Flashback: Democratic etiquette in the Bush era
posted at 9:30 am on September 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Let’s start off by acknowledging that Rep. Joe Wilson needed to apologize for his outburst in Congress last night during the speech by President Barack Obama. Getting called a liar by the President in a speech may be infuriating, but a certain level of decorum is expected of our elected officials, and Wilson violated that decorum. He did the right thing by apologizing afterward.
Unfortunately, people on the Left want to keep hyperventilating about this as though the world was born on the day Barack Obama won the presidential election. As Omri Ceren and Michelle remind people, the Democrats were hardly models of decorum in the last administration. Here’s a clip from the State of the Union speech in 2005, when George Bush warned Congress that Social Security was going broke and needed reform immediately. Did Democrats politely listen to the warning? Not exactly. Listen to the boos and catcalls:
Did any of the hyperventilators today demand apologies from their side at the time? Did any Democrat ever offer an apology for their rude behavior? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
I’d take the hyperventilating with a wee more seriousness if it didn’t come from the same crowd who cheered the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at Bush in a 2008 press conference.
And just for the record, Bush was more right than they’ll admit:
The Social Security Trust Fund reported an August net deficit of $5.865 Billion. This is the largest monthly deficit in nineteen years. Base on recent years data it was not surprising the Fund ran a deficit in August. But the magnitude of the shortfall was a surprise to me. This deficit is now the seventh in the past twelve months. That pace has never been seen before. …
-In August the US Treasury had to borrow an additional $6 billion in the public market to finance the cash shortfall of Social Security. We already have too much paper for sale to fund the budget deficit. SS added to the supply problem last month.
-The 2037 Future Value of the August deficit is -$17b based on a 4% return. What this means is that there will be a very significant revision in the 2037 drop-dead date. Based on current trends the go broke date is closer to 2025.
-This is not just a bad month. The net decline in the Funds assets for June/July/August comes to $7 billion. In 08 that period was in surplus by $5 billion, In 07 it was +$7b and in 06 it was +$13b.
Four years ago, Bush warned that collapse would come in 2042. Now it looks like 2025, thanks to Democrats who preferred to boo and catcall than to act responsibly to reform the Ponzi scheme of Social Security.
Update (AP): Lyin’ Rahm Emanuel lies his ass off about Joe Wilson: “No president has ever been treated like that. Ever.”
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Bush got booed for being correct, Joe Wilson will get crucified if we allow it for being correct.
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:31 AM
I would love to see Obama or Pelosi or Biden have to face a “Question Time” like in Parliament.
Mr. Bingley on September 10, 2009 at 9:32 AM
over at Ace, one poster said that joe wilson said that his opponent in the election raised $100,000 since last night. let’s find out more info on that.
kelley in virginia on September 10, 2009 at 9:33 AM
thanks for the idea, Ed
bluegrass on September 10, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Bush is a big boy. He could handle it.
We’ve got a very large and fragile ego with the One.
forest on September 10, 2009 at 9:34 AM
It useless to attempt to reason with or make sense of what “progressives” are “thinking” from day to day.
Everything is relative.
So a “progressive” can tell you something that’s 180 degrees different than what he told you five minutes ago then deny there is any difference between the two statements.
Why? Because “progressives” have child like brains and not the good, developing kind.
More like the stunted, geriatric juvenile delinquent kind.
NoDonkey on September 10, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Frankly, this argument (not made by Ed but by others) that “The Left did it too” is getting tiresome.
I don’t want to be like the Left. I want to defeat their dangerous and silly ideas.
Attacking Obama doesn’t help us defeat those ideas one single step. In fact, it diverts attention away from those policies and onto side issues like this bit of stupidity. If we defeat Obama the man and not Obama the ideologue, they’ll be a replacement waiting to step in for him.
Defeat their ideas, focus on their ideas, reveal the bankrupty of their policies. Then all of the Obamas will be defeated.
