It'll be fun to see how many Republicans are willing to condemn Rush Limbaugh's defense of Joe Barton when they get asked about it on Monday:
LIMBAUGH: Joe Barton apologized to BP executives on behalf of himself, the American people, for the shakedown. ... The United States government may as well be a branch of organized crime the way that it is being conducted and the way it’s doing business, and the way it’s looking out for itself and no one else. ... Organized crime. It’s the closest thing I can think to analogize what’s happening here. And even these guys that are being shaken down, they’re paying protection money, and it isn’t enough. It isn’t enough.
There's no way to make sense of this politically or strategically, which leads me this conclusion: Limbaugh and Republicans who agree with him are honestly, genuinely, and passionately outraged over this compensation fund. I'll give them credit for being sincere in their heartlessness, but it really is pathetic that they believe that the real crime with BP's oil spill is that BP is being held accountable.