Need A DU Verdict Here... Congressman Spit On By Tea Party Protester (VIDEO) - HuffPo

[WillyT]

Ok all you DU Video Experts... a video has surfaced! What say you???

Congressman Spit On By Tea Party Protester (VIDEO)
First Posted: 03-28-10 01:30 PM | Updated: 03-28-10 01:46 PM

Last weekend, as the House of Representatives gathered to debate health care reform while Tea Partiers protested outside the Capitol, word emerged that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spit on by one of the demonstrators.



Cleaver released a statement confirming the incident, but some questioned his claims. Fox News personality Sean Hannity asked if there was any evidence proving that it had actually happened, and Tea Party groups offered a cash reward for proof.

Now video has emerged. Take a look and judge for yourself:

Link (w/Video): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/28/congressman-spit-on-by-te_n_516300.html

To me, the guy is either frothing/foaming at the mouth (a form of spit), and that's what hit the congressman, or... the guy is hiding the act of spitting by holding his hands to both sides of his face in a "yelling position".

Either way, you can tell by the reaction of the Congressman, he got spit on.

So my verdict on the DU Jury is Yes... he was spit on!

:shrug:

[ChicagoSuz219]

1. It's an assault & should be treated as such. n/t

[left coaster]

2. Agreed. nt

[Cirque du So-What]

3. He was spat upon

No question about it. I wonder what transpired among Rep. Cleaver, the police officer, and the spitter when they returned to the scene. The loudmouthed turd sure acted like he had something to hide.

[blondeatlast]

7. Just watched for the seventh time, watched nothing but the guy. He DEFINITELY

spat on Rep. cleaver, no question. You can even see his cheeks/jaws move.

[blondeatlast]

4. I saw it the same way you did--tough to call for certain. But it is assault, no question. nt

[thucythucy]

5. What is that flag

that appears on the Huffpo video between 3:20 and 3:35? Can anyone identify it?

It is red, white and black, with a white circle at the center in which there is a black symbol that looks to me like a truncated swastika. I think this is the symbol/flag of a white supremacist group like Aryan Nations or Stormfront, but I'm not sure. It certainly looks familiar to me, but I can't quite place it.

Anybody here familiar enough with some of these neoNazi groups to identify this flag as such? I wonder if the Southern Poverty Law Center has seen this video.

[tammywammy]

6. I was wondering about that flag too

Maybe the TN state flag, but I don't know.

[thucythucy]

10. Since posting the question

I've found an answer. It is indeed a white supremacist symbol, identified as such by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

So here is proof positive that at least some of these folks are avowed, unashamed, out and out racists. Not that we needed more proof, but it's nice to have video documentation.

You can see a close-up of a variation of this symbol at http://www.splcenter.org/media/triskelion-tattoo.

Best wishes.

[WillyT]

12. Thank You For That !!! - And Welcome To DU, thucythucy !!!

:bounce::toast::bounce:

Glad ta have ya aboard!!!

:hi:

[tammywammy]

13. If you start at 2:12

It really looks like the TN state flag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmP4Gb2pEsY

Unless I'm looking at a different flag than you are, which could be entirely possible.

[HughBeaumont]

21. It's not.

I looked at it a few times. There are no stars. It's a Triskele, and it's a White Nationalist symbol:

http://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/Triskele.asp

Hey, at least the smattering of cheers brings to light the nudity of their agenda. It indeed IS about race.

[Warpy]

8. It traveled far enough and was noticeable enough it wasn't flecks of spittle

That ungrateful old turd SPAT on him.

I just hope the FBI pays him a really scary visit, and soon.

[barbtries]

9. he was spit on

and the dude could have been and maybe should have been arrested on the spot.

[tammywammy]

14. He was arrested, Rep. Cleaver declined to press charges. n/t

[barbtries]

23. thanks

you know i knew that and forgot it and didn't see it in the video, maybe because i stopped watching it to comment...

[frogmarch]

11. He was assaulted, and the

spitter might be rabid.

[Glimmer of Hope]

15. What a disturbing scene! I can't believe these people were allowed

to be in the vicinity of the entrance and allowed such access to members of Congress. That protester should be in jail. The cop was right there!

[teacher gal]

16. This is all very scary. And sad.

I watched and couldn't tell. Looked to me like maybe the guy with his hands cupped around his mouth either spit on him deliberately or did so inadvertently while yellilng.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I don't need to see the video

I have known Cleaver for 30 years. He is an honorable man with a long record of public service. If he says he was spat upon, then I believe he was spat upon.

And yes the video clearly indicates he is telling the truth.

[teacher gal]

18. I believe Cleaver too. n/t

[teacher gal]

20. meant to say I trust you on that

I didn't watch the entire video. Another commenter just said they were laughing about it afterwards.

[prolesunited]

19. What is even more telling to me is the aftermath

The spitter and his two buddies are standing around laughing about it. One even touches his face, re-enacting Cleaver's reaction. The would have continued their locker room bravado until the guy in the suit walks up.

If the spitter didn't do it, what was their reaction all about?

[HughBeaumont]

22. Kind of reminds me of this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1845279#1845805

Same bullshit. Same police INaction.

IOKIYAR.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. I thought of Carlos too

The same assholes who cheered for Bush and his war are now spitting on African American congressmen.

Here in my area, they are across the street from us at HCR rallies. Same bastards.

[LostInAnomie]

25. The congressman reacted like someone that had just been spat on.

And, the Teabagger didn't react like someone that had just been falsely accused of assault with bodily fluids.

The Teabbager did it.