In a Congressional hearing this week, Joe Barton, a Republican congressman from Texas, apologized to Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, the company whose well continues to spew oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico.  Joe felt that the Obama administration had been too hard on BP. 

Will Joe apologize to Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron currently serving a 24 year sentence in a suburb of Denver?  Enron collapsed in 2001, wiping out billions of dollars in employee pensions as well as the company’s stock and bonds. Skilling insists he did nothing wrong and perhaps Barton feels that Skilling has received harsh treatment at the hands of government proscecutors.

After Skilling, Joe Barton may apologize to Bernie Madoff, serving a life sentence for bilking investors and charitable organizations out of billions.  Joe may feel that the government was too hard on this old man.

Joe may be previewing the Republican theme for the upcoming November elections:  “Vote Republican.  We kiss ass.”