is Obama having an impact on BP or not?

I blogged on this yesterday-- and we continue to see the dilemma play out in the C-J editorial references to the $20 billion escrow fund and outrage over the apology offered to BP by Rep. Joe Barton.

If BP is just doing what it should do, then there's no "shakedown", but there's no influence either.

If BP was forced to do what it would not otherwise do, then there's influence being exerted, but "shakedown" is not the right word. That said, there's no evidence that BP was avoiding its duty nor that the judicial system has failed in making things as right as possible.