I Like the BP Guy More than the Clowns Who Grilled Him

Posted: June 18, 2010 in Columns, Featured, Political Opinion

Every time a bunch of congressmen get some capitalist “villains” in their cross-hairs – whether they’re bankers from Wall Street or carmakers from Detroit or most recently Tony Hayward from BP — and take shots at them for hours on end on national television, I wind up rooting for the “bad guy.”

It’s not that I think the money boys from Wall Street are saints, or the guys who run the car companies in Detroit are so wonderful, or that BP should be nominated for a Nobel Prize. It’s just that I have a hard time listening to a bunch of sanctimonious, windbag politicians who couldn’t run a lemonade stand put on their populist tinfoil hats and treat the poor bastards worse than they would treat Osama bin Laden if he showed up at one of their sub-committee hearings.

I watched the BP hearings and am wondering if I’m the only one who feels sorry for Tony Hayward. Look, if it turns out that what happened in the Gulf was more than a terrible accident, if it turns out that BP was cutting corners to increase profits, then it’s fine with me if the government brings criminal charges against anyone and everyone who was responsible. It just irks me to watch a parade of nitwits who live in glass houses throw boulders at the guy.

One of my fantasies is to see the tables turned on those politicians who treat CEOs like war criminals. Imagine if we could grill them they way they grill everyone else.

US: Congressman Waxman, is it true that you voted YES on Bill XYZ, a bill that ultimately cost American taxpayers $20 billion dollars when you told them it would cost $20 MILLION?

WAXMAN: It was George Bush’s fault.

US: Do the honorable thing, Congressman: RESIGN!

US: Is it true, Senator Reid, that you voted for numerous laws that cost us billions of dollars knowing full well we didn’t have that kind of money to spend?

REID: It was George Bush’s fault.

US: The Capitol Police are coming down the aisle to take you to Andrews Air Force Base for a flight to Syria where you will be undergo further – let’s call it – questioning.

US: And is it true, Congressman Rangel, that you – and the other bozos that somehow keep getting elected – have spent this country so far into a hole that we may never get out?

RANGEL: Are you asking me that because I’m black?

US: No, we’re asking you that because you were the head of the powerful Ways and Means committee until you resigned under pressure because of your tax problems.

RANGEL: It’s George Bush’s fault.

US: Senator Boxer, How in the world could you get us $12 trillion dollars in debt and make us so dependent on the Chinese government to buy our bonds in order to finance your reckless spending?

BOXER: It was George Bush’s fault.

US: Two words, Senator: Carly Fiorina.

US: Congressman Frank, would you resign here and now to make amends for your role in the financial meltdown – a meltdown that almost plunged this nation into a second Great Depression?

FRANK: It was Bill O’Reilly’s fault.

I don’t care if Bill O’Reilly grills these pinheads or if Chris Wallace or David Gregory or Candy Crowley subjects them to tough questions. I just can’t take it when the very people who have left us on the brink of financial disaster thanks to their reckless spending, go on national TV and pretend to be holier than everybody else.

Sorry, but I like the guy who runs BP more than I like any of the clowns who knocked him around the ring for six hours — even though I don’t care if he gets fired for what his company did. I just hope the voters come to their senses this November and fire the mob that is demanding his head.

Will Carr

Okay….here’s my blog on all the “BP Coffee Spill” video that some SNLer’s came out with mid-June….

Funny video, but the BP spill has all the earmarks of a “wrecking”.

What’s a “wrecking”? What maritime privateers (pirates) did and do to lure a foreign vessel into its waters sometime by moving the light houses in order to wreck it for the salvage value.

Who “lured” BP into the Gulf’s deep waters? Standard Oil of Ohio geologist Jack E. Golden who left SOHIO went to BP and now works for Cobalt Energy. He is on the board of the Carlyle Group. Cobalt’s CEO resigned mid-June, 2010, just after the spill but he, Herbert L Gray was with Zurix an Enron sub before coming to Cobalt. Zurix was sued for stock manipulation of its IPO….and you know what happened to Enron….another type of corporate “wrecker”….nearly wrecking the economy of California who Enron-sympathetic Texans said deserved what they got because they would NOT drill in deep water offshore of California.

