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Biden: Rep Barton's Apology To BP 'Incredibly Insensitive'
By Jared A. Favole
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday said it was "incredibly insensitive" for Rep. Joe Barton (R., Texas) to apologize to BP Plc (BP, BP.LN) for the White House's pressure on the company to set aside $20 billion to help compensate those harmed by the Gulf oil catastrophe.
Biden, speaking with reporters at the White House Thursday, called Barton's comments outrageous "incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch" with those whose livelihoods have been affected by the oil disaster.
Barton, at the beginning of a hearing with BP CEO Tony Hayward, said "I think that it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation is subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown." Barton added, "I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure."
Barton is the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Barton's comments should raise questions about his continued role as ranking member of the committee. He didn't say Barton should step down as ranking member, however.

-By Jared A. Favole, Dow Jones Newswires; 202.862.9256; [e-mail]