Senator Whitehouse Asks a Zinger. No Reply

[kpete]

Run time: 01:03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnJAIeEgjSM   Posted on YouTube: September 12, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: September 15, 2008 By DU Member: kpete Views on DU: 14898

 
WHITEHOUSE: Gentlemen, we’re in the middle of a near total mortgage system meltdown in this country. We have a health care system that burns 16 percent of our GDP, in which the Medicare liability alone has been estimated at $34 trillion. We’re burning $10 billion a month in Iraq.

This administration has run up $7.7 trillion in national debt, by our calculation. And there is worsening evidence every day of global warming, with worsening environmental and national security ramifications. In light of those conditions, do any of you seriously contend that drilling for more oil is the number one issue facing the American people today?

(Long silent pause during which nobody answers.)

WHITEHOUSE: No, it doesn’t seem so.

[enough]

1. Devastating. What an ad that would make.

[midnight]

6. enough , I agree. That should be an add.

It would really counter that group who show up to shout drill, drill now!

[bjobotts]

46. Agreed. Run it as is. A perfectly natural telling moment. Not contrived in any way.

[wordpix]

107. Run it, Dem campaigns! Perfect ad as is, get it out TODAY

[rabies1]

113. Wow! Obama should grab this one!

You're so right!
k&r (many times).

[leveymg]

112. Come on, pivot, shoot, rebound. Just do it!

If the campaign can't respond quickly, then MoveOn.org or some other group needs to pick up the ball.

[wizstars]

114. SCORE!

[krkaufman]

21. With barely a need for any editing. Just a closing maybe. n/t

[understandinglife]

30. Totally!!! Oh, and here's the DIGG link ... Hopefully one of Obama's folk have it ...

http://digg.com/lbv.php?id=8491785&ord=1

[NBachers]

99. Can't join Digg

Senator Whitehouse: Thank you for exposing the greed, mendacity, lies, and phony issues the rethuglicans always use to commit treason against this nation, and the world.

For once, the smart guy pwns the racketeer punks.

Problem: This has happened several times over the last week as I tried to join Digg:

"An unknown fatal exception has occurred
Whoa! Something blew up. If you think you reached this error in error please do not hesitate to contact support."


So, what should I do? (Besides, obviously, contacting tech support.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n03a7cLf0M

[mmonk]

106. Yes, absolutely. It would make a great ad.

[lisainmilo]

120. Agreed, would make a great ad! n/t

[habitual]

2. another big k+r, extremely entertaining. n/t

[bjobotts]

43. I hate Pelosi. She caves into lobbyist's money everytime. A massive land rights grab.

We are seeking alternative sources of energy by encouraging off shore drilling???
Our coastlines will look like the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma. Is there nothing sacred to these people on this planet??? It's all about maximizing profits and controlling our energy sources to make more $.

Pelosi is selling out the nation once again to big oil as if she were the CEO of the "Money Party" and our developing corporatocracy. Welcome to the new world order. The private lobbyists parties at the DNC paid off big time...brought to you by AT&T and big oil.

Pelosi stands for the corporations and not the people. The republicans "have wrecked America" and she enables them to continue the process.

[bjobotts]

45. The results of all those corporate lobbyist's parties at the DNC,laughing at the American people

[JimDandy]

69. She is such a blatant Corporateer. I think the Progressives

in the house, who are for "people-oriented" initiatives were too weak to stop her getting power. The only way to really make a difference is to get more Populist/Progressive Dems into the House. It shouldn't be Blue Dogs vs Progressives; it should be Populists vs Corporateers. And not just with the Dems, but the Repubs too.

[wolfgangmo]

78. The difference between the republicans and the democrats ...

... is how fast their knees hit the floor when big corporations enter the room.

[ColonelTom]

79. I was waiting for you to say "lipstick." :) nt

[Peregrine Took]

89. Not to be overly critical but I just can't stand her "look" - she looks like a

Republican woman - all botoxed up and painted like a Barbie Doll.

Democratic women just don't look like that - they look like REAL women - no matter what their age.

[DeepBlueC]

116. WTF?

Puh-leeze. Can we quit with the fucking runway critiques? :eyes:

[Wilber_Stool]

3. I like that guy........n/t

[dmr]

51. He is awesome, smart, consistant, and can get to the point quickly. n/t

[garthranzz]

4. Wow! K&R #5 for being so articulate

Get that man on the lecture circuit!

