D’oh! Oil industry lobbyists punked by enviro activist

[Flaylo]

D

Before intentionally blowing his cover, Gibson also recorded the organizers themselves saying things they might have preferred to keep private. For instance, at one point, a production staffer says participants will be put in costume, then fed lines by a director. That contrasts with API's original call for volunteers, obtained by Greenpeace, which promises participants they'll be able to "express their views" and "have an honest debate." More important, Greenpeace argues, the scripted nature of the ads undercuts the core message they're intended to convey: that there's widespread, authentic, grassroots support for the oil and gas industry.


And, in an ironic twist, a communications adviser for API reveals the extent to which the industry worries about being attacked by critics. Explaining that the ad's script calls for participants to say that they vote, she asks whether the volunteer is a registered voter. "We at least want to be genuine in the sense that you are a registered voter," she says. "As you can imagine, there are some opponents of the oil and natural gas industry and so we always have to be very careful of, you know, what our opponents could use against us."



API didn't respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News. But in a pre-emptive damage-control effort, Mark Green, a communications specialist with the group, made light of the incident, writing in a blog post that the other participants in the shoot genuinely support the industry's position and "want America to use more domestic resources like oil and natural gas."
This isn't the first time that API has been accused of faking popular support for traditional energy solutions. In 2009, its president, Jack Gerard, sent a memo urging member companies to use their own employees for rallies aimed at demonstrating grassroots opposition to climate change legislation. "Please treat this information as sensitive," wrote Gerard. "We don't want critics to know our game plan."

Busted!

 

[ba1614]

That strategy is right out of the progressive playbook. It's pretty funny to watch greenpeace cry about nothing compared to the shit they pull off.

 

[bripat9643]

yawn!

 

[Claudette]

Bingo.

 

[Steelplate]

That's called "Astroturfing".

The right is very good at that... ask the Koch Brothers.

 

[Full-Auto]

D

Before intentionally blowing his cover, Gibson also recorded the organizers themselves saying things they might have preferred to keep private. For instance, at one point, a production staffer says participants will be put in costume, then fed lines by a director. That contrasts with API's original call for volunteers, obtained by Greenpeace, which promises participants they'll be able to "express their views" and "have an honest debate." More important, Greenpeace argues, the scripted nature of the ads undercuts the core message they're intended to convey: that there's widespread, authentic, grassroots support for the oil and gas industry.


And, in an ironic twist, a communications adviser for API reveals the extent to which the industry worries about being attacked by critics. Explaining that the ad's script calls for participants to say that they vote, she asks whether the volunteer is a registered voter. "We at least want to be genuine in the sense that you are a registered voter," she says. "As you can imagine, there are some opponents of the oil and natural gas industry and so we always have to be very careful of, you know, what our opponents could use against us."



API didn't respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News. But in a pre-emptive damage-control effort, Mark Green, a communications specialist with the group, made light of the incident, writing in a blog post that the other participants in the shoot genuinely support the industry's position and "want America to use more domestic resources like oil and natural gas."
This isn't the first time that API has been accused of faking popular support for traditional energy solutions. In 2009, its president, Jack Gerard, sent a memo urging member companies to use their own employees for rallies aimed at demonstrating grassroots opposition to climate change legislation. "Please treat this information as sensitive," wrote Gerard. "We don't want critics to know our game plan."

Busted!

Busted? There wasnt anything in there about BP buying the Obama admin... Whats up? Even Rahm admitted BP paid for his apt, while in DC

 

[Two Thumbs]

Busted for what?

working to drum up support by asking their employees to help?

You do know that seiu workers are sent to rallies, right?

 

[Steelplate]

Busted for what?

working to drum up support by asking their employees to help?

You do know that seiu workers are sent to rallies, right?

Yeah... and they carry signs that say SEIU, don't they? These people were there to purposefully deceive others.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Busted for what?

working to drum up support by asking their employees to help?

You do know that seiu workers are sent to rallies, right?

Yeah... and they carry signs that say SEIU, don't they? These people were there to purposefully deceive others.

Not all of them, not even close.

and why wouldn't people that work for an oil company go out and support it?

Not doing so would be like working at Ford and buying a new Honda.

 

[GHook93]

Fago,

Once again you support a fool. First line he says is "I fully support clean green energy and not the oil industry supported by millionaires and billionaires."

First, great, support green energy. It's a worthy cause. When you have an electric car that gets more than 250 miles per charge and is affordable to the general public, then it will be mass produced. As of right now it's not viable and OIL is HIGHLY necessary for the stability of our society and preservation of our way of life. That is a fact!

Second, the most profitable industry comment always urks me. It's profitable, because its the most important product on the planet at the moment! Of course it's going to be profitable. Why shouldn't they make a profit if they have a product people need? They spend a ton to find it, get it out of the ground and refine it into gas! Sorry but I don't support a Bolshevick idea that making billions of dollars producing a product people need is a bad thing. I would hate to live in a world where we didn't have corporations providing us oil. Ask the North Koreas how they get gas and how much they pay for it!

Third, the millionaires and billionaires comment is a OWS bullshit. There are going to be millionaires and billionaires in the most important industry producing the most sought after product in the world. But what about all the common people making LARGE salaries working for the oil and gas industry. What about all the communities that are created by these industries setting up shop there. What about all the indirect companies and jobs created servicing the workers for these industries. GreenNazis would shut the oil industry down, not caring about all the direct and indirect PRIVATE sector jobs that are lost.

Fourth, wind and solar are getting tried and I hope to god they become more efficient and productive. However, even with all the billions of dollars spent on that industry, it still produces less than 1% of the countries energy needs combined. The technology needs to get better before it can replace anything!

Fifth, global warming is a myth, based on lies and falsified data!

 

[Steelplate]

Busted for what?

working to drum up support by asking their employees to help?

You do know that seiu workers are sent to rallies, right?

Yeah... and they carry signs that say SEIU, don't they? These people were there to purposefully deceive others.

Not all of them, not even close.

and why wouldn't people that work for an oil company go out and support it?

Not doing so would be like working at Ford and buying a new Honda.

did you read the article, or did you just automatically take the side of the API?

If you did read it, you'd know that the article mentions nothing about Oil Employees. These were people that basically answered an Ad... which is how the Greenpeace guy was able to infiltrate it.

So... I'm betting the latter

 

[Two Thumbs]

Yeah... and they carry signs that say SEIU, don't they? These people were there to purposefully deceive others.

Not all of them, not even close.

and why wouldn't people that work for an oil company go out and support it?

Not doing so would be like working at Ford and buying a new Honda.

did you read the article, or did you just automatically take the side of the API?

If you did read it, you'd know that the article mentions nothing about Oil Employees. These were people that basically answered an Ad... which is how the Greenpeace guy was able to infiltrate it.

So... I'm betting the latter

Too many links!!! I can't keep them all straight any more.

 

[whitehall]

What is this "punked" stuff? Isn't that what happens in a gay marriage?

 

[Mad Scientist]