In the video the arrival of Halliburton who is accused of delivering faulty coffee cups, may not be far from the truth…having purchased Boots & Coots the oil clean up and service company in the weeks prior to the spill. The oil companies make the disperants, they provide the clean up…heck, they might as well be in water purification.

What? Azurix was? Just like Bechtel in Bolivia where in 2000 it conducted a “water war”.

Who would stand to gain from such a spill?

A: The oil industry itself would have a potential moratorium on future blame for similar or lesser spills in the region.

A: America’s oil dependence is seen mitigated by the promise of CNG, but CNG…compressed natural gas….is compressed to 600x’s it natural state and under about 5000 psi of pressure and has been dismissed as too risky for inland transport in large tankers. Will New Orleans become a new CNG Mecca in the wake of Katrina and the BP spill….with its straight shot up the Mississippi to the nation’s heartland? What else are all those Cajuns going to do? Fish? Oyster? Maybe with the help of Kevin Kostner’s pumps in a backyard pond.

A: A weakened BP which was the leading lease holder of Gulf deep water leases thanks in part to Mr. Golden’s “leadership” may be much more willing to sell off these leases….if for no other reason than to withdraw from the current atmosphere and anger and litigation.

The effects are to have provided a “wrecking”…like that done by Americans in Key West, Florida and Nags Head where lanterns were tied around horses heads as they were led around buildings to throw off the ships at sea for quick salvaging.

But wait! BP had 760 safety violations in the same time period that Exxon had only one, as evidenced by the reports of the Materials Management Services!

A: Really? By the MMS? And you believe that? Again, I believe that I could cite Exxon for more than that if I were drunk, stoned and blindfolded.

WH Carr
Corpus Christi, TX
Nancy

Spot on, Bernie. Spot on.
Beautycoach

Right on, Bernie!
Dan in Phx

Well put, Bernie. But I would’ve liked your article more if you had also highlighted a few questions that Tony Hayward did NOT get asked. Congressional grandstanding isn’t just distasteful, it’s detrimental.
David

What is interesting is to go to the Military Channel and watch the trials of the condemned who attempted to kill Hitler. The judges in the cases looked just like our own fine congressmen as they grilled Hayward. Hayward did nothing personally to cause this accident. If you want to blame anythin blame the law of statics that states no matte what you do 1 in 1000 time you will have an accident and that accident may lead to what we see today. You can blame the casing, or the cement or any or a dozen other things but the fact is that crap happens whteher you want it or not. Now the response of the government, that is different and calculated to do maximum harm. For what prupose?

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

Since it appears to be common knowledge among experts that a relief well is the only sure thing that could stop a massive deep water leak, it stands to reason that every oil rig ought to be equipped with an emergency relief well as a backup safety feature prior to going into operation. While it is true that accidents happen, I blame BP for corner-cutting in the area of disaster preparation. Of course Hayward did nothing personally to cause this accident, but it seems that no preemptive relief wells were being built on his watch, either.

Will Carr

While Obama is cleaning house with General McCrystal. Replace Chief of Staff Emmanuel with James Carville and find a place for General Russell Honore’ next to him along with Lt. Col. Paul Hackett from Ohio. Then apologize profusely for NOT acting within hours on the crisis. And I do remember 9/11….15 of the 19 hijackers from Saudi Arabia and we invaded Iraq.

WHC
Will Carr

TC

I remember 9/11 well. Fifteen of the 19 hijacker were from Saudi Arabia and we invaded Iraq. Search Paul Hackett and Van Taylor, then Paul Hackett and Dan Senor for videos of a modern General Smedley Butler. Hackett….in giving into Harry Reid and the NY Senator to let Congressman Brown become Senator Brown was unknowningly giving in to Taft Order and to the Brown Brothers Harriman group that Hackett had opposed initially. Don’t back down to Reid and his boys again Paul….the nation needs your courage and leadership.
TC

Will, I guess you don’t remember 9/11, which was the reason those two wars were launched.

