Blaming Barton is a heckuva lot easier than defending Obama
So, I return from my cross country trip and amidst the myriad things to do to mark my return, I scan my e-mail to touch base with my friends and Memeorandum to see what’s making news in the internets. And even though the oil leak in the Gulf has not yet been fixed, Democrats are still casting about blaming Republicans, one Republican in particular, the rest by association since, you know, they all have that pesky little (R) after their names.
Now, I’m not going to weigh in on what Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) said about BP. On the face of it, it sounds pretty bad, but I haven’t studied the remarks in context and they are not the point of my post. (That said, at least one person said he was speaking the truth.)
Barton may represent Texas’ Sixth Congressional District in the House of Representatives, but he holds no executive authority. So, he can blather on all he want and his words won’t cause the oil to leak or to prevent the leak from being fixed or the oil from spreading. Yet, to deflect attention from the failure of the president to devote his full attention to solving the problem, his party elders are blaming Barton.
According to the Hill, “Democrats are trying to explicitly tie the 114-member Republican Study Committee (RSC) to a top Republican’s apology to BP this week for the government’s actions to compel BP to create the $20 billion fund to pay out claims to victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.” Meanwhile, “White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel promised Sunday that President Barack Obama hopes to make sure that voters don’t forget the gaffe anytime soon.” Guess he’d rather voters forget his boss’s inept response.
According to Jake Tapper, “Emanuel asserted that Rep. Joe Barton’s apology to BP was a political gift for Democrats – one the President will use in coming weeks to contrast his governing vision with Republicans, with Barton as a foil.” Yup, to Obama Democrats, it’s all about politics, how to play the issue. But, the campaign is over. Obama is president. A governing vision is one thing, but people can now see what that vision means in practice. (Seems the Obama teams wants people to look the other way.) Perhaps, on paper, Obama has a better governing vision than Barton, but that Republican’s not running for president.
And this Democrat should be defending his record, well, now at least, building a record he can defend. Guess it’s easier attacking one Republican’s gaffe than defending a Democratic president’s record.
As is often the case, Jim Geraghty sums it up:
Never fear, conservatives. No matter how strongly the wind is at our backs, there will always be some member of the GOP who will be blindingly foolish enough to demonstrate the exact opposite political instincts that are required by the moment, who will make their misstep on the largest stage possible, and make their gaffe the dominant storyline, instead of the latest appalling failure of liberal policy.
The Gulf oil crisis had managed to shine a bright spotlight on a phenomenon that many of us noticed about three years ago — that Barack Obama can talk a good game but rarely if ever has demonstrated an ability to actually solve problems. The phenomenon had gotten so glaring and obvious that when Captain Kickass turned in his latest edition of the same flowery, detail-free “yes we can” he’s been using since the 2004 Democratic convention, the very last of the rear guard — Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Howard Fineman, Eugene Robinson, and Maureen Dowd — had to give up the fight and acknowledge that their guy was turning into an epic disappointment.
And then along came Joe Barton, Republican of Texas, ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to declare: ”I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown.” We’ve got eleven oilmen killed; enough pathetic, struggling pelicans to make those Sarah McLachlan ASPCA ads look like a laugh riot; shrimpers and entire industries put out of work; and beaches that look like the inside of your car engine. Barton identifies the “tragedy of the first proportion” as the company responsible having to shell out a lot.
(From Friday’s Morning Jolt, a portion excerpted here.)
Seems the Obama team is looking for a way to spread the blame.
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There’s a great post on HotAir that agrees it was a shakedown. The problem being not so much that it was an ‘evil corporation’ that was extorted, but that the Executive of the United States, with the AG sitting right there, basically said “Constitution? Who needs it? I’ve my muscle right here” and demanded that BP set aside money to pay for the Government’s decision to suspend drilling. A decision mind you, based on a report altered after the scientists consulted signed off on it.
So now you have the Executive, which is charged with enforcing the law, deciding to threaten money from corporations to put in a fund that the executive alone will have control over. No one sees a problem with this? What constitutional authority can they hope to claim as cover?
Comment by The_Livewire — June 21, 2010 @ 6:37 am - June 21, 2010
I think both Joe Barton and Rand Paul have provided individual Republicans and the party as a whole with an important lesson that, if they are smart, they will take to heart now. Democrats would desperately like to try to change the subject from their own incompetence, corruption, and extreme ideology, and the media would no doubt like to help them. So, when someone like Rand Paul or Joe Barton makes a point that is unbelievably politically tone-deaf, it puts the GOP on the defensive, and there’s no reason the GOP should have to be on the defensive this year. Sure, one can make intelligent points in defense of Rand Paul’s and Joe Barton’s comments, but that’s not the point. Politics is largely decided by soundbites, and it’s hard to defend Rand Paul and Joe Barton with mere soundbites. Republicans need to follow the example of someone like Paul Ryan, someone who is obviously passionate but whose passion is matched by his discipline.