Wilson apologized. He should have.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 9:35 AM
over at Ace, one poster said that joe wilson said that his opponent in the election raised $100,000 since last night. let’s find out more info on that.
kelley in virginia on September 10, 2009 at 9:33 AM
If they did, You can bet your sweet ass that it is TARP money!
bluegrass on September 10, 2009 at 9:36 AM
That position is as strong as that grammar.
maverick muse on September 10, 2009 at 9:36 AM
over at Ace, one poster said that joe wilson said that his opponent in the election raised $100,000 since last night. let’s find out more info on that.
kelley in virginia on September 10, 2009 at 9:33 AM
The important number is how much Wilson won by, in 2008.
It could be a safe district.
artist on September 10, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Remember, Carlo Ponzi went to prison for his pyramid scheme, but the ultimate irony was, after he served his time, he was deported back to Italy where Mussolini appointed him treasury secretary for the Italian government. Perfect. Sounds a lot like Tim Geithner and Charlie Rangel had precursors in government.
bradley11 on September 10, 2009 at 9:37 AM
I want to thank Joe Wilson, because that over-stretched facial reaction of Nancy Pelosi is priceless and Obama’s lifted chin, symbolic of his arrogance, dropped.
Joe Wilson, I salute you!
cubachi on September 10, 2009 at 9:37 AM
The only thing “progressive” about liberals is how far they progress into your wallet.
bradley11 on September 10, 2009 at 9:38 AM
Joe Wilson, America salutes you….
I will be sending you money that I used to send to RNC and don’t expect a membership card.
Thanks!
bluegrass on September 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2006#Federal_results
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2008
Worked for them
battleoflepanto1571 on September 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM
I do not think an apology was called for, and I wish Wilson had stuck to his guns.
WannabeAnglican on September 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM
NICELY DONE, ED.
***smoooooooches***
seejanemom on September 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Exactly . . . Bush was a tough man while Obama is a juvenile personality with very thin skin and a fragile ego.
rplat on September 10, 2009 at 9:40 AM
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Is that you, John McCain?
txag92 on September 10, 2009 at 9:40 AM
So basically what you are saying Ed is that today’s Right is acting just as childish as the Left did during GWB.
So much for the high road.
cornfedbubba on September 10, 2009 at 9:40 AM
And now he needs to write an Op-Ed piece perhaps reiterating his apology but, more importantly, giving a clear, factually supported argument as to why the statement he made was true.
Right statement, wrong place and time. Now fix it, Joe.
misslizzi on September 10, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Bush ran up 4 trillion in national debt on his own by cutting taxes while raising spending. No Democrats were needed for this impressive accomplishment. As Robert Novak pointed out, it was all about the Republicans:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303286.html
bayam on September 10, 2009 at 9:40 AM
That’s because the Republicans abandoned their principles and governed out of self-interest and not national interest.
They didn’t win; the Republicans lost.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Frankly, this argument (not made by Ed but by others) that “The Left did it too” is getting tiresome.
I don’t want to be like the Left. I want to defeat their dangerous and silly ideas.
Attacking Obama doesn’t help us defeat those ideas one single step. In fact, it diverts attention away from those policies and onto side issues like this bit of stupidity. If we defeat Obama the man and not Obama the ideologue, they’ll be a replacement waiting to step in for him.
Defeat their ideas, focus on their ideas, reveal the bankrupty of their policies. Then all of the Obamas will be defeated.
Wilson apologized. He should have.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 9:35 AM
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
Are you John McCain or Ms snow from Maine. You got to be one of them.
bluegrass on September 10, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Exactly.
But now the press will characterize him as a bomb thrower and his credibility is lost.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 9:42 AM
Quite….
SteveMG represents the Moralizing wing of the right. You don’t beat a street thug by refusing to punch him in the face when warranted. You hit him twice as hard and twice as often.
None of this is rocket science.
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:42 AM
Not to mention the frailty of his supporters
misslizzi on September 10, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Then you target the press for their duplicity on Reid and the shoe thrower…
“decorum” only got chic again since Janurary….wasn’t in style the 8 years prior.
