Obama Laughed At, Called Liar During Healthcare Address to Congress
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 09:07PM It was tense. After announcing during his address to Congress that there are “still details to be worked out” on healthcare reform, Barack Obama sustained laughter from the gallery. Then as he tried to dispel “misinformation”, the President said a healthcare reform bill would not give illegal aliens coverage and received a “You Lie!” from Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina.
Gasps! Shock! Disbelief! But didn’t this outburst come just as the President finished calling Sarah Palin a liar for starting the “death panel” debate? “It is a lie, plain and simple”, said the President. Earlier he said that the U.S. is the only democratic, rich nation without government healthcare, but there ARE “death panels” in the UK (Terminally Ill Euthanized Under Britain’s National Healthcare System)
I wouldn’t want to be that Congressman when Nancy Pelosi gets finished with him. She tells Fox News that she would not move to sanction Representative Wilson, but I’d watch my back.
I don’t recall Democrats outrage when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called President Bush a liar and then stood by his claim reiterating it again on Face the Nation. I also don’t remember any outrage by Democrats when Code Pink repeatedly, over and over again interrupted hearings in the Congress, even when the Iraqi Prime Minister was speaking. Nope, I don’t remember that. Do you?
And here’s Pelosi in 2008 saying President Bush “is wrong and he knows it”, saying he’s a liar:
Pelosi also called President Bush a “total failure” and said the CIA was lying to Congress. So why Pelosi’s show of shock and awe?
Incidentally, does President Obama mean that if an illegal alien goes to the hospital, emergency room or doctor under the new healthcare plan that they would be turned away or that they would have to pay out of their own pockets? Hmmmmm….. no wonder Congressman Wilson yelled, “You lie!”
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Amy Proctor
CONGRESSMAN APOLOGIZES FOR “YOU LIE” OUTBURST
“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.”
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Reader Comments (29)
It would have been so much better if the Congressman called a press conference, stepped up to the mic and said "Thank you all for coming. I'd like to take this opportunity to say I'm sorry... that the president is a liar."
While I disagree with the Congressman's assessment of the President, I thought his outburst was a nice touch to a joint session speech.
Any time the Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons are on CSPAN watch that and you'll see some real "heckling". That's how congress used to be here too. Now they may not have blatantly said liar, I don't know, but I know that they booed and yayed and the likes.
I cannot imagine any scenario in which the President isn't lying in this situation, unless he's just completely ignorant. So.... under this new plan... illegals are paying out of pocket at the ER? Or they're turned away? Neither will happen and we all know it.
You know, I have tried to believe for some time now that our President doesn't lie, that he is simply mislead, mistaken or misguided by ideology. Tonight, he lied throughout his speech. And the illegals not getting coverage was just a small part of it.
Don't they heckle in the UK?
Mike, they do indeed heckle in the UK. They break out in fist fights in Japan. And in the US, Democrats call their opponents liars, losers and failures but are shocked, SHOCKED when someone calls them to the carpet on their lies.
I could point out that Palin was lying and Obama was probably not lying at the exact moment of Wilson's outburst, but in many ways Obama's lies are more dangerous. The "death panel" lie and the other crap invented by the far right are not credible enough to impact the electorate. In fact, polls are showing that after all the wild shenanigans in the town halls, Americans' opinions on health reform have barely shifted at all.
Obama's lies are more insidious. He is talking about the desperate need for reform, the plight of Americans who can't afford decent health care, etc., but he has already sabotaged reform. The Blue Dogs on the leash of Rahm Emanuel (and Obama) have already killed any proposals that would actually help those Obama talks so passionately about. He knows that. He knows that the bills that have any chance of passage are chock-a-block with giveaways to the insurance companies in return for their vague promises to do better with no penalties if they don't. He knows that many Americans won't be able to afford his "insurance exhange" and that what they will be offered won't really help them.
What Republicans need to do is stop inventing ridiculous nonsense, and attack this on its merits - or lack thereof. They can be the party to defend Americans from being fined for not buying worthless insurance. They can be the party that rails against cuts to Medicare to pay for this non-reform package. They can expose Obama's lies, they don't need to make up their own.
1. Reid did not yell out "liar" while President Bush was making a speech. It was during a press conference.
2. Pelosi did not yell out "liar" while President Bush was making a speech. It was during a press conference.
3. Code Pink is not an elected official attending a joint session.
Try comparing apples to apples. There's a time and a place to call out the POTUS. This wasn't it.
