court," she said. "This goes to the heart of the presidency and to the ability of the president and vice president to receive candid, discreet advice."

Read more: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0601/bp-hires-cheney-spokeswoman-lead-pr-effort/

[truthisfreedom]

15. Who else would WANT the job?

Seriously.

[polichick]

17. Good point! nt

[Mari333]

16. gag.

[Enrique]

18. she has experience with disasters n/t