I don’t think either Rand Paul’s gaffe or Joe Barton’s gaffe will have any effect on November’s elections. Both guys’ races have electorates that will be quite forgiving to them, and the elections are still so far away that Obama probably has time to play golf another fifty times between now and then. People are concerned about unemployment, national security, immigration, and the crappy new healthcare law; these comments will be forgotten. However, these sort of comments in October might be a bigger deal.
Comment by chad — June 21, 2010 @ 7:48 am - June 21, 2010
Interesting tidbit popped up : Goldman Sachs dumped 57% of it’s BP shares in the 2 months prior to the well accident. With the number of BP and Goldman connections to the WH, is this just a coincidence or did someone know BP was operating on the edge?
BP has now pledged $50 billion. They didn’t need Mr. Obama to up the ante. I never read anything that said BP was not going to pay. Even at the beginning. The boy POTUS got what was already being given and thinks he is a hero. Lame.
I also liked the clips of Mr. Obama on the gulf shore chewing gum like a mad cow chews it’s cud. Stylish and hip there.
Comment by TnnsNE1 — June 21, 2010 @ 7:53 am - June 21, 2010
I really disagree with how most people have reacted to this one. What Barton said was exactly right: it was a shakedown. And, he should have added: unconstitutional.
Have we (advocates of freedom/capitalism under the Constitution) become so terrified of how things will “play” and having the wrong “political instincts” that we can no longer tell the truth? America did not become great, by that strategy.
Under freedom/capitalism, government has a couple of crucially important roles:
1) Protecting life, liberty and property – including prosecution of actual crimes against them.
2) Providing courts in which private parties can get redress for broken contracts and other torts.
To the extent BP or its officials have committed crimes against life, liberty and property, they should be prosecuted. And to the extent BP has inflicted damages on others, we have a court system in which private parties can extort $20 billion or more from BP.
*For the President to extort it himself and place that $20 billion under the control of his own political appointee, is unconstiutional*. Because nothing in the Constitution gives him that authority. Nor has Congress passed any law about it, creating a position for him to fill. (And it may well be unconstitutional, i.e. ex post facto / bill of attainder, if they did.)
I ask again: Have we (advocates of freedom/capitalism under the Constitution) become so terrified of how things will “play” and having the wrong “political instincts” that we can no longer tell the truth?
The Republican response – slamming and vilifying Barton – shows me that the Republicans do not have their act together; they are (still) weak and timid. Accordingly, I now make a firm prediction (which I have not done before) that the Republicans will *not* re-take Congress this fall.
chad: If you play by their rules, you will lose. Let them have the damn soundbites, just let Republicans stand up like human beings and tell the People the truth.
Likely so. From what I understand, the well crisis did not just “happen” one day, it was developing for a couple of months. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Obama administration knew about it far sooner than they let on. (And hence, Goldman-Sachs.)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 21, 2010 @ 10:53 am - June 21, 2010
It was a shakedown. Period.
They deftly and with our (the citizenry and Republican Party/RNC, specifically) passive participation, singularly circumvented the legal process of liability finding, compensatory reward and restitution…a foundation stone to our justice system. While they may, or will, have the lawsuits heard in due time, this shakedown will at the very least, corrupt the process; becoming just another aspect of America that’s being ham-strung by an ignorant, idealistic Socialist moron.
Comment by rodney — June 21, 2010 @ 11:20 am - June 21, 2010
Looks like Rahm Emanuel is clearing his calendar so he’s available to testify in the Blago kerfuffle.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 21, 2010 @ 11:24 am - June 21, 2010
“On Feb. 13, BP told the minerals service it was trying to seal cracks in the well… Repeated… attempts are unusual…” http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/19/bp-disaster-started-in-february/
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 21, 2010 @ 11:43 am - June 21, 2010
BP is a powerful company this all seems staged for our benefit but behind the scenes I think both political parties are in bed with BP, for example Jamie Gorelick another Clinton retread.