How sad.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Yep, I remember 9-11 and Iraq and Afghanistan had nothing to do with it!

John

I share your loathing for those demagogues on the committee, but how can you possibly feel any sympathy for Tony Hayward? He came to the hearings unprepared to answer even the most predictable questions, and then flies of to England to go yachting while his company and the government mismanage what could be the greatest environment disaster since Chernobyl.

I generally agree with your daily commentaries, but pairing the adjective “like” with “Tony Hayward?” I think you went too far this time.

CCNV

Everyone seems to think that Tony Hayward PERSONALLY caused this oil spill. He’s BP’s PAWN. So he has a life. BFD! I put the blame at the feet of Obama. Had Obama actually taken an INTEREST in the situation from the beginning, and exhausted every possible option to stop this leak, then maybe I’d have felt differently. Instead, he’s been partying like he knows he won’t be re-elected…the “see and be seen” attitude. Talk about a LOSER! If I were Tony Hayward in those meetings, I’d have been pointing fingers back at the criminals – Republicans and Democrats – asking “Didn’t you cheat on your taxes?” “Didn’t you cheat on your wife?” “Didn’t you hire illegal aliens?” “Weren’t you under suspicion for ….?” and on and on.

http://hemingwayreport.blogspot.com/ MerchantofVenom

Emanuel criticizes Hayward for being on his yacht recently. Said it was bad PR.

Meanwhile this has been the Messiah’s itinerary after the oil spill.

went hiking in NC
went campaigning for Boxer twice
played golf 7 times
went to a Washington Nationals baseball game
went to a McCartney concert
went to a Kelly Clarkson concert
partied with the NYY’s, the Navy football team, the major league soccer champions, the US world cup team, and the Steelers.

But he did find time to be with BP executives for a whopping twenty minutes!

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

But he did find time to be with BP executives for a whopping twenty minutes!>>

A deal for 20 billions plus dollars in 20 minutes, is a good thing!

CCNV

But yet, Blago is on trial for the same thing Obama did to BP. Maybe Obama felt Blago was infringing on his planned ‘shakedown’ for his former position??

Obama is useless as a leader. Watching current events, I think it’s safe to say that the military and its leaders have also lost confidence in Obama and his administration. Welcome to the club.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

CCNV says:
But yet, Blago is on trial for the same thing Obama did to BP.>>

Get real! Where do you come up with all the crap you come up with?

CCNV

It’s all about thugs and corruption, Wil. Oh, I forgot. You wear blinders when it comes to Obama and all the corruption he and his cronies are involved in.

Bruce A.

Bernie. Is The Congress grilling Tony Hayward, the same Congress with an approval rating in the area of 20%?
http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Bernie, Bill O’Reilly did grill a pinhead Monday and subjected him to tough questions. Guess, who that might be? You know, I felt a little sorry for that guy…Naa, not really!

Stephen Shields

When did Bill O’Reilly get elected to public office? Per your usual, you are clueless. Your constant twisting of all relevent information is getting tiresome. There is a huge difference between someone like Boehnor or Grayson grilling someone and a guy like O’Reilly grilling someone. Learn the difference!

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Steve, When are you ever going to have something of substance to say. Your insults are getting tiresome!

Stephen Shields

When have you ever had anything of substance to say? Your ignorance is tiresome. Try staying on topic once.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

There you go again!
Stephen Shields

I’ll take that as a never.