[Maureen1322]

5. This has to end up in a campaign ad.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

9. I agree K &R n/t

[aggiesal]

102. Republicans heard the following .....

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah?

That's why nobody answered.

They should make an ad from this. But to the Republicans, it will only sound like Charlie Brown's teacher.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

7. Please let the Obama people see this.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

8. I love how calm and cool he is when he says it...n.t.

[wordpix]

108. VERY calm and cool but I sense he's seething beneath

[AlbertCat]

10. OUCH!

[thecrow]

11. I sent it. We'll see

K&R

[pberq]

12. Great find! - k&r

[Heather MC]

13. This brought tears to my eyes, did you see those bastards smiling

Fucking assholes.

They can laugh because we have to pay them 20,000 a month for they rest of their fucking lousy lives wether they do a good job or a shittastic job. Meanwhile, soldiers who put there lives on the line, Only make about 2,000 a month for the ret of their lives and that's after serving til retirement age.
You only have to serve one term in congress to get that 20,000 a month for life.

I wonder if Joe Scumbag still gets that money?

[gtar100]

19. Yes, the whole room seemed remarkably apathetic

Do these old men not have children?

[Bette Noir]

36. Not children in the military.

[trthnd4jstc]

14. Wow, that was funny! n/t

[mikelgb]

15. Whitehouse is one of the great new freshmen in the Senate

Personally, I think the has leadership written all over him

[LooseWilly]

23. He's a freshman Senator?? Wow. Kick.

That was about as succinct as it can get.

[Muttocracy]

83. I think he defeated Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island

Chafee was a moderate GOPer but kicked out in 2006. I think Whitehouse used to be Atty General of RI or something?

[stellanoir]

111. As a resident of the dinkiest state . . .

Choosing between Chafee and Whitehouse was by far the most difficult vote I've ever cast.

I went with Whitehouse to insure a Democratic majority in the Senate for an equalization of power. Though with the totally rigged optical scanners, it didn't work out as such.

Landslide denied indeed.

Ughhh.

Whitehouse is an ace though. Chafee is also. I hear they are great friends.

That's cool.

[Muttocracy]

128. I've heard your reaction from other RI DUers. I'd be happy to take Chafee

over one of the ultra-right for sure. New England style Republicans are a lot better than the national average :)

[stellanoir]

130. Yup he's a real eccentric character.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee

He called Caribou Barbie a "cocky whacko" last week . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Chafee-Palin.html&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=4004625fQ2FQ27oQ5BEQ27Q7CNOQ7EQ3CNNxYQ27Q2BvN-CQ5E-Q5BQ27oQ2BQ7E7Q5E-6xN-Q27lF8Q257Q2BKQ5BQ5B8FQ2BCQ5E-57x!C

:rofl:

[trthnd4jstc]

42. I agree. n/t

[sellitman]

48. Can I trade LIEberman for Whitehouse?

Pretty please!

[maryallen]

93. Probably: Just investigate the last senate race in Connecticut.

Never convince me there wasn't some kind of hanky-panky.

[barbtries]

75. how about having a whitehouse

in the white house? maybe someday...

[bdamomma]

80. from the little state of Rhode Island

that would definitely put us on the map!!!!!!!

[spelldmilk]

16. This is brilliant. Bravo, Senator.

[Liberalynn]

17. Fantastic Job- I agree about makit it an AD

[iconicgnom]

18. k&r - agreed, makes an excellent ad.

[krkaufman]

20. Wow, now would that be so hard to do on a regular basis. n/t

[butterfly77]

22. KICK! and recommended...

[whistle]

24. Who were the idiots sitting there giving testimony who became speechless?

[mb7588a]

57. Looked like Senator Domenici was one of them.

[bdamomma]

25. the Obama campaign should use that for an ad.

[ljm2002]

26. Wow, is he great or what?!?!?

We should be hearing more from this man. Why aren't we?

Yes this would be great incorporated into a campaign ad...

[indepat]

27. Senator Whitehouse has shot multiple rockets up the assholes of everyone in this administration

and everyone who supports, aids and abets, enables, and shills for the sheer madness continuing to be perpetrated every day upon this nation and its people. :P

edited for spelling

[dmr]

52. Including McCain and his know-it-all national-security-energy 'expert' running mate n/t

[cui bono]

28. I love Sen. Whitehouse.

He is so great. He'd make a good AG.

