Interesting piece on Politico about how douchebag Rep. Joe Barton came to apologize for apologizing to BP yesterday. Yeah, yeah, it’s all political posturing and protection, sure. But if I’m going to rip these people to shreds, I need to give credit when they do something that’s, you know, morally expected.
Republican leaders sensed the danger to their party — and the opportunity to rid it of Barton’s leadership — immediately.
Shortly after Barton was told to apologize by Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) in Boehner’s office, House Republicans’ BlackBerrys began to buzz with an e-mail from Boehner containing a transcript of his response to Barton’s comments.
His staff filled rank-and-file inboxes with their leader’s remarks to reporters on the matter, a unique way of illustrating that he did not agree with — and would not stand with — Barton.
“People are calling for his head,” one GOP member of the Energy and Commerce Committee told POLITICO at midday.
Too good to be true, right? Right.
But Barton remained stolid — if not defiant — as he failed to immediately grasp the gravity of the situation.
He said calls for his ouster were “news to me” as he went to meet with Boehner and Cantor. Asked whether he planned to stay in his job, he replied, “Damn straight.”
Class. Act.