A Bad Day for Joe Barton and Tony Hayward

AP

BP's embattled CEO Tony Hayward arrived on Capitol Hill this morning to a swarm of cameras, still photographers and reporters waiting for him the moment he enterned the Rayburn House Office Building.

Hayward made a beeline to the hearing room, ignoring reporters' questions, but found a whole other scrum of journalists waiting for him inside. He had to withstand an awkward five minutes just standing by the witness table as dozens of still photographers snapped photos and about 20 cameras surrounded him to get their shots.

When the hearing finally began, Hayward sat all alone at the witness table with a cup and a pitcher of ice water in front of him. He looked exhausted as he listened to members' opening statements for almost two hours before he began his own.

House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman came out swinging, saying that top executives at BP were "oblivious" to saftey issues with the Deepwater Horizon rig. Waxman also reminded Hayward that when he first became CEO of BP, he'd promised to focus on safety "like a laser."

Hayward sat through members questioning whether he should still hold his job, as well as members who played tapes of widows of the oil rig workers who died, asking for those responsible for the spill to be penalized harshly so their husbands' deaths would not be in vain. But then there was a moment of great reprieve for the CEO.

"I apologize," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, to Tony Hayward.

Audible gasps could be heard in the hearing room.

Barton was objecting to the $20 billion escrow account to pay claims that the White House pressured BP to accept. He said it amounted to a "shakedown."

Barton's apology caused a firestorm. He may have actually had a worse day than Tony Hayward. House Republican Leader John Boehner almost immediately told reporters that he disagreed with Barton's categorization. One Republican who represents Pencsacola, Fla. even called for Barton to step down from the top GOP post on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Joe Barton Apologizes to BP's Tony Hayward for White House "Shakedown" (Video)
Joe Barton Under Fire from Republicans and Democrats for BP Apology
Waxman to Hayward: 'You're Not Taking Responsibility'
BP CEO Tony Hayward: Don't Blame Me
BP's Congressional Grilling
CBSNews.com Special Report: Disaster in the Gulf

While Barton, who'd left the hearing, huddled with GOP leadership in Boehner's office, Hayward played a game of dodge ball that infuriated lawmakers. To almost any specific question about cement bond logs or the Macondo oil well, Hayward refused to answer, saying that he could not until the investigation into the spill is complete. He did divulge that no employee at BP has been fired yet because, he said, "the investigation is ongoing." Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) sarcastically asked Hayward if he could answer whether today is Thursday or not.

Hayward answered with a straight face that "it is Thursday."

Later in the afternoon, the actor Kevin Costner and his daughter dropped by the hearing to witness the show, but all eyes were on Rep.Joe Barton, who'd returned to the hearing room after him meeting with Boehner.

After a few rounds of oil spill-related questions, Barton asked if he "might take a small point of personal privilege." Barton said, "I want to be absolutely clear that I think BP is responsible for this accident, should be held responsible and should in every way do everything possible to make good on the consequences that have resulted from this accident."

When Barton left the hearing again, reporters and cameras followed him to his office down the hall. Barton wouldn't say much except that he stands by his statement. He would not say what GOP leadership had said to him in this afternoon's meeting.

It was clear seven hours after the hearing began, that Joe Barton had actually learned a thing or two from Tony Hayward about saying as little as possible.

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Jill Jackson is a CBS News Capitol Hill Producer. You can read more of her posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow her on Twitter.

[nzmoores]

This wee satire and video capture's the BP/oil industry mess
http://nodavebarry.blogspot.com/2010/05/bp-oil-spill-under-control-glug-glug.html

And this Obama's:

http://nodavebarry.blogspot.com/2010/06/o-o-and-mandela-on-line.html

Either laugh or cry about it folks...

[pr_boxer]

It was a size 15 EEE Barton inserted in his mouth!

[nolieshere]

Another wormy republican from Texas.

[cfrivera1]

stanley030...who the hell are you? Barton's relative? Maybe you are from Sweden...you don't really mean what you say???

[cfrivera1]

Didn't some republican politician suggest some time back that Texas should secede from the Union (shortly after Obama was elected)?? I say why NOT?? If they are as DIMWITTED as Joe Barton is, why not? Why would The United States Of America want such an IDIOTIC populous as part of their TEAM?

[stanley0301]

If "Because Obama says so" constitutes Due Process then there is NO OTHER WAY to interoperate current events other than to say "We have a dictator--his name is Obama" Take a moment to Google the fifth amendment to our Constitution--it could not be more specific that Due Process is required if property is taken from ANYBODY. Obama is allegedly a professor of constitutional law--what on earth have we gotten ourselves into?--It could not be more important than Due Process be persevered as we go about "Making Whole" those affected by the Gulf oil spill. I would think that the courts will want to preserve that which is theirs--the whole Gulf settlement process has been fatally damaged by Barrack Hussein Obama.

[pasmalltown]

by stanley0301 June 18, 2010 12:22 AM EDT -
"Due Process is required if property is taken from ANYBODY..."
----------------
Did this "actually" happen in this case? Due process would be required if property was taken, yes, but is BP screaming and hollering "due process"? I don't think so. "I would think that the courts will want" to keep out of this until some so-called pea-brained constitutional law expert such as yourself gets involved and convinces BP that they have somehow actually "lost some property" or something by agreeing to pay up........... "Due process" indeed, let your mind not wander away from what actually happened here............

[righton57]

Brilliant!
Something everyone seems to forget...Government is here to protect us from the excesses of Capitalism, not allow it to flourish. Without government, our environment would have been destroyed years ago and our children would be working in sweat shops.
Republican ideas about allowing big business to run unregulated are perfect examples of this kind of thinking!

[GOPHypocrisy]

Barton's idiotic apology to BP results in devastating PR blunder for GOP. Anyone with the GOP PR Handbook has memorized Rule #1: Don't say what you believe. It will cost votes. Please join us in exposing the GOP at GOPHypocrisy on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/GOPHypocrisy/118526228159115

[DavidB2009]

I was curious why the republican politicians were so quiet, except to say that Obama should miraculously plug the hole....now I know why....is called conflict of interests: their cozy big oil friends and getting re-elected

[islandmanskn]

Barton: ?I want to apologize to BP for this shakedown.?
Barton?s cell phone rings:
?Hello, Barton here. Why hello Mr. Boehner. How did you like my apology? ... What? ... The American people are angry at BP and my apology makes the GOP look like we support Big Business more than we care about the American people? ... Really? ... Don?t we? Ohhh, they?re not supposed to know - good idea - I see why you?re the Minority Leader. Sorry - Leader of the Minority Party. I ... I ... I mean the Leader of the Party in the Minority. Okay ... Oil Spill bad ... BP bad ... Apology bad. Democrats really bad. Will I have to give back the campaign contributions. ... That's a relief.?
Barton hangs up cell phone.
?I would like to retract my apology. I apologize for my apology. And I want to reiterate this whole oil spill thingy is Obama's fault because he's a socialistic facist who wants to impose communism on this great (except for the lefties) county. And may God (the Christian God, not that Islam God, or that Jew God, or that Buddha God, or thatg Sikh God, or that Mormon God and, most especially, not that athiest God) Bless America.?

[DavidB2009]

LOL

[righton57]

Brilliant!
Something everyone seems to forget...Government is here to protect us from the excesses of Capitalism, not allow it to flourish. Without government, our environment would have been destroyed years ago and our children would be working in sweat shops.
Republican ideas about allowing big business to run unregulated are perfect examples of this kind of thinking!
In their minds big business can do no wrong...as long as they're the ones who profit!