He really let Gonzo have it in his hearings. He doesn't take kindly to bullshit answers and hemming and hawing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. Big can of whoop ass to kpete for showing this

and to Whitehouse for yet another great line of questioning.
He has always been fun to watch iin hearings.
And, as I have done before, I am sending an email to him thanking him.

[pleah]

31. I didn't even hear crickets!

This needs to be in an ad immediately!

K&R

[hisownpetard]

32. Make it into an ad, just as it is - with their shit-eating grins right there for everyone to see.

Sheldon Whitehouse is a star.

[TxBlue]

33. OMG! That kinda says it all. What a great ad that would make

I'm bookmarking this

[Bette Noir]

34. Wow.

Makes me want to move to his state so I can vote for him.

[TxBlue]

35. This needs to go viral Email out to friends

That's awesome. And they say we're in tied in the race???

[avaistheone1]

39. Spot on!

This is a great AHA! moment. It reminds me of some of the AHA momemts out of the old Watergate hearings.

[DeepBlueC]

117. K&R

:kick:

[krispos42]

37. {{crickets}}

:rofl:


K&R

[progressoid]

38. Wow, I'm saving that one!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

40. LOL!

Go Sheldon!

[graywarrior]

41. Wow. An oil painting...staring back at him.

[Twinguard]

44. That is CLASSIC!!! n/t

[Jokinomx]

47. Now that was funny...... total silence. n/t

K & R

:kick:

[lisa58]

49. He is good - the silence was deafening

[Straight Shooter]

50. Imagine how much he would be able to add if that question were asked today.

I guess the staggering weight of his question was too much to bear for those to whom it was directed.

[Erin Elizabeth]

56. And he just asked it yesterday!

(I just giggled imagining a guy named President Whitehouse. Hee.)

[RufusTFirefly]

53. Senator Whitehouse needs to slap some spineless House Democrats upside the head

House Democrats, some chanting "drill, drill," embraced a plan to open the door for more oil and natural-gas exploration along the entire U.S. coastline, in a shift showing the power of the energy issue in this election.

WSJ: House Democrats Expand Proposed Oil, Gas Drilling

[RufusTFirefly]

54. In what respect, Sheldon? n/t

[Historic NY]

55. Yeah oil dropped to $94 a bbl today, while the market tanked at 504 pts.

oils the problem, bank and finance metdowns are nothing.

[amyrose2712]

58. K & R DEAD SILENCE ! nt

[SemperEadem]

59. Dag.. cue the crickets!!

[mcollier]

61. This is an example of the battle that has been raging in Congress for years

I'd like to hear the republican response to the statement during the hearing....

Corporate Ass Kissing Fuks....

[Joe Chi Minh]

60. K&R

[HughBeaumont]

62. BURN!

"Drill, Baby, Drill!" sure sounds like a cute little Republican slogan.

That is, until someone asks for some meat behind it.

Then . . . the Silence is Deafening.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJS76JZbP1s

[Kindigger]

63. Hurt my ears!

Too many crickets!

[ClusterFreak]

64. Slam...

Meet dunk.

[democracy1st]

65. pow!!

[Fox Mulder]

66. This needs to be shown everywhere.

[RoccoR5955]

67. It seems that the members of the committee...

...have had their freakin' brains drilled out! They didn't answer. That silence said an awful lot... I would have stayed silent for much longer though, if I was Senator Whitehouse.

[Willo]

68. The silence was deafening!

[emmadoggy]

70. That was beautiful!

Wow, he totally pwned them!

And he is absolutely correct! And that was just the short list of our monumental problems.

Senator Whitehouse, :yourock: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[adamuu]

71. "I thought so." n/t

[OwnedByFerrets]

72. Huge Kick and Rec

[KewlKat]

74. I would put a clip in the beginning of Palin

saying "Drill, baby, drill" and then go into the clip above.

[myrna minx]

73. K&R !!! n/t

[barbtries]

76. when was the hearing?

what committee? is it on cspan? thanks

[kiteinthewind]

77. Damn. They were literally speechless! The Dems should use this in an ad!!

Whitehouse ROCKS! :kick:

[Fire1]

81. Repukes want a quick fix not a long range solution. They are so short sighted.

[Muttocracy]

82. Whitehouse is often brilliant at Committee hearings. Perfect. nt

[ahem]

84. Thanks for posting! k&r

[peacetalksforall]

85. On a day like this following a weekend like this, we deserved this gift =- our hero du jour -

Senator Whitehouse. If we could only find and run more good ones.