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Wonderful. Now, tell us precisely how you intend to implement your approach to defeating the left.
rplat on September 10, 2009 at 9:43 AM
im telling!!!
blatantblue on September 10, 2009 at 9:44 AM
I was struck by the difference in speeches, Bush then and Ogabe now.
Bush was supposed to be a moron who couldn’t speak so much as a single sentence without mangling it? Jeebus, Dubya was damn near Ronald Reagan compared to Prompterbama and his shuffling, stuttering delivery.
Bishop on September 10, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Buy’em…the donks are on pace to outstrip him ten fold in less than 1/16th the time….
“keep the change mule”
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:44 AM
You know you’ve scored a bulleye when all the Trolls and Mobys get their knickers in a twist.
kingsjester on September 10, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Remember, this was a State of the Union Address, and NOT a I’m-slipping-in-the-polls-so-let-me-get-in-front-of-some-cameras-to-shamelessly-sell-a-domestic-policy-agenda-item-for-the-120th-time-wherein-I’ll-say-nothing-new-but-I’ll-look-good-doing-it Address. Is this the precedent to be set now? I’m sure the Left will love it when Palin calls both chambers together to hear her on the importance to the financial system for massive deregulation. I’m sure that a joint chamber address would be lauded by the Left, and they would sit there in perfect decorum, wherein Pres. Palin discusses the importance of tax cuts.
Weight of Glory on September 10, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Ed, correct me if i’m wrong. Obama, an elected official, calls someone a liar in a speech, that’s ok?
Another elected offical, calling Obama a liar, during a speech, when Obama truly is telling a lie, must apologize?
Sorry it’s early and only 1 cup of coffee down. That doesn’t make much sense to me.
PappaMac on September 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Not necessarily.
As someone here mentioned last night, Wilson is like the lawyer who throws out an inappropriate statement that the jury hears loud and clear. Despite objections and despite the fact that the statement is struck off the record, the statement still sticks in the minds of the jury.
misslizzi on September 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM
i almost spit out a perfectly good bite of NY bagel
lol Rahm is such a joke
haaaahahahah
bwaaaaaahahahah
blatantblue on September 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Of course Wilson should have shown decorum. But he is not wrong.
Obama is a serial, habitual, even pathological liar, someone who lies even when there is no need. This has been proven on countless occasions.
el gordo on September 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM
I have to assume that Rep. Wilson didn’t expect those words to come out of his mouth or that they would be heard around the world. If he felt the apology was necessary then how can I disagree? That said, it highlighted what the president’s lies so I am perfectly happy with his mistake.
Cindy Munford on September 10, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Yep. No Democrats – certainly not the ones controlling Congress – were needed for that!
Lehosh on September 10, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Nice Ed for putting things in perspective.
I think the divisiveness of this year bubbled up in Joe last night.
But I am glad he apologized, it was the right thing to do.
therightscoop on September 10, 2009 at 9:47 AM
No this was the President of the United States sermonizing to a joint session of Congress for a stump speech he has given two hundred times….
Joint Sessions are usually called for national emergencies(that are a little more timely in needing to be met than 4 years down the road) or declarations of war….
UHC ain’t either.
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:47 AM
But it was, just as history began with the first Chinese emperor, or how the Khmer Rouge tried to erase history from before they were in power. It is always the same with power hungry thugs.
rbj on September 10, 2009 at 9:48 AM
I for one think there has been far too much apologizing and think it is high time a spade was called a spade and a liar a liar. These clowns lie repeatedly and with impunity.
How is Barney Franks heading a banking committee or Charley Rangel writing tax legislation or Obama pushin through czars who could one day and at his whim all at one time change America to a Fascist State? He should not be allowed to stand in the well of the House and Lie to congress and the American people!
I say it’s high time the liars are called on it. They did do it to Bush for eight long years and it worked. It so demonized the party that the liars got majorities everywhere.
