The President Heckled... by Congress?

[phee]

http://news.yahoo.co...ews/ynews_pl897

I cannot remember in my life time a government official ever being so disrespectful of the President... even when Bush was sending Americans off to die, based on lies that his administration made up... no member of congress, on either side stood up and called the President a name midspeech before...

Yes the fight has gotten nasty.

Why do you think this is happening now? Is it just that Wilson is a Douche? Does it reflect on the whole Republican party? Are they really that sour about loosing? Is it (dare I say it....) a racial thing?

What do you think?

[Slogo]

Wilson =

Yes that is a literal douchebag

Edited September 11, 2009 by Slogo

[Der Nister]

The republican party is something else. *rolls eyes*

Are they not aware of how pathetic they make themselves look without any help from anyone outside of their own group?

[taysteewonderbunny]

http://news.yahoo.co...ews/ynews_pl897

I cannot remember in my life time a government official ever being so disrespectful of the President... even when Bush was sending Americans off to die, based on lies that his administration made up... no member of congress, on either side stood up and called the President a name midspeech before...

Yes the fight has gotten nasty.

Why do you think this is happening now? Is it just that Wilson is a Douche? Does it reflect on the whole Republican party? Are they really that sour about loosing? Is it (dare I say it....) a racial thing?

What do you think?

Do you want a response to the action or the issue? Yes, I was watching last night, and I was appalled. He actually yelled out "you lie!" twice. I can understand having a difference of opinion. That's what your blog, your turn on the floor, your two minutes in the news are for.

I won't say that this has to do with racism. I won't even go so far as to say that it is a "Republican" thing, though they seem more the guilty party as of late. No, I think this is typical of a degeneration of rules and standards of respect, a comprehension and support of the kind of atmosphere that most supports dialog and civilized debate. Next step: food fight.

[Msterbeau]

Free speech is one thing. Being a rude asshole is another. As stated often around here... you can dissent without being that rude asshole.

I find it unsurprising that conservatives expect the president to be followed unquestioningly... or you're unpatriotic. Except it only applies when it's their guy in office.

[Slogo]

Free speech is one thing. Being a rude asshole is another. As stated often around here... you can dissent without being that rude asshole.

I find it unsurprising that conservatives expect the president to be followed unquestioningly... or you're unpatriotic. Except it only applies when it's their guy in office.

[Msterbeau]

well i'd argue that the air did not exactly turn blue within earshot.

and I'd add that I've been called unpatriotic for lots of things when all Ive done is voice opposition to an ide or ideal....try being a NON Union kinda guy in this town, lordy the loves comes quick. But to me overall, its really not that big of a deal that someone lost their shit and yelled "you lie!!!" Good Lord patriots have done far worse than that in the course of history....

Personally, I think the only reason union guys are "Democrats" is because they get more of a free ride. I tend to find them largely conservative socially and otherwise a bunch of mooches. If they didn't start that way, the Union guys tend to break them. Really sad to see happen. (I have)

I think his outburst is a big deal. A time and a place for everything, sums it up. He really only succeeded in making himself look the fool. His point gets kinda lost. How did he help himself or his cause? If he wants to be taken seriously as an adult, he needs to step up and BE an adult. Children kick and scream when they want to be heard.

[the eternal]

Look, if we're going to have a protest-history battle, I may win that one.

I've done things in the name of the cause(s) that, while mostly legal, I'm not entirely proud of.

That said, it's shocking what he did.

Is it as bad as numerous things in history? No

Did anyone die? No

Did both parties recover quickly? Yes

It's just that as abhorrent as so many things through time have been,

they somehow make sense within

the construct of what those people were operating in.

For example, we get shocked and dismayed when we hear about extreme prison sentences in fundamentalist countriesin the mideast for human rights workers or women who accidentally show some ankle, but you still kinda expect it in repressive regimes.

In contrast, regardless of the lack of physical damage done, this incident is shocking because there is expected to be a certain level of decorum and respect given to the president by the members of Congress.

No matter how many nasty thoughts the Dems had about Bush, and how mediocre he was as an orator, they wouldn't dare heckle him like that.

