BULLSHIT, Mr. Raymond. You can't defend record profits while claiming production strains by saying profits go up and down. Don't insult the world's intelligence. What? You can't blame OPEC, so you play me for a fool?

"Democrats had wanted the executives to testify under oath, but Republicans rejected the idea"

Why, Republicans? What possible reason could you have to not ensure that testimony is accurate and truthful, with legal ramifications if not? Oh, they paid for your campaign? My bad.

Shit, even the White House has a clue, for the moment.

"Energy prices have been too high and energy companies have realized significant increases in profits," said spokesman Scott McClellan."

But the industry has a bullet-proof argument

"...the run-up of gasoline prices, which began earlier in the year, stems from high global crude oil costs and growing demand for gasoline this past summer, followed by a disruption of gasoline supplies when the hurricanes shut down more than a dozen refineries on the Gulf Coast."

Oh, why didn't you say so? I figured it had something to do with opportunity, campaign debts, collusion, and "investing aggressively in the development of new energy supplies".