Mitch McConnell: 'I Couldn't Disagree With Joe Barton More'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sought to put himself at arm's length from Republican congressman Joe Barton, who became embroiled in controversy last week for his apologetic comments to BP's Tony Hayward.

"I couldn't disagree with Joe Barton more," McConnell said in an appearance on Fox News Sunday. "BP doesn't need an apology, they need to apologize to us."

McConnell, however, also saved some criticism for Democrats who he accused of using the Gulf disaster for political gain -- in this case, as a reason to push hard on an energy reform bill.

"They never miss an opportunity to seize on the crisis to turn to the far left to do list," the minority leader said.

Comments

[Chise67]

07:23 AM on 06/22/2010

Publicly Mitch, you left out the word publicly, like:"Publicly, I couldn't disagree more with Joe Barton." PRIVATELY, now that's a hoarse of a different color there!!

[applescruff]

10:07 PM on 06/21/2010

Watching anyone from the right is like watching a mob of stranded time travelers trying to take the world back to their past. Very apt that these people call themselves Conservatives. Fighting to keep a changing world from changing. They are obviously a scared and cowardly bunch who are battling to keep an unfamiliar modern world from altering their self centered lives..

[fresnofreethinker]

10:02 PM on 06/21/2010

Sen. McConnell has no interest in governing. Only winning. Winning at the expense of the truth and of finding solutions to our countries problems. He hasn't an ounce of patriotism.

[BushIsAWarCriminal]

06:01 PM on 06/21/2010

The minority leader has a minor mind, a minor face, an a minor ability to lead. Remember how the President's Health Care Bill was going to be Revoked and Replaced? Another repunk liar at work. He didn't have the votes to prevent passage. Where does / did he expect to get the votes to revoke? And repunks never, not once, came up with a single page of alternative health care legislation. So what did he think we thought he was going to replace the President's bill with? A seriously unserious fool, leading idiots.

[Gilliam G]

02:10 PM on 06/21/2010

An Energy Reform Bill is on the "Far Left" to do list?
WOW...unbelievable. WAKE UP Senator McConnell. The time is now.
If you still deny that there is a need for Energy Reform you are just as clueless as Barton.
Unlike you I don't see Energy Reform as a "Far Left" issue or Agenda.
I simply see it as a responsible thing to do especially after what has occurred.

You would be better off supporting and Energy Reform Bill instead of talking out both sides of your mouth...

Drill Baby Drill http://gilsmusic.bandcamp.com/track/drill-baby-drill

[JPETERB]

01:07 PM on 06/21/2010

Corporate congress men and women continue to say one thing in public, then reflexively do the exact opposite behind closed committee doors and especially when it comes time to vote. The corporate incumbent survives and thrives on misinforming citizens, on voter apathy, the Mockingbird Media and billions in past, present and future corporate cash.

[Vxx]

12:51 PM on 06/21/2010

Barton lifted the curtain on the truth of the GOP. McConnell is simply smoothing the curtain out and shouting, "hey, look at THEM over THERE!!"

[timphelan]

12:50 PM on 06/21/2010

This is one turtle I would like to see covered in oil!

I don't like to repeat myself, but... :-)

[Kareem Harper]

01:09 PM on 06/21/2010

You and I both even though I don't want any more wildlife lost to our oil addiction... I wonder if we can make a sanctuary for him and his kind... keep them off to the side somewhere.

[suzc]

12:44 PM on 06/21/2010

So does this mean Mitch McConnell, leader of the Republican Party, does not subscribe to the written principles of the Republican party, which Joe Barton was quoting in his prepared remarks?

I think not.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

12:25 PM on 06/21/2010

"They never miss an opportunity to seize on the crisis to turn to the far left to do list," the minority leader said.

Kind of like the way Bush seized on 9/11 to invade Iraq?

[BushIsAWarCriminal]

06:03 PM on 06/21/2010

and wtf451, he was, is, and will be lying as long as he's speaking.

[Donnat]

12:15 PM on 06/21/2010

McConnell takes two steps toward sanity, then immediately has to take three steps back into GOP looneyland or he won't get his funding come next election.

[BushIsAWarCriminal]

06:04 PM on 06/21/2010

I reject the premise he takes two steps towards sanity. I've not seen it. And I've seen too much of him and read too much of him. He and sanity are not on the same plane of reality.

[VinceTeeter]

12:13 PM on 06/21/2010

Awful, just awful that Joe should apologize to our very good friends in the oil business.

[oldguru]

12:07 PM on 06/21/2010

A new energy policy is NOT a left wing policy. It is an American policy that will finally bring this country into the 21st century. Too bad the Republicans are still stuck in the 18th century.

[Kareem Harper]

01:09 PM on 06/21/2010

AMEN!

[InnocentBystander]

12:01 PM on 06/21/2010

Why should I believe that McConnell is sincere about this? His track record proves otherwise. I suppose McConnell will also apologize for the Republican Study Group who used similar words like "shakedown" to describe the $20BB fund.

The private service Republicans, had they been in control, would have given BP a $20BB taxpayer bailout with no strings attached. Well, probably a little kickback for the 2010 elections.

[MmeFlutterbye]

11:55 AM on 06/21/2010

"They never miss an opportunity to seize on the crisis to turn to the far left to do list," the minority leader [Mitch McConnell] said.

Well, now ... playing the victim again, Mitch? How about the Greedy Old Party's seizing their own opportunities? " Innocence" is not a word one connects to you or the your party.