[liberal N proud]

86. The silence was deafening

[King Coal]

87. Wow.

[Peregrine Took]

88. Who is this guy? He looks like a "comer" to me. He and Schweitzer.

[drm604]

90. K&R

Some group needs to run this as an ad! :kick:

[Maestro]

91. I have never heard of this guy, but I like him!

:applause:

[Stump]

92. ???

K&R

[FourScore]

94. That's the best question I've heard a politician pose to a panel in years.

k/r

[Hotler]

95. What did he say next??

Or what was said next???

[bertman]

96. Senator BuzzKill. We need to give that guy a promotion.

[The Hope Mobile]

97. BAM!!! Deer in the headlights!

[D23MIURG23]

98. Brilliant

[LaStrega]

100. The thin guy on the panel ...

Sorta in the middle in a brown suit, sitting there with an idiotic toothy smile ... :mad:

[lonestarnot]

101. Barack Obama! Approve this ad!!!!!!! and do it now!!!!!!!!

:fuckingbrilliant: and thunderous :applause:

[Agent William]

103. this is ad material....K&R

60 seconds. Perfect for an ad. Bit on the dry side, but there are no flashy graphics to distract the viewers. Should be something to consider.

[happygoluckytoyou]

104. SEQUEL...... GRANDFATHER, JUGS, AND SPEED

[Sherman A1]

105. Priceless!

This guy is right on.

[MrsBrady]

109. HEY OBAMA....we think this shoud be an ad!

tell it like it is!!!


thanks

[valerief]

110. Big kick!

:kick:

[everything-bolt-up]

115. DAMN!!! k&r! -how do we send this as an ad suggestion to the BO campaign? eom

[AspenRose]

118. Damn.

:wow:

[redqueen]

119. The guy at the table who grins during the long pause... anyone know who he is? (nt)

[bagrman]

121. I thought it was Kucinich.

[redqueen]

124. Really.

[JI7]

132. that looks nothing like Kucinich to me

i didn't watch the hearings so don't know who it is. if he is speaking in opposition to drilling we know why he is smiling. if he is there in support of it, the guy is nervous .

[Greyskye]

122. Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours

Damn. Bring on the commercials!!!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[tbyg52]

123. With a transcript, unasked! I'm in dialupper heaven! :-) nt

[Cha]

125. YAY Senator Whitehouse

Thank you!!

[SCDem]

126. what would you call this panel?

I am writing a letter to the editor and am going to post this transcript. But who is the panel comprised of?

[SCDem]

127. Here is my attempt at advertising this to my local media

I wrote a Letter to the Editor:

Lipstick, Pigs, and a little Perspective

With much talk about lipstick, pigs, moose, drilling and commissions to study all of the above, it is important to put everything into perspective.

Rhode Island freshman Senator Sheldon Whitehouse brought a much needed perspective to the Capitol last week. During a Senate Energy Policy Forum he posed the following question to a panel of Corporate and Republican proponents of domestic and offshore drilling:

WHITEHOUSE: Gentlemen, we’re in the middle of a near total mortgage system meltdown in this country. We have a health care system that burns 16 percent of our GDP, in which the Medicare liability alone has been estimated at $34 trillion. We’re burning $10 billion a month in Iraq.

This administration has run up $7.7 trillion in national debt, by our calculation. And there is worsening evidence every day of global warming, with worsening environmental and national security and economical ramifications. In light of those conditions, do any of you seriously contend that drilling for more oil is the number one issue facing the American people today?

(Long silent pause - 10 seconds to be exact - during which nobody answers.)

WHITEHOUSE: No, it doesn’t seem so.

The silence was deafening. Deafening due to the incessant drum beat of war and antiquated energy policies the war supports. The transcript needs no explanation or analytical dressing. A question of perspective and priority was posed and those eagerly beating the drum of distraction had no answer.

My name
Rock Hill, SC

[lumpy]

129. That is absolutely precious ! This is why McCain dwells on

drilling, that's his concept of economics.

[JI7]

131. that was great, it does need to be put in an ad

to oppose oil drilling. what a bunch of assholes those guys looked like.