Elizabeth

I’m with you Bernie. I just watched you with O’Reilly and You were 100 % in the right! I don’t blame Hayward nor do I disagree with his response. That’s exactly what I do when some bozo grand stands araound me, I give them nothing and let them show their ass.
Don Schiffleger

Great column. How about getting President Obama in front of this sub-committee. “Mr. President, why has this disaster gone on this long?” “Mr. Waxman, I was not involved in the decision making. I have no executive experience and I have no technical knowledge of oil drilling or oil spill cleanup. And I think George Bush had something to do with it.” “Mr. President, are you stonewalling us?”
Will Carr

BP is not a choirboy, but this catastrophe has all the earmarks of a “wrecking” ….the type used to lure foreign vessels into range and wreck them for the salvage value…we used to call it “privateering”….it’s piracy. BP may have cut corners, but are you willing to believe that Halliburton wouldn’t wreck a company when its former president would lead the nation into an unnecessary war…especially since Lynne Cheney sat on the board of Anadarko which is partnered with BP and the others in this rig? Consider that Jack E Golden of Standard Oil of Ohio was point man to lead BP into the deeper fields off the Gulf’s continental shelf and he’s now with Carlyle Group….potentially leaving a gutted BP’s lucrative leases to the US oil company vultures to pick over in a sea already ruined by the BP criminals. Are you willing to believe that in the time period that the Materials Management Services cited BP for 760 violations that Exxon had ONLY 1? I could find more than that if I was drunk, stoned and blindfolded.

New Orleans TV anchor Scott Walker of Hearst News cornered a jittery BP security guard on the beach trying to keep the media away from their workers. An example of cover up said Walker. But Walker is son of Bob Walker and nephew of Bo Walker, Louisiana radio personalities with ties to James Brown the indicted Louisiana Insurance Commissioner and father of Cambell Brown who is married to Dan Senor, former spokesperson for the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Government.

It’s not just oily stinky….it’s politically stinky, too. And if you don’t think anyone would intentionally polute a whole body of ocean read Blaine Harden’s A River Lost and ask “who is Ernest Theriot from Cut Off Louisiana”?
Michael Friedman

Bravo to Bernie Goldberg on his response to O’Reilly.
Shmooviyet

Thanks, Bernie, for saying on O’Reilly tonight exactly what I’ve been screaming at the TV every time I see these hypocritical pols ( Dems and Repubs alike) wagging their fingers at Tony Hayward. They’ve jumped at the chance to play the heroes on this stage, and they love to have another villain to flog (in so-called defense of their constituents). I, too, was embarrassed as an American watching these smug con artists with their fake moral outrage.
http://Www.416-1100.com Jim wilson

Also, remember there is a law on the books signed by President Clinton in 1995, that limited the liability of these oil explorers to $75 million, to encourage their taking the huge Risk of drilling in these deep waters, where there is limited experience….vand yet our. Government intimidates BP by sending in the lawyers, threatens criminal prosecutions, and shakes them down for a $20 billion fund… Also embarrassing. And what about the governmental oversight, the US was looking over every decision for all actions taken on these drilling rigs… Where is their. Testimony…

We should take care of the GULF, as we agreed to allow this high risk drilling, since we are so Oil Dependent, and we should not penalize these enterprises who were over seen by our regulators who also apparently dropped the ball, probably…

JimW.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Also, remember there is a law on the books passed by the Republican Congress in 1995.

Stephen Shields

Yep, everything bad in the world has come at the hands of Republicans, conservatives, and the right wing media. Thanks, Wil, for your usual worthless drivel.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

It’s amazing how much you aren’t aware of! Were you in a coma during the Bush/Cheney administration?

Stephen Shields

Nope, I was yelling and screaming with the rest of America. It’s amazing how little you are aware of. It’s like all the legislation Clinton got through never happened in your world.

http://Www.416-1100.com Jim wilson

I was very uncomfortable as congress looked like jerks, asking BP’s CEO tech questions that each Congressman knew he could not answer, many of the topics occurred even before this CEO was in charge of the GULF.

This grilling is as absurd as if Congress grilled the US President about the NASA Shuttle explosion at launch or when one burned upon reentry… These tech topics are decided by teams of engineers… The CEOs of. US companies are policy folks generally not handling day to day technology decisions.

