Dana Milbank: The insolence by House Republicans stole the show

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/09/AR2009090902298.html

The Republican Response, Arriving a Little Early

By Dana Milbank
Thursday, September 10, 2009

As President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, the nation's rapidly deteriorating discourse hit yet another low.

...

But even by that standard, there was something appalling about the display on the House floor for what was supposed to be a sacred ritual of American democracy: the nation watching while Cabinet members, lawmakers from both chambers and the diplomatic corps assembled.

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 countercharges."

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-size 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."

...

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.

...

Above all, though, was Wilson's effrontery. From the reaction in the chamber -- one Democrat could be heard calling for him to be thrown out -- Wilson knew he had stepped in it. He shrugged, then consulted his BlackBerry. He puffed out his cheeks to exhale and licked his lips.

...

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."

[SPedigrees]

1. The party of NO, the party of RUDE, and the party of LIARS. Wilson epitomizes their agenda. nt

[Lugnut]

4. +1

Too bad they don't have the capacity to be ashamed of themselves.

[progressivebydesign]

2. WTF is wrong with those people? Oh I know...

People can accuse me of being overly sensitive, but there is one big reason they're doing this. Our President is black. If it was Hillary up there, they'd do the same thing. If John Edwards or Joe Biden had won. This wouldn't happen. It's so obvious. No other President in our modern times has ever been treated with such disrespect and dismissiveness. Even though the Democrats knew that GW Bush was a completely unqualified tool of the RNC, they treated him with the respect that office deserves. I don't care what anyone can say... it's because our President is not an old white man. They wouldn't dare try that shit with Bill Clinton or Joe Biden or Al Gore.

[Melinda]

3. Hensarling (R-Tex.), Gohmert (R-Tex.), Price (R-Ga), McHenry (R-N.C.) and Wilson (R-S.C.)...

Gosh, I just know there is a another common thread linking these people.... I wonder what it could be.... :shrug:

/irony

[gratuitous]

5. The only reason a spoiled brat can steal the show

Is because the adults focus on the bad behavior. If Dana Milbank and the media cohort could just resist the tantrum, we could have some actual, you know, reportage on the issue. But Wilson gets to "steal the show" because the Fourth Estate can't help itself from rushing to first expose and then explain and finally exonerate Wilson. It's so much easier and more fun than delving into a bunch of boring details about health care reform. After all, they're all covered already and have enough money to pay for anything their insurance doesn't cover, so what's the big schmeal about that? Let's talk about Joe Wilson! Did he go too far? Not far enough? And why, really, are some liberal Democrats so bent out of shape? What's the matter with them?

[Barack_America]

6. They let their constituents rub off on them.

They set themselves up by entertaining those nut jobs.

[DainBramaged]

7. They are fucking thugs, plain and simple, throw them out next time.