Texas Rep. Joe Barton triggered a firestorm today when he accused the White House of launching a “shakedown” of BP by forcing the firm to put up $20 billion for Gulf restoration and having no control over where the money goes. Democrats have fired back in a major way, saying Republicans are defending BP over the residents of the Gulf coast. Who is right? What’s the political impact of Barton’s assertion? We ask John Gizzi of Human Events, who will also offer his thoughts on a bad week for North Carolina Rep. Bob Etheridge and the strange case of South Carolina senate nominee Alvin Greene.