If Joe Barton could suck up oil as fast has he can take the heat off everyone else, we’d have this spill licked.

Think about it. BP CEO Tony Hayward sat there blinking awkwardly as Barton proceeded to rescue Hayward from what was expected to be a day-long PR disaster for BP by taking all the heat on himself.

Then, remember, it was just 24 ago hours that all kinds of Republicans were trashing the $20 billion escrow fund as a “shakedown.” Even House conservatives’ 100-member-strong study committee called it a “Chicago-style shakedown.” But no matter. Thanks to old Joe, the House GOP can make him the scapegoat instead, threatening to strip him of his seat on the Energy Committee for doing too good a job of parroting the party line.

The line from GOP flacks today was that Barton’s apology for the escrow fund was completely different than their criticism of Obama for the escrow fund. That’s a distinction Dems will be happy to let Republicans try to make to voters all the way to November.