Rep. Joe Wilson yells out at President Obama "You Lie!"
"During President Obama's major health care speech on Wednesday, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson (R) yelled out "You lie!" when the President said the legislation would not mandate coverage for undocumented immigrants" - Associated Press.
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson's outburst was "totally disrespectful .... and he should apologize immediately," said Sen. John McCain in a CNN interview shortly after the President finished his speech.
I believe this behavior is an embarrassment to his office and unacceptable from a member of Congress. Not only did Wilson show disrespect for the President, but he showed his contempt for all the members of Congress as well as the American Public.
Regardless of one's political affiliations, it is not too much to expect that an elected official act with appropriate decorum and civility.
wow
Wow. Heard speech on radio. Heard a disruption, but didn't know what it was...
Sad. Also sad kids pulled from school so they didn't have to watch him speak.
Ken
Yup, and someone else throw his shoes at Bush during one of his speeches . . . that's politics for ya!
He got some cable news coverage for his daily fifteen minutes of fame. Politics, power, media exposure.. they are all posturing to see who will prevail while the country struggles to keep going. Don't you think it was planned for the effect it created?
Mary Ann - I don't think it was planned at all.
I think it was an uncontrollable emotional outburst.
He was so disrespectful... I was at a House Party and everyone was in dis belief by his comment and outburst
A Iraqi newspaper reporter threw a shoe at Bush in a press conference. Yes, that was disrespectful, but the setting was completely different. Tonight was not a town hall meeting or a press conference in a foreign country. Wilson's outburst was disrespectful to the Office of the President, the Congress, and all of us who own those institutions. He has rightfully apologized, as McCain suggested, but it shows the depths of frustration that the Republicans' losing strategy has gotten themselves into.
It's interesting that a few hours after Joe Wilson's rude outburst, his website was offline "for maintenance".
It was definitely disrespectful and shocking to me. That kind of outburst (planned or not_ is never welcome.
I would be embarrassed if that Congressman represented me. How childish and disrespectful.
It sounds like he'd be welcomed in Texas.
The United States needs to get together with Canada, Mexico, and the countries of Central and South America and "form a more perfect union," an American Union, to compete better with the European Union, OPEC, Japan, and China. That would also put an end to illegal immigrants since all "Americans" would be working together. Not only that, but the American Union would control more oil than OPEC.
Personally, I would no problem with illegal immigrants getting health insurance. They are human beings. Just because the immigration authorities don't seem capable of stemming the flower of illegal immigrants doesn't mean that they should be denied health insurance if they are successful at getting into the United States. As Mr. Spock said, "The needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few."
There are issues out there that apparently push some people over the edge of civility: immigration, gay rights, abortion....and. I suppose for some, health care reform itself.
Name calling and hateful speech on all sides seems to be the ordinary result of stong feelings in the public square.
To me, we should all be glad all of our Latino neighbors are here. If nothing else we need their (mostly younger) help in paying for social security in the next twenty years.
And we should be glad they are here instead of back home: not sending money back to help out there -- instead being a further burden on their home country's economy. If they were back in (primarily) Mexico, that nation would be even poorer than it is.
In only other two places on the planet, do nations sharing a land border have a greater disparity of per capita national income (GDP) across that border: Israel and Palestine and South and North Korea.
We are lucky we don't need troops on our southern border to fight a war.
Immigration is a far cheaper alternative.
Not to mention we stole the entire Southwest from them anyway.
Stewart, another nail in the GOP coffin I say.
Russel, I totally agree with you. Illegals get health care as it is and we pay big bucks for that. If I travel to France, for example, and get sick, they take care of me for free. Whats the difference? Racism I say. Illegals are mostly Hispanic, and we both know how some in this country feel about Hispanics don't we?
Tana (#9 above) - So you condone this type of rude, crude and outrageous behavior?
Are you suggesting it's acceptable to be so disrepectful to the President of our country?
Another Texan - Congressman Louie Gohmert - displayed his lack of decorum by wearing a sign around his neck. I think he looked rather pathetic!
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler had this to say:
"Once again a South Carolina Republican has embarrassed our state," Fowler's office said in a statement that referred to S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's extramarital affair.
"Never has any member of Congress shown such disrespect for the president during a speech," Fowler wrote. "One would think that as a member of the military, Joe Wilson would have more respect and patriotism than he displayed tonight. When Congressman Wilson insulted President Obama, he also insulted the American public. Joe Wilson is a poor example of a statesman and an American. He owes an apology to the president and the American people."
