Blow by blow of Rep heckling, signs, shouts etc during speech

[Undercurrent]

An Unhealthy Display

It happened at 8:40 pm, just after the president vowed to lawmakers that his health-care reform proposals would not provide benefits to illegal immigrants. As millions of Americans watched from home, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted at the president from his fifth-row seat: "You lie!" ...

... Wilson was only the most flagrant. There was booing from House Republicans when the president caricatured a conservative argument by saying they would "leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own." They hissed when he protested their "scare tactics." They grumbled as they do in Britain's House of Commons when Obama spoke of the "blizzard of charges and counter-charges." When he asserted that "nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have," there was scoffing and outright laughter on the GOP side. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Tex.) shook his head in disbelief. Several Republicans shouted "What plan?" and Rep. Louis Gohmert (Tex.) waved at Obama a handwritten poster he made on a letter-sized piece of paper: "WHAT PLAN?" Gohmert then took that down and replaced it with another handmade poster that said "WHAT BILL?"...

...But while the majority of both parties' lawmakers behaved as adults, the insolence by House Republicans stole the show. There was derisive laughter on that side of the chamber when Obama noted that "there remain some significant details to be ironed out." They applauded as he spoke of "all the misinformation that's been spread over the past few months." They laughed again when he said that "many Americans have grown nervous about reform." When Obama addressed the charge that he plans "panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens," someone on the GOP side shouted out "shame!" The president went on: "Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical." "Read the bill!" someone shouted back. Obama mentioned those who accuse him of a government takeover of health care. "It's true," someone shouted back.

The antics continued when Obama urged opponents to "come to me with a serious set of proposals." About 20 Republican members raised copies of the GOP health-reform proposal over their heads. They raised their props again when Obama criticized those who think "it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it." Even as Obama delivered a tribute to the late senator Ted Kennedy, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga), a leader of House conservatives, perused his BlackBerry. Shortly before the speech ended, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) walked out to beat the rush.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/09/09/ST2009090903520.html

[Abe66]

1. What an ignorant bunch of low-life scumbags.

[kath]

28. and yet Obama still thinks he should "reach across the aisle" to these scumbags??

WTF??

[TuxedoKat]

36. The contrast between Obama's behavior

and the Republicans is so striking. He stands up to them but won't lower himself to their level.

[TuxedoKat]

37. Boehner

Looked so ridiculous last night. Everytime the camera focused on him he had a petulant, pouting and
discomfitted look on his face -- like he'd swallowed a rotten lemon.

[bushisanidiot]

44. I'd like to see a collage of pics of all the REPUBLICANTS' faces

pouting when the President was addressing them.

It would make a really good advertisement for next year's congressional campaigns.

[TuxedoKat]

47. HaHa! Great idea!

I hope somebody sees this and runs with it, or they could set the photos to a song and you-tube it.

I wonder what an appropriate song would be for something like that. It would have to be something
that points out their meanness, pettiness, selfishness, insufferablness, etc., etc., etc.

Edited to add insufferableness!

[ecstatic]

41. I don't think he really thinks that

I could be wrong.

[C_U_L8R]

2. I think it couldn't be clearer

that republicans are total shitheads who don't give a damn for the health of this country

[Undercurrent]

4. Agreed!

It was an disgusting spectacle. I've never seen anything like it in my 60 years! Appalling.

[Beartracks]

11. Why are we still compromising? (Genuinely confused). n/t

[TheKentuckian]

21. We aren't really, at least with them but their saner cousins the blue dogs

Unfortunately, our right wing is whats left of the rational part of the GOP.

[Solomon]

22. Because we have to stay on the high road,

that's why. I know some people don't get the value and power of doing so, but I'm glad that Obama does.

[bushisanidiot]

3. Wow, I'll bet repukes really gained some new constituants with THAT display

of maturity.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

I hope President Obama has many more of these joint sessions of congress addresses.
It's bound to increase our numbers!! :)

[ampad]

25. Exactly

I'm sure they turned the precious "independents" off with that display of madness. It reminded me of my kids putting their fingers in their ears and yelling " I no hear you" When I tell them to clean their room. They should be embarrassed for their entire party. Bunch of cry babies.

[CitizenLeft]

5. they are classless scum.

And I'm glad somebody was keeping tabs. What imbeciles.

[GrantDem]

6. Nice to see these fuckwads interrupting the adult conversation planned for the room.

Complete idiots that have no respect for civil discourse.

[countingbluecars]

7. Racist pigs. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. I expect them to show up in white robes next time

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. Repubs are so desperate they don't know which way to turn

[Arrowhead2k1]

9. Well, their job is to represent their voters, and I think they're doing a fine job of that.

Asshats.

[high density]

10. Maybe these people should've stayed at home so they could yell at the TV

What a bunch of assholes.

[Honeycombe8]

12. Slimeballs. nt

[steve2470]

13. The Republicans were really horrible tonight

I would say the same thing if the Dems acted the same way. I've heard many Presidential speeches to Congress but I've never seen nor heard anything like this. Not even Nixon or Clinton got that reception.

[Lilyeye]

31. Really?

because according to some folks here...the repukes were just as unhinged and crazy during the Clinton era.

Edit: Spelling.

[Blue For You]

14. Just another townhall screaming match for the GOP.

Being classless and clueless is all they have.

