Perhaps the most enduring moment in West Virginians’ collective memory about the Jan. 9, 2014, chemical spill that left roughly 300,000 residents and businesses in the Kanawha Valley and surrounding areas without water came from the combination of a dismissive attitude and an Aquafina bottle.
It’s hard to forget Freedom Industries president Gary Southern trying to dodge the press while absent-mindedly chugging bottled water, a precious commodity at the time.
“Look guys, it has been an extremely long day, I’m having a hard [time] talking at the moment, I’d appreciate it if we could wrap this thing up,” Southern said.
The retort from former TV reporter Kallie Cart that news media members had a lot of questions and “it’s been a long day for a lot of people who don’t have water,” then telling Southern “Hey, hey, we’re not done” as he tries to walk away are as equally legendary as Southern’s brief engagement with reporters is infamous.
Southern’s approach was so disastrous that it made global news, with some outlets reporting he appeared “arrogant” or “rude and aloof.”
