BP is promoting the idea that the cleanup is being moved to a new group under the control of an American to begin damage control for the company and for Brits. Being British has nothing to do with it since Americans in general love Brits. It's pompous asses such as Tony Hayward that they don't like. Hayward couldn't seem to make it through a day without without a new gaffe so it's more of a personal problem with him. It's almost a surprise that Hayward hasn't walked across an oil stained beach wearing a cross so he could attempt to gather more pity and make it about him, again. (To a degree, think of it the way it was during the Bush years. People around the world like Americans but strongly disliked Bush.)
Another change is Obama's increasingly harsh tone. Will it amount to anything or is it the same old talk? In his inner bubble, I suppose it's tough and maybe a bit radical. Oh to be the leader of "change".
The spill has brought verbal attacks on BP from everyone up to Barack Obama, who said yesterday during his third trip to the gulf region: "What I don't want to hear is, when they're spending that kind of money on their shareholders and spending that kind of money on TV advertising, that they're nickeling and diming fishermen or small businesses here in the gulf who are having a hard time."
In the face of such criticism, Hayward insisted that he had a "thick jacket", adding: "They've thrown some words at me, but I'm a Brit. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."
