Debbie Wasserman Schultz confirms threat, faces feisty town hall crowd

[cal04]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/06/wasserman-schultz-confirms-threat-faces-feisty-town-hall-crowd/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%20%3Cimg%20src&fbid=uKKzBbg7zlQ

A top House Democrat, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, confirmed for the first time that she received threats in the days after health care reform was signed into law.

In an interview with CNN Monday, Wasserman Schultz said information about the threats were turned over to federal law enforcement officials.

The south Florida Democrat held her first town hall since the passage of health care reform. At Fort Lauderdale's city hall, Wasserman Schultz Monday night defended the new law to hundreds of her constituents. The meeting turned rowdy after many of her supporters packed the auditorium, forcing dozens of raucous tea party activists and opponents of health care reform to stand outside of the venue.

One constituent accused Democrats of engaging in dirty dealing to get the law passed. Wasserman Schultz responded, "there were no such dirty deals. We're not here to discuss process. This is the law."

[derby378]

1. At least her supporters are forcing the teabaggers out...

That's what needed to be done from Day One. Honest, spirited debate over healthcare reform is one thing, but these mobsters were trying to prevent debate from happening in the first place.

[Iggo]

2. I like Debbie Wasserman Schultz 'cause she's a badass...

...and she has boss hair.

[felinetta]

3. These tea baggers, will continually spew ignorance and lies for the rest of Obama's terms.

I do hope people get tired of their nasty rants.

[Scurrilous]

4. Wasserman Schultz Town Hall an Ugly Night for Democracy

<snip>

"I can't imagine a single person who was present at last night's town hall meeting by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who would say the event was productive or worthwhile. The opponents of health-care reform and the Democratic Congress showed no interest in a dialogue; they just wanted to scream.

The hatred extended to anyone else in the room who supported Wasserman Schultz, like a blond woman whose name was selected randomly during the Q&A session. That woman, Marjorie, who was in favor of health-care reform, began by explaining how earlier in the evening when she was called upon to speak, she had forgotten her question. The woman said she suffered from short-term memory loss.

"Oh, come on!" hissed an elderly woman several rows back, who opposed the reform.

Marjorie described how she'd been struggling to get health-care coverage in the years since the accident that caused the memory loss -- while working as special education teacher, a student threw a metal ball, hitting the blond woman in the head.

"Good!" declared the elderly woman, apparently pleased to learn of Marjorie's becoming disabled.

A majority of the crowd in Fort Lauderdale's city chambers was in favor of health-care reform, at least judging by the applause. But that only made for more chaos with the deafening minority that was opposed. Wasserman Schultz would make a statement, a tea party-type would scoff or yell out, and then supporters of the congresswoman would get into arguments with that tea partier.

Those who wished to ask Wasserman Schultz a question were invited to put it on an index card, then file it in one of three boxes: supporting the Democratic Congress, neutral, or opposed. The congresswoman was to alternate among the three.

Except that nearly every person who claimed to be neutral was not. So for every question by a supporter, the congresswoman fielded two questions from people who had very clearly made up their minds that she was the enemy.

One man whose card was pulled from the box of neutrals declared: "I will try to get you fired. I will try to get bill repealed." And then, as if just remembering the ground rule that all speakers are to ask a question rather than make a statement, the man added: "What will you do then?"

"Sounds very neutral," said Wasserman Schultz dryly. "Obviously, I'm against repeal."

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