Former Clinton Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick has joined BP as legal counsel. Many would remember her for stovepipping intelligence during the Clinton Years, and her conflict of interest sitting on the 9/11 commission. She made millions from Fannie Mae, and got out before the meltdown…she’s back. *Look Who Is Back On The Pipe*
Nicknamed the Mistress of Disaster because of her culpability in both 9/11 and Fannie Mae. I can see why BP would want to hire someone with disaster experience – and knowledge of pipes.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2010/06/former-deputy-ag-jamie-goerlick-back-on.html
Comment by keyboard jockey — June 21, 2010 @ 12:41 pm - June 21, 2010
Well watch you say, Jesus Christ. I am not sure what these people do before they get elected, but maybe they all need to take a PR course through their respective party. You don’t have to be a genius to think to yourself before you speak.
The fund is design to expedite the claims issue that could hound BP for years and make it a lot harder for those affected to get compensation for the damage done. I don’t see it as a shakedown, more like BP’s responsibility for damages done by their well.
It arguably works out better for everyone, since BP doesn’t have to pay out a huge sum at once. The fund will be run by a third party, so then BP isn’t going to get blamed or attack if people get pissed off about their less than expected compensation. Less legal bullshit, and if BP really didn’t want to do it then they could said no to the fund. They obviously saw something in it that would be to their benefit to do it.
Comment by darkeyedresolve — June 21, 2010 @ 12:49 pm - June 21, 2010
DER, it will be run by an Obama political appointee and Obama had no authority to establish it.
Meanwhile, things that Obama does have authority to do – like, say, ordering the Coast Guard to expedite rather than hinder Jindal’s cleanup efforts – he won’t do.
So if it helps solve or cleanup the crisis, and within the Constitution, then the Obama administration is less than enthusiastic… but if puts $20 billion under the Obama administration’s control, they love it, Constitution be damned. In a word: Shakedown.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 21, 2010 @ 12:55 pm - June 21, 2010
Just like any case of extortion. “If DER didn’t really want to pay the Mob guy, then DER could have said no. Obviously DER saw something in paying that would be to DER’s benefit…”
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 21, 2010 @ 12:57 pm - June 21, 2010
What is being ignored by most media outlets is how 3 governors and yes a certain democratic Louisiana senator are all in agreement urging a change in the administration’s new Gulf policy. Mississippi’s Gov. Barbour is absolutely right when he says, “Obama’s moratorium on the oil industry will only further cripple the region”. In short order it will bring to a halt what ever economic recovery this nation might now be experiencing. One can only think with this decision the president is pandering to the far left when he halts drilling and exploration in the Gulf. Cooler heads however have prevailed and we can thank God a Louisiana judge will both hear the arguments today and make a ruling (which by the way is not what the Feds tried to encourage).
The administration’s legal team rushed to file papers with the court requesting a 2 month stay enabling the government to get all their facts together. Nice try Mr Obama, but it seems the judge saw through this attempt to inadvertently steer the idle oil rigs in to foreign waters… which by the way would make any court action at a later date ending a moratorium a moot point as the rigs would have never come back to US territory.
I guess its true what they say bout a lil ole judge in a sleepy hollow goin up against a court room full of big city lawyers….. I wonder just how many of those “suits” were found floating in the bayou today.
Comment by Spartann — June 21, 2010 @ 1:31 pm - June 21, 2010
My earlier post was not so much to defend the Barton-bashers or to argue that it wasn’t a shakedown. It is a shakedown. And I have mixed feelings about the pressure to make JB apologize for apologizing to BP. My main point is that in the future, Republicans should think over the politics of what they say before they say it. Paul Ryan and Mike Pence and a bunch of other great Republicans make great, passionate points to advance conservatism. They aren’t at all weak. They aren’t afraid to say what needs to be said. They don’t compromise their principles to win elections. However, they do it without making swing voters go “Huh? WTF?” the way Joe Barton did. After all, BP is not a company that needs to be apologized to. Before the spill happened, I had grown tired of their vomitous greener-than-thou “Beyond Petroleum” commercials, and I’m sure I’m not alone on that. They had no problem kissing the rears of liberal politicians and the environmental lobby but they were apparently not so keen on actually operating in a safe and environmentally friendly way. (As someone who loves both the environment and freedom, there are few things that bother me more than environmentalist hypocrisy.) In this case, the politically smart point to be made was the same as the substantively correct point, which is that both BP and the Obama Administration have handled this situation in a contemptible way. One can defend BP and work to keep it a viable corporation for the sake of its many great employees and investors, but Tony Hayward and the rest of BP’s management are hardly deserving of an apology.
I realize politicians, even the best ones, are humans who will sometimes say things they shouldn’t. I don’t think they should be disowned just because they say something embarrassing. But I think we need to accept political realities, realizing that even if a certain comment is correct, it may nevertheless be not just embarrassing but also unnecessary.