Stewart - my take is a little different. I think ole Mr Wilson planned his heckle to solidify his base back home. Suddenly, he becomes the courageous face of conservative thinkers across the country thus ensuring his re-election coffers get stuffed by the RNC, the health care lobby, the folks back home and maybe even the like minded outside his district. The apology and subsequent excuse just show him to be a true republican politician capable of saying or doing almost anything to serve his corporate masters and fringe ideology. Here's to hoping he's ostracized rather than respected back home.
It is a shame he chose to act disrespectful in order to point out something that was so obvious in the first place.
To Hugh (#19 above) and anyone else who thrives on misinformation .....
"The non-partisan organization FactCheck.org has debunked the claim that health care reform would mandate coverage for illegal immigrants"
This loser is the darling of the healthcare industr, having raked in over $240,000 in campaign contributions.
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/09/10/obama-speech-disrupter-a-health-industry-darling/
I'm a little confused. If health care is a threat to the insurance companies why is Aetna and Wellpoint up on the markets today?
"Yes I AM saying it is ok to be disrespectful to the President" - Tana Hunt (Trinity Title of Texas)
Tana - I don't know where you were raised (or by whom), but good manners and civilized behavior was obviously not on the agenda.
Scott - I read the link you posted and it clearly shows why it's not a coincidence why Wilson is so opposed to any health care reform
Stewart - I'm confused too. Mainly, I'm wondering what Tana thinks Obama is lying about? Surely she is not as ignorant as her post implies. Am I missing the lies or is she just so comfortable rallying behind lies that she assumes her president is lying? Confusing indeed! Can we "fire" Texas or are we forced to wait for them to secede?
Tana - I think I actually gave you a compliment along with the benefit of the doubt. Apparently reading comprehension is not a strong suit in Texas. If Obama is lying to me as you claim perhaps you can show proof on a future post, not Texas proof but actual indisputable irrefutable black and white proof. And if lying to you is why you hate Obama, what of the previous regime?
Stewart - sorry for side tracking your thread, sometimes I get a little rambunctious.
John - On the contrary, you have not sidetracked my post but have rather made valid points on the issue.
Tana - The "actual proof" that you have given in the link is not proof at all .... instead you've supplied a link to "Hot Air Network - the world's first full-service conservative Internet broadcast network". This is exactly the type of misinformation being put out by the "Republican Spin Machine" that President Obama referred to in his speech last night!
Who is Tana Hunt? Why is she anonymous. Where are you from?
Tana, It's a no win with this bunch. Scott is about to accuse you of being a lobbyist for the insurance industry - the way he accuses me.
Scott - In earlier comments Tana indicated she was with "Trinity Title of Texas".
However, she deleted this from her name when she realized what a bad reflection her behavior was on the company she works for.
I'm still confused when Scott said "
This loser is the darling of the healthcare industr, having raked in over $240,000 in campaign contributions.
It seems that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D) received between 2007 and 2008 1.5 million in contributions from the insurance, hospital and pharmaceutical companies. Aren't they in the health care industry?
Max Baucus is the same Senator who floated the most recent health care initiative on Tuesday. Source Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/20/AR2009072003363.html
Tana - Wilson called your president a liar as the president was telling the country that illegal immigrants are not covered under any plan and you applaud him for it right? Here is the section of HB3200 that specifically addresses the issue for your perusal:
SEC. 246. NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS.
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments
for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are
not lawfully present in the United States.
Is that clear enough? Feel free to look it up yourself if you don't believe me, its on page 143 near the top. Now, either Wilson is himself a liar or he is ignorant or, more likely, he is typical of too many in the GOP willing to repeat the distortions, half truths and out right lies the whacked out fringe element keep dreaming up.
"Perhaps the reforms that President Obama advocates would not cover illegal
aliens, but those are not the reforms currently under consideration by
Congress," commented Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "H.R. 3200, the legislation
that the House will be voting on, would allow illegal aliens to benefit from
the government-financed public option, and includes no verification provisions
to prevent illegal aliens from receiving taxpayer subsidies to purchase
private health insurance."
President Obama's assertion that illegal alien would not be covered under
AAHCA is directly contradicted by an August 25 report, Treatment of
Noncitizens in H.R. 3200, issued by the Congressional Research Service. The
nonpartisan research arm of Congress concluded, "H.R. 3200 does not contain
any restrictions on noncitizens - whether legally or illegal present, or in
the United States temporarily or permanently - participating in the [Health
Insurance] Exchange."
