Representative Barton: "What I Really Meant to Say" about BP

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Barton: What I Really Meant to Say

Representative Joe L. Barton on Thursday quickly backpedaled, and then recanted, the remarks he made about BP’s liability fund that had caused an immediate uproar from Democrats and Republicans alike. At last count, Mr. Barton, Republican of Texas, retracted the apology he gave the energy giant during the House hearing earlier in the day, where he criticized the $20 billion fund created to help those affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

In a statement, Mr. Barton apologized “for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP. As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Mr. Barton’s party offered little support. During the scrum of afternoon activity, the top three Republicans in the House – John A. Boehner of Ohio, Eric Cantor of Virginia and Mike Pence of Indiana – released a statement bluntly saying that Mr. Barton’s “statements this morning were wrong,” adding that BP has acknowledged it is responsible for economic damages.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/barton-what-i-really-meant-to-say/?hp

[MadMaddie]

1. Hey Joe we read your lips we know exactly what you said!

Say it ain't so Joe!!


:thumbsdown:

[City Lights]

2. You said it, you own it, buddy.

We all know you meant exactly what you said.

[Kolesar]

3. And that party thinks they are going to take 30 or 50 seats in Congress in November

They have no message.