White House chief: Yacht trip another BP gaffe

President Barack Obama’s chief of staff said today BP chief executive Tony Hayward had committed yet another in a “long line of PR gaffes” by attending a yacht race while the Gulf oil spill disaster continued.

Hayward faced a fresh avalanche of criticism as news circulated that he was at a yacht competition around the Isle of Wight.

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel mocked Hayward’s infamous statement that he wished the crisis were over so could have his life back.

Referring to the yachting, Emanuel told ABC television’s This Week: “He’s got his life back, as he would say.”

Emanuel said the focus should stay on capping the leaking well and helping the people of the Gulf region.