Source Reuters 42 mins ago
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS201604+10-Sep-2009+PRN20090910
Tara, It's impossible to get them to take off the rose colored glasses. They elected him and come hell or high water they are goin' Stand By Their Man".
Joe Wilson will be on TV tonight outlining exactly why the Presidents statements were untruthful.
Hi Stewart ~ Not to mention Cantor texting on his phone - that was disgusting. Inappropriate in an office meeting never mind a joint session of Congress with the President at the podium.
Right on to Russel's and Jim's comments. I'm appalled at the outcry about the idea of providing health care to undocumented immigrants. It's disgusting and makes me ashamed of the people in this country. We're happy to have them do our dirty work and yet what - you want them - or their children - turned away from the hospital? That horrifies me - the thought of it and the type of person who would suggest that it is a human way to act. Besides if money were your sole focus - it is certainly not mine - as some have pointed out it would probably cost less to provide care through health coverage as opposed to emergency room coverage as is currently the case.
Liz
There are two points to examine in this post of mine:
1. Whether Joe Wilson's behavior and lack of decorum by a United States Congressman is acceptable;
2. Whether the outburst was factual, or simply Republican misinformation.
Wilson's boorish behavior is unquestionably inappropriate for someone of his stature. Yet some Republicans condone and encourage it (see comment #9 above). Is this the type of example lawmakers should be setting for the country?
House rules expressly prohibit lawmakers from calling the president a "liar" or accusing him of "lying".
In these circumstances Wilson's outburst requires that he be censured.
I hope that Nancy Pelosi (who I believe is not a worthy Speaker of the House) has the correct judgment to ensure Wilson is disciplined.
Bonnie: Lobbyist for the insurance industry.
I am a conservative. I believe Joe Wilson was out of line. When someone is speaking they should be given courtesy and respect. It does not matter who it is. We have all seen the video of Hillary yawning and not paying attention to President Bush. We have all seen people on both sides act as if they could care less. Atrocious behavior for our supposed leaders. I do not like it out of anyone.
Scott, you must be correct!
I'm making those big bucks running up and down the halls of Capital Hill. That's why I'm a Realtor.
Drudge has a donation button for Wilson * I'm sending $$$. He made a comment in the heat of the LIES about health care to be provided for ILLEGAL immigrants * good for him!!! I hope he gets the $$$ he needs and returns to congress......Having been born in SC, we have a saying.....Save your Confederate Money, Honey! The SOUTH will Rise Again!!!
America is RIGHT of CENTER.....
When will Nancy Pelosi take Chairmanship from TAX CHEAT Charlie Rangle?
Wallace - OMG-WTF! Stars and Bars bro!
All concerned citizens can donate to Rob Miller - the candidate to replace Joe Wilson in 2010.
Wallace: LOL. You are funny. This country is certainly NOT right of center. Keep dreaming.
Scott * country is right of center and polls agree * we'll see in Nov when Repubs take back VA and NJ governor slots!!! Going to Repub b'fast tomorrow AM and hear Repub candidate's wife speak....
Sorry anybody feels it is okay to be so disrespectful to anybody let alone the President regardless of who he is. Joe's apology and subsequent national news guest spots for fund raising demonstrate the dis-ingenuousness of his words. Joe Wilson is in fact the liar, apologizing and not meaning it.
There is a rash of disrespect towards this president that goes well beyond politics. And Tanya, if you follow logically the idea of illegals paid health care in the form of "affordability" tax credits, they would first have to file their taxes. Do you envision a lot of illegals standing in line for their tax returns?
Mike, George Bush was booed loudly by Dems in 2005, during his State of the Union address. Hard to decipher what individuals might have been saying over the boos.
JOHN ROBERTS (CBS White House correspondent): At a couple points in this address, it looked more like the British Parliament than the United States Congress. I've never heard the minority party shout at the president during the State of the Union address.
http://mediamatters.org/research/200502040014
Not a simple audible dissent. Masses of Dems shouting and jeering the President of the United States.
One dissenting blurted out comment is one thing. Masses of Democrats shouting and booing a President is something else.
It was an inappropriate time and place for Wilson's remark. He apologized for the outburst - not his conviction. How many Dems apologized to George Bush?
Bonnie - The real apology this country deserves needs to come from George Bush.