Barton Apologizes for Apology to BP

Do they cancel each other out? Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) has apologized for apologizing to BP for what he called President Obama's $20 billion "shakedown." "I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House this morning, and I retract my apology to BP," Barton said in a statement issued by House Minority Leader John Boehner, who along with House Minority Whip Eric Cantor threatened to oust him from his position on the subcommittee. Earlier at the hearing, Barton had said “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 … I apologize.”