Posted on 09/10/2009 8:08:30 AM PDT by Maelstorm
Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "Lie! You lie," at President Barack Obama during Wednesday's address to a joint session of Congress, earning repudiations from his own party and from Democrats.
Wilson took exception to a passage in Obama's speech on health care in which the president said illegal immigrants would not get health insurance coverage under the overhaul.
"There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," Obama said.
Wilson answered the comment with his outburst, loud enough to be picked up on television and in such an unusually disruptive fashion as to merit reprimands from across the political spectrum.
House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, a fellow South Carolinian, said Wilson's heckling was more damaging to South Carolina's reputation than the exploits of Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, who admitted to having an extramarital affair with an Argentinian woman.
"I thought he [the governor] had embarrassed us as much as we could be embarrassed. But to have a congressman use the floor of the House of Representatives in a joint session to insult the president the way Joe Wilson did is as embarrassing as anything anyone could think of," Clyburn said. "Our state can do without this."
Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and a fellow veteran, denounced the comment as "totally disrespectful and called on Wilson to "apologize immediately" during a post-speech interview on CNN.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Don’t be silly. Laws have nothing to do with this. It isn’t anarchy to disagree by voice.
Yeah. What the heck is WRONG with Wilson, anyhow? As the dems are in power now, it’s THEIR TURN to steal taxdollars, line their own pockets and those of their big-money contributors. Republicans had their turn for a decade, and will again. So relax, Joe. Don’t upset the applecart of political graft, theft, corruption, office-selling, etc. I mean, where ELSE can you betray the people you work for 24/7 and STILL demand to be treated like a God??
This isnt the FIRST time that a congressman from South Carolina has been involved in an incident on the Congressional floor and this is the first thing I thought of. Check this out (from Wikipedia):
Two days later, on the afternoon of May 22, Preston Brooks, a congressman from South Carolina and Butler's nephew, confronted Sumner as he sat writing at his desk in the almost empty Senate chamber. Brooks was accompanied by Laurence M. Keitt also of South Carolina and Henry A. Edmundson of Virginia, who took no part in the assault. Brooks said, "Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech twice over carefully. It is a libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler, who is a relative of mine." As Sumner, who was six feet four inches tall, began to stand up, Brooks began beating Sumner severely on the head with a thick gutta-percha cane with a gold head. Sumner was trapped under the heavy desk (which was bolted to the floor), but Brooks continued to bash Sumner until he ripped the desk from the floor. By this time, Sumner was blinded by his own blood, and he staggered up the aisle and collapsed, lapsing into unconsciousness. Brooks continued to beat Sumner until he broke his cane, then quietly left the chamber. Several other senators attempted to help Sumner, but were blocked by Keitt who was holding a pistol and shouting, "Let them be!" (Brooks died in 1857; Keitt was censured for his actions and was later killed in 1864 during the Civil War as a Confederate officer).
Good for Brooks
and his heir, Joe Wilson. We dont have too many congressmen who will really represent us, but they do. They "get it".
Just sent my e-mail to Boehner.
Where was all the sanctimonious out cry when the dims booed Bush durning his state of the union speech. Rules are not worth much unless both sides abide.
I think they are worried he’ll talk about the BC issue. Very few of them want to face that issue.
I wonder if Murtha has apologized to the Marines he falsely accused?
I think everyone should send Joe Wilson a few dollars. Left is raising money for his opponent.
Whenever a Dem says he apologies, although not meaning it, it’s all over, we are reminded that they apologizied.
Well, he beat them to it by apologizing, so it’s over with.
No double standards any more.
It appears Republicans aren’t happy with 40 years in the minority. They want permanent minority it seems now.
In Washington, a gaffe is when someone accidentally tells the truth.
And Wilson made the mother of all gaffes.
And in Washington, when you make a gaffe, you apologize.
What is so hard to understand ?
I agree 100% with his sentiments. I do not agree with where he chose to express them. Hey, call a news conference later and then call out the liar in chief.
I disagree. Most of the GOP did not apologize. That said it still makes me angry enough to spit. We have a very solid group of conservative Republicans and the GOP can be the vehicle. Right now the only reason why the GOP is not benefiting is because of people like John McCain and those who rush to apologize and offer fodder to the liberals. What does it gain? Does it make them appear nicer to single women and minorities? Hell no. They aren’t going to get those votes anyway. What it does is it makes people like you and I think they are a bunch of wussies and who wants to be on the wussie team? I call myself a Republican and I know most Republicans are not whimps but the leadership needs to stop being afraid to speak to the heart of the foundation of this nation and the liberties of free strong men and women. I’m just tired of it.
Keyes is inconvenient. Palin however has a political power that those in Washington resent.
NO WAY shoudl he have apologized for tellign hte TRUTH- Obama WAS LYING!
Perhaps.
“most Republicans are not whimps”
But most Republican LEADERS are. The Republican party long ago ceased to be useful as a vehicle for advancing consrvatism.
Democrats Boo Bush During 2005 SOTU
Condemned for telling the truth.
Give me a break! The Øbamanation called us all liars in his speech. Was that condemned as out of line?
AMEN! This is just one more indication of a need for a good House cleaning. We need to retain Wilson, though.
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