“To thine own self be true”
and that includes when someone is pissin on your leg to not buy their B.S. that its rainin. Stand for something man and call em on it.
I want Joe Wilson’s address he will get the donation along with Sarah Palin that I will not send the gutless RNC.
Arizona replace Mccain, however honorable he may have been in the disatant past he is nothin but a pandering old fool looking for approval from the leftoids who would destroy this country as we know it.
dhunter on September 10, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Let’s not.
I don’t think he needed to apologize. And that’s not a partisan statement. If a Republican president lied through HIS teeth during a speech like that, I’d defend any Dem who yelled out “LIAR!” too.
The only time an apology is needed is if the person yelling is the one lying, and doing it as a stunt or distraction.
Daggett on September 10, 2009 at 9:48 AM
The press was going to find something wrong somewhere whether Joe Wilson yelled “liar” or not.
The MSM scum keep Palin on tap for just that reason. Having your eyes well up in anguish because one guy yelled something that 85% of the citizens of this nation are thinking is part and parcel of the RINO’ish mindset that got us into this mess in the first place.
Buck up fer Christmas sake.
Bishop on September 10, 2009 at 9:48 AM
“You lie.”–Wilson to Obama who is lying again while demanding again the full attention of Congress, the media, and the American public.
–Defeat their ideas, focus on their ideas, reveal the bankrupty of their policies. Then all of the Obamas will be defeated.
One must begin with the record, and be willing to attack fraud, and not sabotage the unifying affect for one’s own cause that an impromptu reaction motivates.
You don’t like Wilson’s rebuke because it was audacious. Don’t kill the messenger because you don’t like the timing or the place of a spontaneous delivery. TWO WORDS, accurate, no profanity, impromptu.
maverick muse on September 10, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Add: We need MORE of that behavior. If a president (or anyone else making a speech) knows they might get called on their lies and embarrassed by it, they’re much less likely to lie.
Daggett on September 10, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Wait, are you seriously comparing this video to someone yelling “you lie” to the president while he’s speaking? That’s what people demanded an apology over, not the cynical murmuring/boos of the opposition party during sections of the speech they disagree with. That happens quite often during addresses to Congress.
Just a lame attempt at justifying Wilson’s actions. There’s a big difference between this and what he did and even Wilson realized it. Why can’t you?
Tom_Shipley on September 10, 2009 at 9:49 AM
I miss having the grownups in charge….
MichelleO on September 10, 2009 at 9:50 AM
As long as I can remember (Bush, Clinton, Reagan), there have been catcalls from Congress during presidential speeches in response to specific points. What’s unique is yelling a direct insult such as ‘asshole’ or ‘liar’. It doesn’t matter whether the President is a Republican or Democrat- all Americans, esp. elected officials, should treat the office with decorum and respect.
I don’t see how you can let this Congressman off by saying that his behavior is no different than what’s happened before. In yelling out an insult, this guy went far over the line.
bayam on September 10, 2009 at 9:50 AM
What Obama did last night in the speech, made a reaction like Wilson’s inevitable. If anything, no POTUS has ever got up there and so unashamedly called his opponents Liars like that.
I can only conclude that Obama wants to tear this country to pieces after watching the partisian spectle and name calling last night
jp on September 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
I think Mr. Wilson did the right thing twice last night. First, for saying what many Americans are thinking and second, for appologizing, not for what he said, but for how and where he said it.
I didn’t get to watch the speech as I had to pick up a relative at the airport, but I did catch that small clip when I got home.
TKSnider on September 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Maintaining decorum is important, and Wilson crossed the line.
I admire his courage. Few are willing to confront the Emperor.
But hopefully as the media pundits discuss this flap, the larger point will emerge: why Wilson called it a lie in the first place.
Will illegals be covered under Obama’s plan, or not?
(I’ll go to the other thread to get the skinny on that.)
Pazman on September 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
You Kool-aid has been served courtesy of Joe Wilson.
