The Very Picture of Success

OK, now I get why Republicans think everything from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the economy is great, never been better; these pictures of oilrigs after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the gulf of Mexico, according to John McCain,“have survived, very successfully, the impacts of hurricanes.”

Really? These are success stories according to McCain? What the hell does a disaster look like? Click on the picture for a larger view, and keep in mind that McCain said, "I’m aware that off the coast of Louisiana and Texas there are oil rigs, as we well know, and those rigs have survived, very successfully, the impacts of hurricanes – hurricane Katrina as far as Louisiana is concerned."

The U.S. Minerals Management Service offshore damage assessment of Hurricanes Katrina and Rite found that: 113 platforms were totally destroyed, and - more importantly - 457 pipelines damaged, 101 of those major lines with 10" or larger diameter. At least 741,000 gallons were spilled from 124 reported sources (the Coast Guard calls anything over 100,000 gallons a "major" spill).

Hurricane Katrina resulted in 70 spills from outer continental shelf structures with a total volume of approximately 5,552* barrels of oil and petroleum products, including damage to 27 platforms and rigs that resulted in the spilling of approximately 2,843* barrels of petroleum products, including 2,252 barrels of crude oil and condensate. Damage to 43 pipelines resulted in the spilling of approximately 2,710* barrels of oil and petroleum products.

Further, regarding the combined impacts of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on outer continental shelf structures in the Gulf of Mexico, the report stated, "124 spills were reported with a total volume of roughly 17,700 barrels of total petroleum products." The report further noted that "about 13,200 barrels were crude oil and condensate from platforms, rigs and pipelines, and 4,500 barrels were refined products from platforms and rigs."

This, to the Republicans, is success! This is "not one drop of oil was spilled off of those rigs out in the Gulf of Mexico." -- Mike Huckabee and John McCain.

Are Republicans just idiots, or are Republicans just lying?