"GOP rushes to clean up Barton mess" - Still Silent on the BP Mess

[Clio the Leo]

They rushed to clean up the Barton mess in about 45 mins by my watch .... to date, however, they've done NOTHING to help clean up the BP mess.

GOP rushes to clean up Barton mess

By: Jonathan Allen and Jake Sherman
June 17, 2010 07:46 PM EDT

In the blink of an eye, Texas Rep. Joe Barton handed Democrats just what they wanted: a Republican villain in the oil spill crisis.

“I apologize,” he told BP CEO Tony Hayward — coloring himself “ashamed” that the White House would engage in a “shakedown” to get BP to set up a $20 billion escrow fund to pay damage claims for Gulf Coast businesses and residents.

It would have been bad enough for the GOP if a backbencher had accidentally strayed wildly off message, but Barton, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is the face of the party on energy policy — and his comments were intentional. So rather than talking about BP’s culpability and the Obama administration’s response, Washington was fixated on a Texas Republican’s seemingly tone-deaf comments.

The damage control was swift and the pushback severe — leaders in Barton’s own party threatened to yank his ranking-member status on the committee. Gulf-state Republicans seethed, and the top three GOP House leaders were compelled to put out a joint statement saying, “Congressman Barton’s statements this morning were wrong.”

The Democratic National Committee sent out at least a dozen e-mails blasting Barton, and the White House put out a statement calling his comments “shameful.”

GOP leaders hauled Barton into a Capitol office shortly after midday and gave him an ultimatum, according to aides: Apologize for the apology to BP or face ouster from the Energy and Commerce post. Barton chose the former.

“I apologize 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,” Barton said.

It’s not often that a lawmaker apologizes for pre-written remarks.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=484EF21C-18FE-70B2-A87FB1DAE1602B58

[AndyA]

1. The GOP has been caught red handed on this one.

Caught big time. The wife has entered the bedroom unexpectedly, the husband and some whore are in bed doing the deed. The wife has a photographer who snaps photos of the adulterous husband in the act. A private detective grabs the whore's identification and documents who she is.

Caught. In. The. Act. The divorce will be quick and the wife will get what she wants, because the cheating husband doesn't stand a chance. (This story could be reversed for a cheating wife, to be fair to all.)

In this situation, there is no defense. And it's the same with the GOP. Everyone knows they're beholden to big oil and big corporations. And lately, all we've seen and heard from big oil and big corporations is abuse of the American people. Bail outs. Billions in subsidies to industries who don't need them, and are making billions in profits each quarter. Meanwhile, our Congress can't find money for unemployment, education, health care, or anything else for the American people.

Just exactly who is minding the store?

The GOP has been caught, pants on the floor and full color photos documenting the event. There is no escape at this point, no matter what they may try, people are now seeing them for what they truly are, and always have been.

[Clio the Leo]

3. "pants on the ground! pants on the ground!....."

"lookin' like a FOOL with ya pants on the ground!"

lol .... love your metaphor.

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Hey, give Barton credit. He said what the rest of them were thinking.

[monmouth]

4. His appearance after this "hauling in" looked very disheveled...LOL..

He looked like they beat him like bullies on the playground. Very pleasing..

[Laelth]

5. Democrats need to milk this for all it is worth.

Every Democratic candidate for office needs to make this an issue against their Republican opponent. Get them on the record (either trashing Barton or supporting him). It won't matter. It makes them look bad either way. Just make this an issue.

:dem:

-Laelth

[NorthCarolina]

6. Too bad they have to rely on mishaps like this to gain a political advantage. Would be nice

if they could gain an advantage through legislation and policy making that doesn't favor Corporate interests. We already had one party that did that, the GOP, don't see a pressing need for two Corporate parties.

[Cha]

8. The Dems don't rely on that but it would be gross negligence

not to point out joe barton's apology to BP, while calling the President's role in securing the $20 Billion and counting for the Gulf Coast Residents.. "a shakedown".

[Laelth]

10. I believe that was ted Kennedy's argument, and I agree.

"The last thing this country needs is two Republican Parties," he said.

I also agree that a true, strong liberal can win nearly anywhere in the U.S. as Alan Grayson has shown. If only we had a truly liberal party to vote for.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Cha]

7. Oh, he's the color of "shame" all right..big croc o' shame caught

red handed in the GoBP cookie jar.

[nmbluesky]

9. joe barton has big brown nose

He got 1.5 Million from Oil and Gas Company...

GOP stopped him for protecting.. Why they protect Oil and Gas company..
GOP don't care about beach and animals...