Can BP Find More Ways to Ruin the Reputation of the Entire Oil Industry?

There is enough finger pointing going on following the Gulf Oil disaster to make everyone cringe. President Obama has finally had it; the public has had it. BP, which at first minimized the situation, has been pointing fingers at the company that operated the platform and at Halliburton, a company whose reputation can not possibly get much worse. No one is taking responsibility, likely because the lawyers have told them not to in an attempt to minimize the legal ramifications.

The problem is that BP is not following the standards of "Crisis 101". They continue to make promises they cannot keep, to talk as if this is not one of the greatest environmental disasters the world has seen, and to shirk responsibility. The CEO even said that BP would take responsibility for "all things that are proven to have been caused by BP". In other words, "read the fine print". The platform--someone else's problem; the pipe--someone else's problem. So, what exactly is BP taking responsibility for?

When a company outsources to others, it still owns the responsibility for the end product. It cannot shirk that. It's partners are its responsibility--perhaps not legally, put certainly in the court of public opinion.

BP is damaging not only itself but also the entire oil industry. The industry has been unbelievably silent during this crisis. When they have spoken it is to suggest that drilling still is needed. They have not seemed to take this disaster to heart and to understand the emotions. They are reinforcing the worst perceptions of the industry.

BP once wanted to be a shining star. Its star has not only dimmed but has gone out and perhaps turned the shine out of the entire sector.