Joe Barton (R-TX), who has taken 1.4m from oil, apologizes to BP CEO for Obama "shakedown" - Polidicks

[url]http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/06/17/2010-06-17_texas_rep_joe_barton_apologizes_to_bp_ceo_tony_hayward_over_white_houses_20_bill.html[/url] [release]By bipartisan agreement, Texas GOP Rep. Joe Barton set a new standard in stupid Thursday by apologizing to BP for President Obama's "shakedown" of the company. Furious GOP leaders scrambled to cap a gusher of outrage ranks over Barton's misplaced mea culpa. By late afternoon, they made him eat his words. Even the recipient of the apology, BP chief executive Tony Hayward, wanted no part of it, though the uproar diverted some attention from his own rough ride in the witness chair. Barton, a former oil company executive, stunned the House energy committee hearing in the morning when he called BP the victim of a "$20 billion shakedown." He was referring to the agreement between Obama and BP Wednesday on a compensation fund for the Gulf Coast's oil-spill victims. "I apologize," Barton told Hayward. "I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it's a tragedy." The White House rushed out a statement calling Barton's remarks "shameful" and urging Republicans to repudiate them. The GOP didn't argue. They quickly put a wide distance between themselves and the Texan. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) even called on Barton to resign as the committee's ranking member, calling his remarks "reprehensible" and "out of touch with this tragedy." Before the hearing was over, Burton retracted his BP apology. "I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident," he said. But Democrats hoped the damage would be long-lasting and sought to make Barton, who has taken $1.4 million in industry contributions, a poster boy for GOP coziness with Big Oil. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs tweeted: "Who would the GOP put in charge of overseeing the energy industry & Big Oil if they won control of Congress? Yup, u guessed it - JOE BARTON."[/release] Oh Big Oil, you so silly.

[QUOTE]over Barton's misplaced [B]mea culpa[/B].[/QUOTE] The what what?

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;22695966]The what what?[/QUOTE] mea culpa = my bad

I guess you could say he isn't that [I]slick[/I]

You know you've made a faux pas when the GOP distances themselves from you

I doubt hes an idiot just an asshole.

Now there's a guy who is loyal to the people who bought him.

Politics as usual. Nothing new here.

Oil Companies pay Politicians, and the Politicians defend them. Corruption at it's finest. Luckily he's in no real position of power to do anything to actually help the Oil Companies, all he can do is talk.

Well you know what they say "Oil is thicker than water."

Republicans being Republicans

[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;22697608]Well you know what they say "Oil is thicker than water."[/QUOTE] And Joe Barton is thicker than that.

What a dumbass.

This asshole makes me feel bad for living in Texas.

lol that guy just said what he said was misconstrued and believes bp should be held responsible.

[QUOTE=Jaffar;22699085]This asshole makes me feel bad for living in Texas.[/QUOTE] Really, it wasn't anything before this that made you feel bad living in Texas, nothing before this?

Then when another congressman called him out, he was reading a fucking magazine! Such a huge douchebag.

[QUOTE=Jaffar;22699085]This asshole makes me feel bad for living in Texas.[/QUOTE] A hell of a lot worse things have happened in Texas, (and pretty much everywhere elsewhere) and are happening right now. The world is a disgusting place really.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;22695966]The what what?[/QUOTE] dost thou not know any latin?

Well, this is creepy, my last name is Barton, and I also live in Texas.

[QUOTE=stewe231;22711290]Well, this is creepy, my last name is Barton, and I also live in Texas.[/QUOTE] oh boy I have a congressman

[QUOTE=Dr. Fishtastic;22697630]Republicans being Republicans[/QUOTE] Too bad pretty much all other significant republicans are disagreeing with what he said

[QUOTE=evilweazel;22716859]Too bad pretty much all other significant republicans are disagreeing with what he said[/QUOTE] Whilst probably agreeing with him. They're not going to come out and say they agree with him.

[QUOTE=evilweazel;22716859]Too bad pretty much all other significant republicans are disagreeing with what he said[/QUOTE] His statement basically rips off a colleague: [QUOTE=GOP congressman Tom Price, the head of the Republican Study Committee;22716859] However, in an administration that appears not to respect fundamental American principles, it is important to note that there is no legal authority for the President to compel a private company to set up or contribute to an escrow account. BP’s reported willingness to go along with the White House’s new fund suggests that the Obama Administration is hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style [B]shakedown[/B] politics. [/QUOTE] Other republicans have also made similar statements.

To: The republican from Texas Rep. From: South Carolina Thank you for embarrassing yourself and making people think you should resign. We had enough scandals here for us Repubs in South Carolina, so thank you for trying to cause one so we can relax. This is another republican attacked by republicans, the first one was by that guy saying that the oil disaster was a natural phenomena. Then again, the Congress is filled with idiots now.