JimWilson
Lori G

I totally agree with your comments. I was actually embarrased to have our elected officials conduct themselves in that manner. Sometimes, you have to wonder are our officials part of the reason most of world believes we are sanctimonious, hypocritical and arrogant. I felt as though that is how the United States came across. Washington needs a reality check.
Greenheron

Bernie, always enjoy when you are on O’Reilly. You are right on the number about the Congressional bashing. Blame will get us nowhere now. Let’s get over it and into more action. Buy BP stock to support the Gulf clean-up! And, needless to say, remember November is not that far away let alone 2012!!
Alan Christoffels

Thanks Bernie, you said just exactly what I was thinking.

Bette Hayes

Right on…I sent a similar message to O’Reilly after his segment on the BP Guy! Pomposity personified.

PsychDog

I thought I was the only one who started out wanting to have BP handed their hat and ended up almost rooting for them. The rude and arrogant way that the questions were asked, as well as the interruption of almost every answer, proves that Congress was not looking for answers. This does nothing to make them look good. I was almost embarrassed to be an American and I do not appreciate being put in that position. Vote out the incumbents!!!!
jodee1969

BLAME THE SPILL ON THE BABY BOOMERS:

http://americaspeaksink.com/2010/06/the-spill-of-the-baby-boomers/
http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

Good point, but while we’re at it, could we grill a few Republican Congressfolks as well, or is this a strictly anti-liberal bashfest to please the conservative reader?

The Patriot

Why don’t *you* grill them, since you’re the one that feels that need?

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

Because I don’t hold a position of authority such that I could compel anyone to submit themselves to my grillings.

The Patriot

You were talking about grilling them here, not as an official in a position of authority.

http://blog.cyberquill.com Cyberquill

My intent was not literally to include myself in the grill squad. I simply adopted the “we” Mr. Goldberg had used in his post:

Imagine if we could grill them they way they grill everyone else.

My point is that the author talks about clowns grilling Mr. Hayward, but then he proceeds to list Democrats only. Just a tad lopsided for my taste. I’m sure there was at least one Republican clown at the grillfest whom he could have included in the lineup.

TC

Will,

Get a grip, will you?

No one is saying that things were hunky-dory before 1/20/09.

However, it should be noted that things were much, much better before January 2007, when the gruesome twosome of Reid and Pelosi took over the purse strings.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

TC, I guess you don’t remember the two wars and thousands of our servicemen and women dead. How sad!

http://comcast FrankCordier

I recall watching them question Oliver North in the 80′s about the contra scandle.I feel very strongly that the way they acted made North the national hero he is today.It is obvious that than,as today,you do not need a very high I.Q.to be elected.It is time to remind them that serving in the house and senate is an honor and previlige and that they work for us.Vote the incumbents out.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Frank, Oliver North is a convicted felon and not a National hero. Hell man, he sold arms to our enemy!

stmichrick

Wil,
Who would you trust the security of the nation with, Oliver North or Barack Obama?

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Surely, not the convicted felon!

stmichrick

The ‘convicted felon’ has shown personal bravery while Obama searches for a Vietnam-type retreat.

You will see the difference as the Obama Afghanistan plan deteriorates; Obama does not believe in the concept of American victory and Ollie North knows who the enemy is (and was), putting his own life in danger in battle in Vietnam and now reporting on the sacrifices of today’s soldiers.

Wil; abandon the sixties. It’s over.

http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/i-like-the-bp-guy-more-than-the-clowns-who-grilled-him/ Emily Grace

I absolutely do not always agree with Goldberg (I am a Democrat and I still support our USA president) but I did think it was the congressmen acting like the idiots and I also was rooting for Hayward.

The congressmen asked the same questions over and over expecting DIFFERENT answers.
Tony said he would wait to pass judgment until the investigation was completed which sounded
like a reasonable response to me.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Emily Grace says: “I also was rooting for Hayward.”

I’m just wondering Emily, are you an American? And, if so do you live on our southern Gulf border?