DRINK IT AND ENJOY IT CAUSE THERE’S MORE ON THE WAY
bluegrass on September 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
I was yelling “Liar” and “You Piece of Sh***” at the TV last night. I am not sure I could have bit my tongue were I there being lied to to my face by this evil doer.
Elizabetty on September 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Despite the lib’s overreaction and the predictable obsessive media attention to Wilson’s outburst, the whole imbroglio is fortunately shedding light on yet another major flaw in ObamaCare… the inevitable coverage of illegals.
BTW, am I the only one who was yelling “liar” along with Joe? Except in my case I also through my boots at my at my plasma, thankfully hitting the wall instead.
TXUS on September 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Obama’s lies are the justification for Wilson’s action. Action for which the man has apologized.
myrenovations on September 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM
I wish, when Wilson apologized, that he would have referred to the treatment of Pres. Bush.
I’m glad he apologized. It’s always better to be the ‘bigger’ man, even if Obama did lie.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Lying liars lying.
davidk on September 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Well I for one am glad this Wilson character had his moment. You can only take so much before you explode–decorum be damned…these are extraordinarily hyper-partisan times in the fight to redefine America or protect the integrity of America depending on where you stand. Decorum be damned.
Stop hiding behind this incompetent tool’s black skin already Dem pussies and sword-swallowing lib media.
RepubChica on September 10, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Exactly! Which is why it’s laughable to make it sound as though “decorum” was sacrificed last night, when it was sacrificed before it even began. It becomes Orwellian, when you look at how the Left behaved when the proper function of a speech before both chambers takes place.
Weight of Glory on September 10, 2009 at 9:53 AM
No let’s start by acknowledging that if you call me or my friends liar, then I will assume that civility has lept out the window. If you mistakenly assume that I won’t stand up for my friends in their absence, you will be made wise as the result of your experience. What I see is Rep. Joe Wilson (R) standing like a man and accepting responsibility for his actions. I also see some (r) soon to be unemployed ‘reps’ who are having trouble understanding just whose side they’re on.
Looking further down the lane is the petulant ‘Won’, all wee weed up as his “signature piece” circles the drain.
GO JOE!
Blacksmith8 on September 10, 2009 at 9:54 AM
IMO, Obama is the first Postmodern President. The philosophical foundation of Postmodernism is based on rejecting Truth and embracing Lies.
I don’t think its anytime to play by the old rules, and in our Relativistic Culture standing up and Calling a Spade a Spade is in desperate need.
jp on September 10, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Ed, Ed, here’s a tip: Liberals are Hip.
And they’re in charge of our Democracy.
Therefore, we live under Hypocrisy.
Loxodonta on September 10, 2009 at 9:54 AM
It’s too bad Bush didn’t act like a conservative on ever issue. The original bailout and Shamesty were just two issues that damaged the rep party. It opened the door to encourage RINO’s like McCain and his fat cow daughter to try and change the party.
csdeven on September 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
FIFY
Blacksmith8 on September 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
The liberals got all wee-weed up at Bush.
Daggett on September 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
+1. ’nuff said.
gonegaltinstl on September 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Let’s NOT “start out by saying Wilson should have apologized,” Ed.
After eight months of constant sniping against anyone who dares oppose him, outright lies and employment of a variety of lap dogs to continue the yapping and nipping, Osama Obama had it coming.
Frankly, it’s time for the gloves to come of and (since the usual metaphor would be termed “racist”) start telling it like it is.
All this nicey-nice bilge didn’t work for McCain — and I hoped at the time it would — or for Repubs since. The left simply ignores that.
The only choice left, other than being wimps while the totalitarian thugs beat us up, is to stand up for what we believe.
If that requires rudeness, so be it. The Chicago Jesus is being enabled by Congress and the media. And by you and people like you, Ed, even though that’s unintentional.
Granted, if we called Obama out on every lie, it would take relays of people with bullhorns following him around.
Joe Wilson got it started. Let’s keep the ball rolling and hold our Thug-in-Chief to account. It’s the only way to save the country.
