BP has been criticized for spending approximately $93 million on advertising in the crude wake of the Gulf Coast oil disaster.

An Associated Press story quotes Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., expressing disappointment that BP has spent more money “polishing the corporate image” than on helping the affected Gulf Coast states recover from the disaster. “Their add campaign polishing the corporate image is going off like clockwork. I wish they would do a better job,” Rep. Castor said, “of actually addressing the economic damage to my state and small business owners.”

It was Rep. Castor who requested the spending information from BP, which defends the expenditure and says the ads were meant to keep the affected communities informed.

Which no doubt explains why the ads were on television sets in Virginia and other states that have as much to do with the Gulf as they do with helping Frodo Baggins destroy the evil ring and save Middle Earth.

BP also points out that the $93 million in advertising pales in comparison with the $6.1 billion it has so far spent on the oil spill itself.

Well, yes, that's true but why not simply cut the price of gasoline as a way to help everyone recover?

-JKW-