Pingback: Rebellion News
EddieD_Boston

It’d so funny to see someone with the stones to tell one of those gas-bag Congressmen/women to stick on their ear when one of them asked one of their foolish grand-standing questions and make a complete fool of them. He/she would become a national folk hero like when Ollie North defended himself during the Iran-Contra hearings. Funny how during the next day’s hearing, after the opinion poles showed the public took North’s side, the Congressmen treaded very lightly during their questioning of him.

EddieD_Boston

Ooops…

“stick it in their ear”

Ron Kean

I have a strange premonition that should Republicans get in power, and many of these senators and representatives leave, and the economy continues to be weak, and monetary problems continue, the hysterical Left will blame the Right as they always do and the Right will blame Obama who deserves the blame, and the Left will put down the Right for playing the blame game as if nobody ever blamed Bush.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Ron, And remember, the budget and everything else. only went out of control at 12:00 noon on Jan. 20, 2009. Until that precise moment everything was just fine in right-wingnut world…

Bruce A.

Wil, most of the right-wingnut talk radio I have been listening to for the past few years was all over Pres. Bush for his spending like a Democrat while he was in office. I won’t mention the hosts names but you could probably check the archives.
Check it out, you will enjoy hearing the right-wing harpoon Bush.

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

O’Reilly Grills Bachmann On BP’s $20 Billion Gulf Spill Fund

Bruce, You know Rep. Michele Bachmann has crossed a line when Bill O’Reilly grills her, and even says: “You’re dodging my question.”

The Republican party has tacked so far to the right that even O’Reilly thinks they’re nuts. We are living in interesting times.

Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QETOxVU0SEE&feature=player_embedded#

Bruce A.

Wil, I am not talking about the 20 Mi.l fund. Go back & hear what Hannity & Savage said about the spending under Bush. You will love it.

Jerry

I started paying attention as to our political system really works during the Watergate hearings. I am now pushing 64 yrs. old (addicted to watching hearings on c-span) and am amazed that after all these years nothing has changed and that we now have 535 sanctimonious dolts running, or should I say ruining our country. Bernie nailed it. I couldn’t have said it better.
Ken Besig Israel

It looks to me like everybody, including the Coast Guard grounding several tankers which were cleaning up the oil spill, is trying to do their best to make sure that the Gulf Oil Spill Catastrophe won’t just be the worst environmental disaster in history, but a disaster which destroyed the American Gulf Coast economically for decades. The President gives a speech promoting insulating windows, the Congress yells at BP executives as if berating them will get the spill stopped faster, all the while the businesses and the people living on the Gulf are dying slowly. Where are the real leaders hiding?

http://consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html Wil Burns

Now, if I remember correctly Exxon is the company that did such a nice job on Prince William Sound and then escaped responsibility for the devastating damage they cost thanks to the Roberts Court (the one that thinks Corporations have the same rights as people), who limited their liability, so that the burden had to be borne primarily by the people and the environment.

Stephen Shields

It’s a wonderful thing you don’t teach logic or economics in schools. Then again, that would explain why jails are full and companies are filing for bankruptcy at record paces.

John B

Managed to watch about 15 minutes if the inquisition and started feeling sorry for Mr. Hayward as the human sacrifice being offered up to appease the false gods. Typical of Congress. They have responsibility for everything and accept responsibility for nothing.
Kathie Ampela

Both government and the private sector are badly in need of grown up supervision. You can’t trust either one to do the right thing. I’m a softie and could never cut it in politics, so I did feel sorry for the BP guy but that won’t help the situation either. We can start by putting some honest grown ups in Congress in November and work our way from there.
stmichrick

Bernie; your fantasy was immortalized when Howard Hughes was called in to be flogged for cost overruns on aviation contracts. The scene was dramatized in the film Aviator, but the real newsreel was even better.
Gary Byrd

Compare this Congress and President to the Senate and Caesar in Rome. The government of Rome failed miserably and no longer exist as the world power. It was just this kind of out of touch with reality irresponsibility that will cause us to continue in the rapid rate of decline that we are experiencing. VOTE

Bruce A.

Apparently, you have read up on history. The causes of the ultimate death of The Roman Empire and the current decline of The USA are strikingly similar.