MrScribbler on September 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Frankly, I wish they would act more like they do in the HOuse of Commons. Obama is a liar and he knows it.
becki51758 on September 10, 2009 at 9:56 AM
I agree with you on the general point, and while I don’t think that acting like them will win us any points (especially with a media so deep into their pockets that its eating lint) it truly is the height of hypocracy for them to spew on and on and on and on and on and on and on about how our side lacks decorum and respect when all they did for eight years was howl at the very existance of George W. Bush.
Sure, let’s not act like them. Let’s be adults. But let’s not fool ourselves into believing that they were sooooooo much more mature during the Bush years. What Joe Wilson did was tame compared to the treatment Bush received, and if Obama can’t take it he needs to step down.
crazy_legs on September 10, 2009 at 9:56 AM
I am sick and tired of these spineless wimps in D.C. letting the libs get away with everything they had said or done .The libs can say anything and call conservatives every name in the book.talk down our troops make fun of Christians.Then these so called conservatives go on T.V. and talk about my good friend Teddy,Schumer,Reid what a joke.I was raised that when a person tells a lie you don,t say my good friend was misinformed or he,s got his facts wrong.You call him a liar.We sure as hell don,t need to be lectured by the likes of McCain,Reid,Miss Nancy or any of these wimps when we can call some one who is lying a liar.
thmcbb on September 10, 2009 at 9:57 AM
In retaliation, Brooks used his cane to beat Sumner, who was seated at his desk on the Senate floor, to unconsciousness.
blatantblue on September 10, 2009 at 9:57 AM
It is stunning the gymnastics that donks engage in to justify their angst….Barry faked an orgasm to get another free prime-time speech…
that is what happened last night he spends a half hour of a three quarter hour sermon to the mounted calling the GOP liars and about has a stroke when a man says “you too a$$face”
yeah “change”
sven10077 on September 10, 2009 at 9:58 AM
I thought the tone of his speech was hateful, threatening, argumentative and mean. A POTUS should not give a speech like that.
becki51758 on September 10, 2009 at 9:58 AM
I just want to point out that the apology that Wilson gave is the correct way to give an apology.
No hemming and hawing about “I’m sorry… if you were offended” or “I’m sorry… if my intent wasn’t clear” etc. He manned up and flat out said he was wrong.
Why can’t more politicians that apologize follow his example???
Abby Adams on September 10, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Ok, show me in which years below the Democrats were controlling Congress. Do you have a selectively forgetful memory or do you suffer from some form of dementia?
Hint: in 2001 the Dems had a 1 vote majority in the Senate (due to Jeffords) until the Republicans took over in the next election. Republicans controlled the House through 2007.
2006 United States federal budget – $2.7 trillion (submitted 2005 by President Bush)
2005 United States federal budget – $2.4 trillion (submitted 2004 by President Bush)
2004 United States federal budget – $2.3 trillion (submitted 2003 by President Bush)
2003 United States federal budget – $2.2 trillion (submitted 2002 by President Bush)
2002 United States federal budget – $2.0 trillion (submitted 2001 by President Bush)
bayam on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Yeah, grumbling because the President wasn’t being 100% truthful (Bush wasn’t being truthful either) isn’t the same thing as what happened last night. I mean, that’s rude too – as is twittering during the speech, making phone calls, etc. – but that’s not the same thing as what Wilson did.
And furthermore, even if it was, it’s not enough to say, “It’s OK to do this; the other guys did this.” Because when we have the next Republican President and some idiot Democrat calls him a fascist (or whatever) in 2018 (or whenever), the Democrats are all going to point to this clip of Wilson and the defense of Wilson by Republicans as “evidence” that their outrage isn’t justified.
Proud Rino on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I think a good Youtube video is in order, taking Obamas words(Lies) from the speech, followed with Joe Wilson calling him a Liar as a nice little Fact Check Video
jp on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
What’s more rude: calling your guest a liar, or having your guest tell a baldface lie?
Maybe if people called lies lies, we wouldn’t hear them as often.