No one in recent history has.

Because even if you don't respect the man,

you respect the position,

you respect what a speech before the joint session represents and

you respect the fact that it is our President speaking.

Then you wait until 5 seconds after the speech is over and tear him a new asshole in your rebuttal.

That's the Congressional way.

So, for Rep. Wilson to just get up and scream in the middle of a speech, it was nothing less than a shocking display that was so disrespectful,

not just of Obama, but of the political process that Wilson subscribes to.

I don't think it was racial.

I don't think it was calculated. (Seriously, what moron would say "I'm going to be a pariah in my own party for a few days and an embarrassment and risk my political future")

But I DO think that what his action represents cannot be minimized.

When the one place where a president is given his due buy his colleagues,

the one place and time where it means something to hold the title commander-in-chief

is compromised... we have problems.

I think we have gotten so over saturated with the deification of rude little snots, that it has permeated even such hallowed occassions as a Presidential address.

But it shouldn't be a surprise.

---When you have Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian stars for being stuck up and brain- dead

---When you have Speidi (rem them?) becoming reality superstars simply for being irritating

---When you have Rush Limbaugh representing the right wing by using his special brand of hatertainment to fire up his base

---When you have town hall meetings where fully-armed yahoos hold up signs with Obama as Adolph Hitler and then get REWARDED by scoring interviews on Fox News as if they are expert political commentators---

It's no wonder that we have blurred the line so much.

We have fomented a culture that is

so immediate,

so base,

that pretty much anyone can do something stupid and get rewarded for it.

So I guess it's no wonder that a Representative of S. Carolina,

who in years past probably would've had that little voice we all have in our heads telling him "Shut up" had his saying---

"Let's Go Crazy"

It was his dumb-ass that did it, and ultimately he only has himself to blame.

Still, I think it has taken us creating a culture that continually rewards tasteless disregard for others,

to make his previously unthinkable act of disrespect---

possible.

Edited September 11, 2009 by the eternal

[candyman]

Wilson is just a douche...actually everyone in that room is a douche but he sprung a leak. Racial? Nah. Republican? No they are busy trying to abolish health care. Mad at losing? What his car keys? People in the government don't lose things...the general public does! I believe it a mixture of two things...ran out of coffee in the break room and everyone is a little edgy from lack of smoking hot male aides.

I would like to is how the hell Bush got in here...and also how the hell do we know for a fact that people didn't do this to him?

Both political parties are a bunch of bullshit. Since the government first started both parties and the other random ones did a few good things and did a few bad things. I hear republicans fighting republicans and I head democrats fighting democrats. Shit there is really no party to blame here...they both have gone as low as they can already...if something is wrong is there anything you need to do other than point at D.C. and nothing specific? If you want to point at a political party why not ask the democrats in Wisonsin that have been in power for the last 14 years why schools, roads, and many other things have actually gotten worse while they have been in?

[Rev.Reverence]

Wilson =

Yes that is a literal douchebag

...doubles as an enema

[Slogo]

...doubles as an enema

Maybe it could assist in removing his head from his ass

[Simon Bar Sinister]

how the hell do we know for a fact that people didn't do this to [bush]?

One could check the videotape, I suppose.

[candyman]

One could check the videotape, I suppose.

I would like to meet the person that could sit through that much crap...not just because Bush is in there but because it would be the ultimate CSPAN marathon...not cool!

[Rev.Reverence]

Though President Obama has formally accepted the apology of Joe "You lie!" Wilson, the fallout from the emotional outburst continues to ripple across the nation, even raising doubts about the Republican congressman's political future.

Ninety minutes after Obama finished his address, the South Carolina representative—who yelled out "You lie!" after the president said he had never proposed providing coverage to illegal immigrants—issued a statement explaining he "let my emotions get the best of me." According to the congressman's office, Wilson also made a personal phone call to the White House in hopes of apologizing to Obama himself, but instead had to express his apologies to gatekeeper Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

This whole thing is fuckin' hilarious.

