Secret Recordings Reveal How Exxon Lobbyists Manipulate Politicians and Public
See also the leak[1] of big oil PR maestro Rick Berman's 2014 speech to oil execs, pleading for funds to combat rational debate and reliable information about fracking.<p>“Think of this as an endless war,” he told them. “And you have to budget for it.”<p>> He said the industry needs to dig up embarrassing tidbits about environmentalists and liberal celebrities, exploit the public’s short attention span for scientific debate, and play on people’s emotions.<p>> “Fear and anger have to be a part of this campaign,” Berman said. “We’re not going to get people to like the oil and gas industry over the next few months.”<p>> Berman also advised that executives continue to spend big. “I think $2 to $3 million would be a game changer,” he said. “We’ve had six-figure contributions to date from a few companies in this room to help us get to where we are.”<p>> But always cover your tracks, he suggested, adding that no-one is better equipped at doing so than his firm. “We run all this stuff through nonprofit organizations that are insulated from having to disclose donors. There is total anonymity,” he said. “People don’t know who supports us. We’ve been doing this for 20-something years in this regard.” [2]<p>Plenty more in the transcript at [1], and the article at [2]!<p>1: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/us/politics/pr-executives-western-energy-alliance-speech-taped.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/31/us/politics/pr-executives...</a><p>2: <a href="https://www.desmog.com/2014/10/31/oil-and-gas-industry-s-endless-war-fracking-critics-revealed-rick-berman/" rel="nofollow">https://www.desmog.com/2014/10/31/oil-and-gas-industry-s-end...</a>