Elias

I totally agree with you Mr. Goldberg.
The humility and class, Mr. Hayward, demonstrated to accept all kinds of responsibility was incredible. What a shame to see his accusers. It seems like all the stones thrown on top of Mr. Hayward were not enough to hurt him; they used even thorny sticks to hurt him more.

http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/i-like-the-bp-guy-more-than-the-clowns-who-grilled-him/ Emily Grace

I agree and when they asked Hayward if this was Thursday,
what a condescending question. HE deserves stone. (The one that
said it and I don’t know if it was a Democrat or Republican, doesn’t matter,
it was inappropriate.)

http://www.bigbureaucracy.com/ Ellie Velinska

- President Obama, is today Friday?
- Yes, it’s Friday.
- President Obama, did you say the following in your BP speech:
‘… Even if we don’t yet know precisely how we’re going to get there. We know we’ll get there…’
- I do not recall
- President Obama, go impeach yourself!

http://www.bigbureaucracy.com/ Ellie Velinska

Plus Tony is riding his own yacht while Obama is golfing and singing along Paul McCartney on tax-payer dime!

Lev

I agree, but what worries me. When Rep.Barton expressed the same sentiments publicly in the Congress the fellow Republicans have called for his head. “(Boehner and Cantor) are in agreement that he was within a centimeter of losing his position,” said a senior GOP aide. “He could could apologize immediately or lose his position.” – from “Rep. Barton Came “Within a Centimeter” of Losing His Position Over “Shakedown” Comment” published in Fox. Could you please comment this?
Simon

I did not have much time to listen to yesterdays grilling. From what i heard, I came across feeling the same – sorry for the BP exec. It was another Congressional show trial. A few times I recall having a chuckle – in particular a radio reporter was commenting during a break that BP’s popularity was “ridiculously low, in the low double digits!” I guess that is true, but last time I checked Congress’s public polls were ridiculously low also. Maybe it is a race to the bottom.

I wish during these show hearings the people being grilled would stick up for themselves more than what they do. That never seems to happen though. He or she sits there as a prop, takes a beating and is polite about it. What did Tony have to loose by giving back a little good natured heat? He may not be popular, but neither are those doing the questioning.
Stephen Shields

Irony is the best humor.
Sasha

Fascinating. They condem Mr. Hayward for not responding the way they wanted him to. They condem the investigation going on. You can investigate while you are getting it fixed and respond on that investigation afterwards. These, Politicians could not do a real job if their lives depended on it. They are the same people who do weekend voting on things they have not read or have no clue about. We the Tax Payers than pay for their mistakes. I wonder how many “Political Pensions and Pay checks” should be put into these bail outs?
Tim

Great article Bernie! These politicians are the biggest hypocrite’s on the face of the planet. It makes me sick to even hear them talk. The ones that grilled Mr. Hayward the most are the worst, and they treated him like that to try and make themselves feel better for all the lies and deceit they dish out everyday to the American people. I cannot wait until November so we can clean house and start to return our country to greatness.
Paul Borden

Bernie, I had the same feeling. Consider that Waxman (others may have said the same thing) kept pushing as to whether anybody had or would be fired when Hayward said the investigation was still in progress. It says a lot about the way Congress operates that they would want to take action before all the information and facts are in. Let’s-pass-this-bill-so-we-can-find-out-what’s-in-it apparently is a way of life with these clowns (an appropriate word, btw).
Bruce A.

Nice article Bernie. We have always been treated to these dog & pony shows from both sides.
I prefer that they wait until all the facts are known, then run the show. In the end, the result is the same nothing gets done.
Anne C

AGREE, AGREE!! Most of us know what these guys in Washington are and for a long time we have had our heads in the sand doing nothing about it. Lets wake up America and vote these “dead beats” out of office!
Ines

“I just hope the voters come to their senses this November and fire the mob that is demanding his head.” —————————– YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Traci

Love your style Bernie. You crack me up and I agree!!
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