[TheGimp]

wow...just wow...now theres people for Obama and people agianst Obama but the fact is..you may not LIKE the president...but he IS the president no less and still deserves respect...

[StormKnight (1)]

I would concur with both Gimp and Eternal. While not the worst the worst thing that has been directed at the President by Congress, and both sides are guilty of doing the similar, (even when being booed by Congress/Democrats in 2005, in the segment I watched (just watched a video at an attempt of completion,) Bush was not *blatantly* interrupted, he pressed on. To have to be loud enough to give pause and force the President to focus on him for that instant I found disrespectful.

I have found some disagreement on one topic or another between what I believe and what every person that has held the office of President believes. I have since I have been old enough to vote for or against them. But I respect the office and give the person in that office a modicum of respect.

Edited September 11, 2009 by StormKnight

[n0Mad]

I for one am glad we're not like this:

but instead, more like this:

We still could use a bit of this though:

And I found this during my image searching and just had to include it 'cuz it's funny:

[creatureofthenyte]

Okay fine, yeah it was rude of Senator Wilson to make that outburst.

However, I think the fact that people are making such a big deal out of it, is just absolute ridiculous Bullshit.

He apologized, Obama accepted his apology....Let it go.

When Nancy Pelosi called people who oppose Democrats & or the current proposed health care bill, Nazis, I don't recall hearing the outcry that people are making about Senator Wilson.

GWB got loudly booed & hissed at, and no one made a big fuss.

I believe race had nothing to do with it at all; it would be nice if the Democrats would STOP playing the race card as a means to distract the American people from the issues at hand.

Edited September 11, 2009 by creatureofthenyte

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

What short memory's we have. Perhaps we should all refresh our memory... by watching the 2005 State of the Union address. You know, that one where the Democrats kept Booing and repeatedly caused such a ruckus that he had to stop speaking long enough for it to die down.

Overblown crap is what this is.

[Rev.Reverence]

We still could use a bit of this though:

FUCK YEAH WE COULD!

This whole "Operating-In-A-State-Of-Confusion" is vastly failing.

How will the future generations do, if this is what they have as roll models?

Yes, I think that the Members of Congress should act as though they are being watched by children...

It is they, not pop-icons, that should be held to standards of Moralistic Integrity.

Okay fine, yeah it was rude of Senator Wilson to make that outburst.

However, I think the fact that people are making such a big deal out of it, is just absolute ridiculous Bullshit.

He apologized, Obama accepted his apology....Let it go.

When Nancy Pelosi called people who oppose Democrats & or the current proposed health care bill, Nazis, I don't recall hearing the outcry that people are making about Senator Wilson.

GWB got loudly booed & hissed at, and no one made a big fuss.

I believe race had nothing to do with it at all; it would be nice if the Democrats would STOP playing the race card as a means to distract the American people from the issues at hand.

They DO need to quit with the race card...

.....when played to often, the race card, is racism.

(edit to add)

That's pretty much what I mean whenever I say the whole thing is hilarious...

Edited September 11, 2009 by Rev.Reverence

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

---When you have town hall meetings where fully-armed yahoos hold up signs with Obama as Adolph Hitler and then get REWARDED by scoring interviews on Fox News as if they are expert political commentators---

God this one makes me laugh. You forgot to mention that it was a Black man with the gun.

[Rev.Reverence]

God this one makes me laugh. You forgot to mention that it was a Black man with the gun.

What does skin tone have to do with it?

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

What does skin tone have to do with it?

I'm not really sure. Ask NBC, CBS and the NY Times why they refused to show a picture of the man or mention his race while they were calling him a racist.

[Rev.Reverence]

I'm not really sure. Ask NBC, CBS and the NY Times why they refused to show a picture of the man or mention his race while they were calling him a racist.

I did not know that..that info puts your post in proper perspective I did not even know that they were calling him a racist...you know, there ARE such a thing as Blacks that hate other Blacks...in a racist fashion...few; but, they do exist.

[torn asunder]

personally, i'd like to see a bit more vocal process, like they have in british parlaiment (sp?)