But I’d have preferred a different rude protest. Imagine if, when Obama welcomed GOP contributions, every GOP lawmaker who had had a health care amendment rejected got up and walked out, or walked down and hand-delivered their amendment to the President.
hawksruleva on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Wonder if there’s a shot or a video somewhere out there of U.S. Rep. Rahm Emamnuel’s reaction to President Bush during the ’05 SOTU speech. My guess is during the Social Security part, Rahm sounded about like a Philadelphia Eagles fan after a Donovan McNabb interception.
jon1979 on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Couldn’t tell for sure but Bush didn’t look especially teleprompted.
whitetop on September 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
I used to be against socialized health care, crap on trade, and all the other anti-American things Obama wanted to pass. But when Wilson said he was a liar, I immediately threw away all those thoughts and now support Obama. What he said was far worse than the reduction of American power that Obama is overseeing.
/sarc
jamarkennedy on September 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Make that a headline: “Lyin’ Rahm Emanuel lies his ass off”.
Lourdes on September 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Exactly who believes any longer the characterization from the press? Only the Obatamized, and that does include all sorts of Obama apologists and RINO enablers. McCain’s a classic example, repudiating the truth in order to massage his own self righteousness and stroke his party’s opponent, ENABLING THE LIE AND THE LIAR. Follow McCain to defeat AGAIN if you must. But I won’t.
Rep.Wilson has more credibility than you, SteveMG, and your wee weed losers. Listen to yourself. Cowardice demands that we all retreat and we all submit and we all repudiate those who identify the lie, that we fail to unite and fail to attack, and hence “defeat all the Obamas”.
maverick muse on September 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
These people like Rahm and Obama are nothing but f—king liars!!!!
This is why I think Joe Wilson should be commended for calling a spade a spade, rather than sitting on his hands and letting the Obamessiah spew complete lies about the health care bill.
ICBMMan on September 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
I wonder if Wilson just got caught in an awkward crowd moment. Just before that, a number of Republicans had been booing and shouting. Maybe he thought everyone else was going to say something, too.
You know, like when you’re the only person who stands up to applaud, and then you awkardly sit back down.
hawksruleva on September 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Alert: Per Meghyn Kelly: Obama’s fixing to speak again in less than 15 minutes on Healthcare Reform.
kingsjester on September 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
The way we’ve been doing it on this healthcare shame.
Point out that it will not save us money, that it will cost us trillions, that the Administration’s claims that it won’t cost us anything are false (cite the CBO).
We’ve been winning this argument by presenting facts to the public.
And they’ve turned against it because it will increase the deficit, it will lead to rationing, it will destroy private healthcare, it will stifle innovations in medicine, et cetera et cetera.
The public isn’t turning against Obamacare because we’ve called him – correctly or not – names. They’ve turned because of the bankruptcy of the policy.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
So 0bama can not only get up and lie through his Mussolini chin for almost an hour, but called his opponents liars on top of it.
Then a man who had to sit there through this torture, calls 0bama out for what he is, and it’s the end of the republic?
Let the republic end then.
Rebar on September 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Come on! ….Wilson called out an obvious lie and sat back down. In other countries they throw chairs and the UK format has already been mentioned here.
When Obama says these things about health care reform/public option:
-not going to lead to shyrocketing taxation
-will not include illegals
-will not have bureaucrats stepping between doctors and paitients
-will not raise the deficit to unsustainable levels
-will not reduce and deny care.
HE IS LYING!!!
Goodeye_Closed on September 10, 2009 at 10:02 AM
The same crowd? You mean Iraqis?
Proud Rino on September 10, 2009 at 10:02 AM
So where can I donate to Joe Wilson’s campaign?
Skywise on September 10, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I am praying that Wilson doesn’t find a horse’s head on his bed.
Pazman on September 10, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Press? I know no press. What is this ‘press’ that you speak of?
Blacksmith8 on September 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM
If the movement follows your approach, the left will win forever.
You want to defeat Obama; I want to defeat the left.