Comment by chad — June 21, 2010 @ 1:39 pm - June 21, 2010
So Joe Wilson called Obama a liar during the state of the union. Joe Barton says Obama shook down BP. Both guys were right.
But even the libs who disagree……what ever happened to “speaking truth to power”? Calling out the most powerful…..holding them to account. Guess we should all rollover like good ole soviet comrades.
Not for me, sorry.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 21, 2010 @ 1:44 pm - June 21, 2010
Obama is also accusing Jon Kyl of lying. Kyl reported that the president told him the reason he refused to enforce the border was because if he did, Republicans wouldn’t support Amnesty. The White House is claiming the Kyl is lying, even though holding border security hostage to Amnesty is the policy of the Obama Regime (as it was also the policy of the Bush Regime).
Comment by V the K — June 21, 2010 @ 1:51 pm - June 21, 2010
On C-Span, the other day, I saw these two BP guys responsible for their pay outs. Don’t remember their names or titles. They testified, before some panel, that they were getting payments to people in 7 days. They were required by law to get them out in 90 days. When they started out, it took 45 and they whittled it down to 7. They also repeated several times that they had a “bias” toward paying the money.
BP was already paying out ass loads of cash. Based on what I saw, it seems to me that Obama wanted his grubby hands on the money.
Not really much of a “third party” if Chairman Obama’s ordering them around, is it?
AG Eric Holder was in the meeting. I’m sure BP was told “do this or we’ll destroy you”. Why in the hell should they pay for Chairman Obama’s moratorium that he lied about? They agreed to that, no doubt, under pressure.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 21, 2010 @ 3:09 pm - June 21, 2010
BP is actually paying the man who is running the fund, so if he is going to be influenced by anyone it would be BP, not Obama. He is arguably not totally independent but his bread is going to buttered by BP and not the Obama administration.
I don’t believe BP should have to pay for the outcomes or consequences because of the ban being put into effect by Obama. I agree with everyone else on that, it should be lifted and its effects are possible worse long term than the spill.
BP should pay for the damage cause by its actions though, which is the lack of up keep and regulation of its well.
Comment by darkeyedresolve — June 21, 2010 @ 3:43 pm - June 21, 2010
Not really.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — June 21, 2010 @ 4:01 pm - June 21, 2010
Not in dispute here.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 21, 2010 @ 4:08 pm - June 21, 2010
Which has gotten more media coverage…
the NC DEMOCRAT Ethridge that roughed up the student reporter
or J Barton with words, accusing Obama of thuggery?
http://biggovernment.com/mikeflynn/2010/06/14/long-hot-summer-begins-congressman-attacks-student/
Wonder if Ethridge NC (D) feels the same way about Democrats not paying for their votes for Obamacare and Cap n Tax, and the bailouts and porkulus? He seems a little short tempered.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 21, 2010 @ 4:13 pm - June 21, 2010
Anyone now how good or bad Obamas round of golf was Sunday?
The press never gives us the details.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 21, 2010 @ 4:18 pm - June 21, 2010
North Dallas Thirty, Maybe I missed it cause I was in a hurry but nothing in the article mention who is paying Feinberg. He said in a interview on the Meet the Press on Sunday that he was being paid by BP to be the czar. I was going by that information.
Comment by darkeyedresolve — June 21, 2010 @ 4:42 pm - June 21, 2010
I’ve already suggested to Sen. Bill Nelson that they put forth a bill, or whatever it takes, to cease state and federal tax collections of BP so they can pay for clean up.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 21, 2010 @ 4:42 pm - June 21, 2010
Hey Penn Gene…..
Obama was golfing with Biden this weekend….. and we all know Biden aint gotta clue what time of day it is….. so how good of a game do you think he has to shoot to beat his VP? The odds have gotta be slim to none that Joe can even hit a ball down the damn fairway.
Comment by Spartann — June 21, 2010 @ 4:46 pm - June 21, 2010
It’s true—we here surprisingly little about how good Obama is at any sport besides basketball. Not that it matters, but my guess is that in a presidential one-on-one olympics between Obama and Bush, Obama would get smoked, kinda like a cigarette in Obama’s fingers.
Comment by chad — June 21, 2010 @ 6:17 pm - June 21, 2010
Independent Fox News also had video of Obamas 8 vehicle motorcade going to a Nationals baseball game Friday nite.
They showed him looking goofey in his White Sox cap in someones private box.
Now that it’s Monday, let’s hope our young President is finally well rested.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 21, 2010 @ 6:51 pm - June 21, 2010