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As the media's attention continued to be dominated by BP CEO Tony Hayward's testimony on Capitol Hill Thursday, the White House brought out Vice President Joe Biden to tout the Recovery Act. However, the Vice President couldn't resist straying onto the topic of the day, particularly Rep. Joe Barton's (R-Texas) controversial apology to the oil executive.

"I find it incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch," Biden said from the podium of the White House briefing room. "The one primary role of government is to protect people."

Barton, who serves as the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, stated during Hayward's appearance before the committee Thursday that the White House's attempt to have BP establish a $20 billion escrow fund to handle the claims filed in the wake of the Gulf Coast oil spill amounted to a "shakedown." Barton then apologized to Hayward for the administration's behavior.

The Vice President rebuked the lawmaker's description of the negotiations.

"There's no shakedown," Biden stated, his voice growing louder. "It's insisting on responsible conduct and a responsible response to something they caused."

Biden's heated response to Barton followed a statement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, wherein he charged that Barton held more sympathy for the corporation than the Gulf Coast residents affected by the spill. During Thursday's briefing, Gibbs went on to suggest that the Republican party should reevaluate Barton's status as Ranking Member.

As for President Obama, Gibbs told reporters that when told of the remarks the President simply shook his head and said "I can't understand why anyone would say that."