If Obama goes, another one will replace him.
If we defeat the left, all of the next Obamas will disappear.
SteveMG on September 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM
This accurately sums up the Wordview from which Obama Reason’s from:
Postmodern man, which Obama is, beleives it is MORAL for them to LIE to us so long as they beleive these lies are ultimately good for the Collective. Same crap the Commies/Fascist in the 20th Century before us.
There is a reason Obama is fancing himself as Superman with Images and rhetoric, or making illusions to the movie The Matrix(A very Postmodern film). This is who he is.
It is no time to bend over and just smile and nod while the man Lies through his teeth to the American People, paticularly on an issue that will fundamentally change American and Politics in AMerica till we collapse anyway.
You fight Lies, with Truth. You treat each other with class and dignity when both sides are working from the same Philosophical foundation, which we are not.
jp on September 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Last night, in a burst of frustration, one congressman shouted “you lie” during president Obama’s speech to the joint session of congress. The president had just finished admonishing “high ranking political officials” of spreading false information contained in the health care bill. With the assistance of Sarah Palin, death panels took center stage last week. While Palin did not mean that death panels were not written into the bill specifically, the fact remains that there is legislation in the bill that will require (at taxpayers expense), doctors to consult patients with end of life decisions and choices in the event that the patient may seek alternatives to expensive procedures that drive up health care cost.
President Obama’s rhetoric rose to a fever pitch while Republicans sat there in silence listening to the president make claims that Bush and the Republican Party had failed to supply efforts to reform the health care system. Does anyone know that the last time Obama called any Republican to the White House for consultation or input was last April? When Obama finally made the claim that no illegal immigrants would be afforded assistance under his bill, Congressman Wilson shouted “liar”. The facts are that if no legislation is written into the bill that forbids undocumented “citizens” from receiving federal assistance, illegal aliens WILL receive these benefits. To date, there is nothing in the bill that specifically states what residents of this nation are to receive assistance.
The Republican Party has submitted plenty of amendments and substitutes to the Democrats and Obama’s legislation, (which is still only coming out in bits and pieces that requires legal experts to decipher). The House’s version of the bill still has a public option written into the bill that is “dead on arrival” in the Senate. National polls do not favor a government run health care system that will threaten a majority of Americans that currently have and are happy with their health care policies. With the current debts and deficits this nation is facing, many are questioning the cost of a program that will run over a trillion dollars and come under the ultimate control of another failed entitlement run by bureaucrats in Washington. We, (American citizens), already see Social Security and Medicare heading into red figures in the near future with no offer of reform from the Democratic Party. President Obama claimed last night that “now is the season for action”, and the mainstream media is fawning over his passion and commitment to passing a bill that effects one sixth of our economy. Most of our left wing news media is also calling Mr. Wilson a “heckler” who has brought shame to the institution. But many commenters on the conservative blogs are asking the simple question—why only Joe Wilson?
What President Obama did last night was throw hardballs in challenging Republicans to participate in this nightmare legislation that is fraught with the dreams of controlling a health care industry that no other nation in the world can compare with when it comes to providing quality, quantity, and in a timely manner. In the history of this nation, no government program has EVER provided sufficiently any service that private enterprise could not do better, more efficiently, and competitively. While Obama threw hardballs, only one man stood up to the plate and said no—-you liar. While the forum may not have been appropriate, the Republican Party better seize on the public opinion across this nation that are also “stepping up to the plate” and calling Obama’s plan what it is—-a deceptive plan to make your health care come under direct control of YOUR GOVERNMENT. While the balance of the Republican Party have chosen to remain silent with the rest of the Washington elite in not challenging the presidents rhetorical fabrications, Joe Wilson chose to “take a swing” at this crap. If the GOP chooses to “sit on the bench” silently, they may also find themselves completely out of the game when 2010 comes around with a strong message from their constituents—-lead, follow, or get out of the way! At least Joe Wilson stepped up to the plate and called it like he saw it—–a pack of lies.
Rovin on September 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM
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