Fighting Words

Rahm: GOP Win Would Be 'Dangerous'

Says Republicans treats BP like a victim.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said it would be “dangerous” if the Republicans took over Congress in this fall’s midterm elections on ABC’s This Week Sunday. Emanuel charged that the GOP is trying to paint BP as a victim in the massive oil spill scarring the Gulf of Mexico. The Obama aide pointed to congressional hearings last week, in which Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) told BP CEO Tony Hayward that he was “ashamed” of Obama’s “shakedown” of BP for a $20 billion fund to pay spill victims. Emanuel took a shot at the CEO, saying, “I think we can all conclude that Tony Hayward is not going to have a second career in PR consulting.” But aside from Hayward’s many gaffes, Emanuel said the substance of the issue is what matters: “What’s important is: are we capping the well? Are we capturing the oil? Are we containing the cleanup? Are we filing the claims? Are we also cleaning up the mess? That’s what’s important.” He also said that about half of al Qaeda has been eliminated in the last 18 months.