Wilson Faces House Knuckle-Rapping for Heckling Obama
How much of a backlash should Rep. Joe Wilson endure, and in what form, for his "You lie!" outburst during President Obama's speech nearly a week ago? Well, on Tuesday, the House was nearing a conclusion about whether to officially admonish Wilson -- whatever that might mean. (Update: Wilson admonished.)
How much of a backlash should Rep. Joe Wilson endure, and in what form, for his “You lie!” outburst during President Obama’s speech nearly a week ago? Well, on Tuesday, the House was nearing a conclusion about whether to officially admonish Wilson — whatever that might mean. –KA
Update: The House voted 240-179 to adopt a resolution of disapproval, about as light a slap on the wrist as possible. Wilson, quoted by The Washington Post, said rather sensibly, “It is clear to the American people that there are far more important issues than what we are dealing with now. … [Obama] graciously accepted my apology, and this issue is over.”
Wait, before you go…AP via Google News:
The proposed resolution of disapproval against Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina added to the already-toxic atmosphere of partisanship in the House. Democrats said Wilson’s behavior during Obama’s speech to Congress last week was an egregious display of disrespect for the president that could not be ignored. Republicans accused the majority party of hypocrisy and wasting the taxpayers’ time.
“That’s a very serious breach of decorum, and if it goes unaddressed then we will probably see other, worse breaches in the future,” Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., said before floor debate began.
But Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, a member of the Republican leadership, countered, “Our economy is struggling, families are hurting. And yet, this Congress is poised to demand an apology from a man who has already apologized. It’s a disappointment to millions of Americans.”
The Office of the House Historian said the resolution, if approved, would mark the first time in the 220-year history of the House that a member had been admonished for speaking out while the president was giving an address. The vote was on a resolution of disapproval, less severe than other disciplinary action available to the House, including censure or expulsion.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
With his nonstop barrage of lies, the president has degraded our electoral system to the point that any result will feel illegitimate.
The class war that gave rise to his campaign is the fault of a long line of corporate Democrats like Joe Biden, and voters know it.
A revealing new study finds the Justice Department charged just 359 such criminals in January—a decline of 25% from five years ago.
A closer look at the Trump administration's agreement with the Taliban reveals all the president's concerned with is bragging rights.
After nearly two decades, America's longest-running conflict appears to be coming to an end. Even a flawed peace deal is worth celebrating.
Since his acquittal, the president has only doubled down on his impeachable offenses, subverting both the republic and its Constitution.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.