[RagAss]

15. Blatant Racism...Fuck every last one of them !

[otohara]

16. Just Like Their Moronic Constituents

trickle down asshole behavior

[politicasista]

17. They scurred n/t

:rofl:

[AspenRose]

18. How old are they, 12?

And I hate to notice it, because I know there are some damn fine southern democrats here, but....

the southern strategy in the GOP rears its ugly head once again. States mentioned above:

NC
SC
GA
TX (where I was raised)

If there were northern state republican hecklers, I will recognize them too. But it's the southerners who stand out to me. Especially with that veiled threat from Chambliss (GA) earlier today.

(And Dana Milbank is still a tool.)

[NoSheep]

45. I saw NJ but not NC (where I was raised). Did I miss something?

[AspenRose]

48. He wasn't heckling Obama. Or anyone else, for that matter.

"Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), sitting on the Republican side, insisted on making a victory sign with his hand and waving it at Obama."

Dana Milbank (consider the source) described it as "provocation" that he "insisted on" - that looks like a show of support to me, akin to applause.

Pascrell wasn't yelling, nor was he waving signs or little booklets around. That was Milbank's pitiful attempt to make it look like both sides were doing it.

They weren't.

[NoSheep]

49. Who was heckling him from NC? Do you know? I'd like to write them a letter.

I'm not surprised Dana had to make something up. They're reaching. Keith said "Talking points....thin on the ground."

:rofl:

[AspenRose]

50. Patrick McHenry left before the speech was over

Don't know about heckling though

[myrna minx]

19. They are Immature children - actually I take that back. That's an insult to

children, who knew how to behave while listening to the President of the United States speak.

[Undercurrent]

20. Right you are.

The kids who watched the President's speech to school children were well behaved. Unlike these unruly assholes.

[frylock]

23. clearly the dems need to make more compromise, and work in a bipartisan manner..

i'm fucking kidding, but that's exactly what will happen. and for what?!!

[TheKentuckian]

24. They always know how to be an embarrassment for their country

You could dig up more class from the litter box. What a bunch of fucking buffoons!

[Cha]

26. Good, I'm glad they showed their trashy selves

to the world.

Pigs in their styes have better style.

Oh, this is by dana fucking milbank..he should be right at home with the House white trash.

"Scolding Republicans for scoring "short-term political points," Obama wasn't subtle in his effort to make his foes look cruel. The White House stocked the first lady's box at the speech with a virtual medical ward: a woman with sarcoidosis, a colon cancer patient, a recurrent cancer survivor, a double amputee, two women with breast tumors, a woman with eye problems, a man with high cholesterol, two brain tumor survivors, the son of a brain cancer victim and the fathers of children who have seizures and hemophilia."

And, this footnote.."An incensed White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel went up to GOP Reps. Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Paul Ryan (Wis.) to complain about the outburst. "No president has ever had that happen," Emanuel said. "My advice is he apologize immediately. You know my number."

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. Think of this heckling as a gift to America...

Now Obama, Pelosi, and Reid can go it alone, and ram a robust public option through the reconciliation process. Just put the Progressive Caucus on point, and ram it through! It has now been made abundantly clear to Americans everywhere that, despite Obama's best efforts, bipartisanship (except in Bluedog's opposition) is dead.

[CTyankee]

46. Ihope you are right but we'll have to wait and see.

I'm not sure the independents care one way or the other how the repukes act...

[SpartanDem]

29. Their behavior was disgusting tonight

even by GOP standard all those should made publically apologize to the President. No bullshit press releases they need to do it in front of the camera

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. Racist white trash on display.

[RBInMaine]

32. Bunch of FUCKING SLIMEBAGS ! We need to kick their asses !

[RFKHumphreyObama]

33. Imagine if Democrats had done this to Chimpya

The "liberal" MSM would be all over them about how rude and disrespectful this was, chiding them for not behaving as adults and etc. I'd be willing to be the hyseteria would be sufficient to ensure that Democrats lost seats as a result -remember the hoopla with Senator Wellstone's funeral

Talk about double standards

[livetohike]

34. The GOP has lost support from Independents with this childish

behavior. I saw others twiddling with their blackberries during the speech. They are not there to do the people's work. They reminded me of bored high school students during study hall.

[wicket]

35. Great article

Thanks for the link :hi:

[MagickMuffin]

38. As soon as I read this line "the insolence by House Republicans stole the show"

I knew it had to be Dana's handiwork. I only went to the link to see if I was correct. Yep, Dana Milbank the tool of the GOP.


As for the House Republicans stealing the show. NOPE, didn't happen, they only showed the American people and the rest of the World, that they are not capable of ever behaving like adults.

They are Brainrupt.

[derby378]

39. I sure wish I could have kept up that Gohmert blog I started...

It was called louiegohmertisalittlebitch.com. I had to drop it. I simply spread myself too thin with all the other stuff, personal and political, that was going on.

[euphoria12leo]

40. No Good rotten assholes

Disrespectful scumbags. They should have just stayed home. It's obvious they are too stupid to be out in public.

A bunch of losers. They make me sick.


:puke:

[Barack_America]

42. Looks like they caught fleas...

From their disrespectful and low-class constituents at those town hall meetings.

[Raine]

51. They act like naughty children and apparently have to be treated

that way. Our side needs to place adults at the end of each row just as you do in an elementary school assembly to stop the "rough-housing" and maintain order, rap their knuckles with a ruler. :dunce:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

52. One of that gang of idiots is MY congress-cretin.

Joe Barton. And next door is the disgraceful Louie Gohmert from Tyler.