I'm assuming Wilson's outburst was a planned event designed to rob Obama's speech of media coverage.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

The idea being that 80-90 percent of the media coverage will be "look at what this hoser did" instead of "this is what President Obama said about why health care reform is so important at this time in our history".

The speech was released in advance, the idea that this was some kind of spontaneous deal is laughable.

Now if you are a simple, venal creature like that which apparently populate the GOP High Command these days then I suppose the positive points of that strategy appeal to you.

However there are also clear negatives. The main one of which is that you put your party on display as embracing the worst kind of redneckery. No more plausible deniability, "spontaneous citizen anger at townhalls" etc.

You are doing something that is pretty well unprecedented in this country's history (the caning of Sen. Sumner etc. nonwithstanding, we are talking about the President here), this is not even mentioning the rest of them carrying stupid signs/pamphlets. The GOP made a conscious decision to essentially turn the Congress into a Teabag event.

Right Wingers will continue to support the GOP and stay riled up. Those on the left will continue to loathe the GOP.

How is this kind of move supposed to appeal to anyone on the fence or in the middle at all? Or convince those that recently bailed on the GOP to come back into the fold?

Are the Joe Wilsons of Congress going to start showing up to SOTU addresses in shirtsleeves, overalls and suspenders? Bring guns or an overseer's whip into Congress? Would ANYTHING really surprise me anymore? Are they going to turn their backs on the President during his speech?

Does anyone think the positives of this conscious strategy by the GOP outweigh the negatives, for them? I'd be curious to hear discussion.

[valerief]

1. That's what I was thinking, too. A reason for the M$M to let the limelight be robbed. nt

[tekisui]

2. I don't think so.

It was a loudmouth asshole exposing himself. The speech served its purposed. Obama laid out his objectives, answered critics and set the frame. Wilson strengthen the frame Obama set with his immature behavior. Anyone who watched the speech was reached just the same. The focus on Wilson is a loss for he repukes and a win for the Dems. Now, Obama is knocking heads behind closed doors, getting the job done, while WIlson is sweating under the lights.

[madmax]

3. Come in...

I'm passing out :tinfoilhat: :9

[noiretextatique]

4. well, 5 of the 6 latest DU threads are about wilson

but i agree with you, ultimately the republicon's bonehead obstructionist "strategy" is not reaping a lot of positives.

[T Wolf]

6. But it is distracting the public from what was said (and not said) in the speech.

The complex screw-job they are planning is hard enough for most people to follow. Wilson just gives the media (and the public) an excuse to disguise the truth of what this "reform" will do the the already-sorry state of health care in Amerika - make it worse while solidifying (if that is possible) the corps' stranglehold on our lives (and wallets).

[leftstreet]

5. It's a win-win for both sides

Republicans can hope to draw people back to their dead party by giving disappointed voters something to rally around.

Democrats don't have to see news headlines "OBAMA IS GOING TO FORCE YOU TO BUY INSURANCE!"

Both parties are adept at offering up obligatory villains so we won't notice we're (once again) transferring our wealth to the corporations they sponsor.

[Warpy]

7. The thought crossed my mind, too, considering

Wilson is from a South Carolina district they consider very, very safe. They took little risk (they thought) in choosing him to suck up all the idiot media attention.

I don't think they counted on the huge amount of money pouring in to his opponent. I do think they're probably patting Wilson on the back and assuring him it won't make any difference.

The "news" media are playing their game, as usual, skipping all the boring details of one of the most important speeches in the last quarter century and focusing on pursing their lips over a staged outburst.

However, GOP strategy has been falling flat for some time now. This has a chance of being an epic fail, also.

It won't be due to the efforts of our fine media.

[Stephanie]

8. It's the Distraction du Jour, and definitely planned

[suffragette]

9. The GOP made a conscious decision to essentially turn the Congress into a Teabag event."

Agree with that assessment.

And agree it's a big fail on their part.

Their behavior was absurd - showing up to a speech in chambers with signs and making this petty outburst.

[kiranon]

10. Agree. And, this won't be the last time they do this. It's all theater,

all the time financed by the health care industry who oppose anything the President is trying to do.