This Joe Wilson person?

[Blue_In_AK]

What happened? I wasn't able to watch the speech, but I see that he called the president a "liar"? During the speech?

What happened?

[AzNick]

1. "No coverage for illegal immigrants" ...

When Obama said that, he called him a liar.

[ThatsMyBarack]

6. I thought so....

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Oh, my God.

He IS an asshole. I know we here at DU and other sites were prone to speak ill of the previous president, but I can't imagine that one of our senators or representatives would have disrespected him in this way during a speech. Maybe they wouldn't applaud or give a standing O, but I can't imagine them heckling.

[pampango]

26. You're right. Telling that he didn't yell it when Obama said that HCR would not add to the deficit

(guess Joe's not a "deficit hawk"; not when Obama said that HCR would not lead to a government takeover of health care (guess Joe isn't worried about "socialized medicine"); not when Obama destroyed the myth of "death panels" (guess Joe isn't a big Sarah supporter); or not even when Obama said that HCR would not lead to a dollar of federal money being spend on abortions (can't believe Joe passed up the chance to score some points with the fundies back home).

No, Joe's outburst came when Obama made it clear that illegal immigrants will not be covered under HCR. Was his outburst preplanned? (Perhaps their polling shows that this is a great wedge issue and distraction from more fundamental reform benefits.) If so it's interesting the "illegal immigration" was the topic about which he chose to make an ass out of himself. If his was a spontaneous reaction, it is telling the illegal immigration bothers RW'ers more than abortion, budget deficits, "socialized medicine" and "death panels".

[Engineer4Obama]

2. He seems to be so upset that Obama took away one of his talking points

that he spontaneously decided to put a target on his back.

[parasim]

3. Well, he got quite a glare from the Prez.

That was priceless.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x368512

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Thanks for the clip.

That helps. I'm going to try to catch the whole speech later this evening. Work sucks.

[jeffbr]

5. Worthless motherfucker just wanted attention

Just your typical GOP thug

[sharesunited]

7. There is a sentence in the speech which refutes the claim that illegal immigrants

will benefit from reform intended to help Americans.

One Congressman decided to challenge the President vocally on that point.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. The President was stating

that the proposed bill did NOT provide health coverage for illegal aliens, and there was much rustling in the chamber.

Then Joe Wilson, GOPig from S. Carolina, who used to work for Strom Thurmond, called out "You're a liar!"

Everything froze, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden and President Obama looked over at him for a second, Nancy then looked down, as if at a seating chart, and Obama continued.

It'll be up on youtube shortly.

But, Blue, it was so disrespectful, so shameful, so embarrassing. I've never seen or heard ANYTHING like that done in a setting such as a Joint Session addressed by a sitting President.

And an asshole GOPig from Texas held up a hand-lettered sign that read "What bill?"

Very elegant.

The GOPigs embarrassed themselves tonight.

The fucker chosen to deliver the response was a heart surgeon/Congressman who, KO explained, has been sued for malpractice three times, is a birther, and once got caught in a scam where he was trying to buy a "Lord" title from someone in the UK.

Class all the way...........................

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Well, as they show their true colors,

it can only help our side, I would think. It is shameful when Obama is so calm and respectful and gentlemanly that "honorable" representatives would act in this way. Perhaps the good people of South Carolina will vote this dumbass congressman out next year.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

13. He worked for Strom Thurmond -

we're talking about SOUTH CAROLINA, Blue.

He's a hero for this to his constituents.......................

[Blue_In_AK]

15. Well, yes, I guess you're right.

I haven't spent much time in the deep south (except for Texas, which is a country all its own apparently), but I hear they're pretty stuck in their ways down there. Wilson really was a jack-off, though. I'm continually amazed by the lack of respect shown towards this president.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. He's black -

he doesn't get to be treated like other Presidents, don'tcha know?

[Blue_In_AK]

17. You are undoubtedly correct.

Although, come to think of it, they weren't very civil to Bill Clinton, either. I can't remember him being heckled during a presidential address to Congress, though...

[Tangerine LaBamba]

18. Blue, I'm a bit older than you,

and I've been watching Presidents address Joint Sessions of Congress since the Eisenhower tenure.

Never have I ever seen anything like that take place in the Chamber. Never. There have always been boos and hoots when an unpopular subject is mentioned, but that's acceptable. Both sides do it, and they do it en masse.

One legislator yelling out during a Presidential speech, calling the President a liar?

Calling him a LIAR?

Unthinkable.

Absolutely unthinkable.

I'm sure every Congress member was just as shocked as Obama, Biden, and Pelosi looked.

Never, Blue. Never.........................

[Blue_In_AK]

21. I remember Truman and Eisenhower,

but I was too young to be paying much attention. :)

We've lived through some turbulent times, but even during the civil unrest of the '60s, there always seemed to be a level of civility at the higher levels of government. Some of these former presidents have done despicable things and yet they have been shown respect. I really don't know what this country is coming to. When I was young, I was hopeful; now that I'm getting old, I'm not so sure.

[LeftishBrit]

24. In the British Parliament, it's against the rules to use the word 'liar'.

If an MP does, the Speaker will send him/her out of the room like a naughty child.

Needless to say, this rule has resulted in the creative use of euphemisms like 'uttering terminological inexactitudes' and 'economical with the truth'.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

25. Oh, the word was shocking!

I could have gotten through an outburst without flinching, but the word "lie" just pulverized me.

That's a hard, harsh, terrible word, and the idea that that prick threw it at our President in such a setting just has me still seething.

Good for the Brits - they have the right idea. There are lines, and the word "lie" or any of its variations should NEVER be allowed.

Thanks for that fine bit of arcana!

:toast:

[pokerfan]

20. Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_Ol3VA37o

[proteus_lives]

22. Wilson is lucky it's 2009.

In the past such rude behavior and disrespect would have very immediate and serious consequences.

Teddy Roosevelt would have vaulted the podium and engaged him in fisticuffs right there on the floor.

Andrew Jackson would have demanded a duel on the White House lawn or simply would walked over and started beating his ass with his hickory cane.

And presidents like JFK, FDR, Wilson and Lincoln would have killed him politically.

Ahhh....simpler times.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

23. I like to think that Harry Truman

would have simply walked over to him and punched him out.

Simpler times, indeed, but I'm Italian, and so is Nancy Pelosi, and we have our ways.

I don't think Mr. Wilson is going to have an easy time of it in his job, I really don't...........................

[fishwax]

11. Getty has a picture up

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/90534255/Getty-Images-News

[Trav1u]

27. new poster boy for the wacky conservatives...they'll try to make him out to be some hero

Just watch and see that the conservatives are going to use Joe Wilson's picture with the words "you lie" or "he lie" as a poster. It's a way of trying to save face.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. That's the same question cheney asked about another Joe Wilson!

[Jack Sprat]

19. he made people cringe in shame tonight

I can't recall a similar act of defiance against a previous president. Made me ashamed of having southern roots. Had to make South Carolinians cringe in shame as well.

Worst thing I have witnessed in joint session speeches.

What goes around comes around, unfortunately. I guess it will finally elevate to shoe'throwing. It set a redneck, uncivil precedent.