The Associated Press: Obama heckled by GOP during speech to Congress
WASHINGTON — The nastiness of August reached from the nation's town halls into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as President Barack Obama tried to move his health care plan forward.
South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" after Obama had talked about illegal immigrants.
Does anyone remember any Democratic lawmaker ever shouting "Liar!" at George Dubbya Bush during a speech to a joint session? Even when he was lying through his teeth? I don't.
But never forget, it's Democrats who are filled with hate.
I just realized. Maybe it was some sort of weird homage to Dylan?
ReplyDelete"Play it fucking loud!"
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe not "liar", but there was this:
ReplyDeleteIn 2004, Democrats delivered a “Chorus Of Boos” during Bush's Bush’s State Of The Union when he called for renewal of the Patriot Act., according to the Washington Times.
In 2005, Dems howled, hissed and shouted "No!" when Bush pushed for Social Security reform in the SOU: "Foreshadowing the contentiousness of the coming debate, Democrats broke decorum and booed twice," according to the National Journal.
At the time, CNN's Bill Schneider remarked, “It was unusual. I had never heard it at least at that level before. The Democrats clearly were booing, heckling, saying no when the president talked about the crisis in Social Security."
Which is worse is up for debate, I guess.
I wouldn't get too upset. It's all one big dog and pony show (including the staged standing ovations).
ReplyDeleteWhich is worse is up for debate, I guess.
No it isn't. Even in the rowdy British House of Commons, where calls of "No!" and "Shame!" are, well, common, calling someone a liar on the floor is not tolerated.
This sort of false equivalence game, played by both wingnuts and the 'they're all the same" crowd, does drive me nuts. So it's okay to yell "You LIE!" because some Democrats once muttered angrily at Bush? Then it logically follows that the Democrats can throw rotten vegetables at the next Republican trying to speak. And then the Republicans can toss feces. And then we can progress to firearms. Because it's all the same.
Charlie, I understand you're disheartened by current circumstances, but I have to ask you – exactly what payoff does this "They're all the same" thing get you?
ReplyDeleteObama's a pragmatist. He's going to take small steps, yeah, sorry, but he'll plan for them to be well founded. It's a Japanaese principle of incremental improvement called kaizen.
People like Wilson have fallen to future shock. They're unable to change apace, so they're reverting to tribalism. "I don't like you, so I'll kill you." "I want what you have, so I'll kill you and take it." "You don't agree with me, so I'll kill you."
I still can't believe that he did that.
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected, JD. You're right ... the Democrats are the "good" party and the Republicans are the "bad" party (sarcasm intended).
ReplyDeleteThey called us ... who cares?
The guy (Wilson) was/is a dick. So what? It was a dog and pony show. Get over it. Worry about whether or not Obama can get HIS party in line to support HIS policy. He's got enough votes, if they don't crumble.
Tom, Obama is a politician. And Japan, the land of kaizen, has national health care.
I stand corrected, JD. You're right ... the Democrats are the "good" party and the Republicans are the "bad" party
ReplyDeleteThe evidence is there.
The evidence is there.
ReplyDeleteExcept neither party supports equal rights for all or national healthcare and neither party seems anxious to end a pair of wars (although one party claims to have been lied into one of those wars it supported full throttle--the "wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time").
Come to think of it, why is it we never hear about those wars anymore? Media still honeymooning?
Of course Ralph Nader actually does support equal rights, ending both wars and single payer health insurance, but why let the little things get in the way?
Booing is so much more mature than yelling "you lie!" so lets vote for those clowns.
Oy-vey ...
I still can't believe that he did that.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you just say that already?