Wilson was completely out of line. The United States Congress is not a town hall meeting. This was a speech TO Congress, not a debate with Congress. The Congressmen/women are free to issue statements, hold press conferences or speak during their time on the floor, but during a speech by the president its inappropriate and indicates Wilson has an emotional problem that he can't control.
That's funny. The United States Congress IS a town hall meeting when a Republican is president, isn't it?
Rep. Wilson did good by his constituents to speak up and call a spade a spade.
What is with all of this fake posturing and "proper" behavior, ad nauseum? Wilson spoke the truth. Obama IS a liar. He lied throughout his speech. He'd just finished calling Sarah Palin a liar when Wilson reacted. And, honestly, how can anyone read HR 3200 and NOT grasp the reality that there WILL be "death panels" of unknown beaurocrats rationing care to seniors? No, there won't be a panel of people in some harshly lighted room that the elderly are paraded before. They won't come to your house and shoot Grandma. But do people not realize that withholding care and treatment based on age and ability to contribute to the "general good" is akin to running a death panel??? Why is that so difficult to understand??? And, yes, care for illegals is IN THE BILL. Obama lied. It's indefensible. Either he is utterly ignorant re: his own bill - or he flat-out lied.
I choose the latter.
I sure am glad some one called it liked they saw it... its about time!
What Congressman Wilson Said was entirely correct; When and where he siad it is not.
British Parliament indeed has occasion during session to address the Prime Minister; our congress does not. They also do not disrupt an address.
Wilson has apologized for being rude. It is important to note theat he did not apologize for telling the truth.
Jack's comment nails it. A press conference would have been far more appropriate.
GOP is an embarrassing party and it is becoming clearer every day. Completely inappropriate behavior last night.
Amy: Congressional rules, procedure and decorum should be followed at all times by both parties. I now realize that you will justify anything a republican does, regardless of if its proper or not, as long it attacks/criticizes Obama or a dem.
Timo,
Remove the shovel from your butt and Stop attacking Amy. If you have something useful to contribute to the argument, then contribute. Otherwise, go pound sand.
We booed Bush when he addressed Congress. It's truly fair play. Wilson could have kept his thoughts to himself, and said what he wanted later.
Charles, If your correct that is worse than no reform at all. My preference is still to expand FEHB to cover the uninsured. We can help people, help themselves, but no help at all is truly sad.
timo is 100% correct.
Gary: I was not attacking Amy, just my observation. Not sure what your "shovel" comment even means, but it made me laugh so thanks. My point is that civility should reign in congress, they are adults who represent the best country in the history of nations and its disrespectfuly and unproductive to yell things at the POTUS and disrupt a speach to congress. Now, today, people are debating this rude congressman's behavior rather than the specifics of healthcare, which no one yet understands. It would be wrong whether its a dem or a repub, it just so happened to be a repub this time. My other point was this behavior will always be wrong IMO whereas Amy only considers it wrong if its a democrat engaging in it.
Timo, if Charles is correct it makes no difference what Obama gets. Understand it or not, it's a joke and does very little to help people whom really do need it.
That was a reasonable comment, timo; however, I've read several of your comments and they have been pointed and accusatory toward Amy.
If you read my first comment, you'll see that I more or less agree with you.
I enjoy reading what our framers had to say and frequently post quotes... to Charles' chagrin. This is one of the times:
"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is preservd. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauchd in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."
--Samuel Adams, letter to James Warren, 1775
"It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigor. A degeneracy in these is a canker which soon eats to the heart of its laws and constitution."
--Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia Query 19, 1781
I would expect all politicians to maintain a level of decorum, but knowing the 'relaxed' morals of the left, I would at least hold conservatives to the higher standard... I know the left does.
Wilson's comment generated $400,000 in contributions for his Democratic opponent within 24 hours, so let's hope he and other Republicans continue to make fools of themselves. Dems can use the money.
I would remind Gary that Wilson's outburst pales by comparison to Dick Cheney's using the F-word on the Senate floor a few years back.
Did those donations come from Pelosi?
"3. Code Pink is not an elected official attending a joint session. "
While that is true on the surface, you left out the fact thet Code Pink was there at the specific invitation of certain Democrat members of congress. Just the cowards hid behind proxies doesn't let them off the hook
GROD, no, Pelosi and Reid just went around telling reporters that George W Bush was a liar. Not that what he said was a lie, but that HE was a liar.
What goes around comes around. Or as Barack Obama says, you hit us, we'll hit back twice as hard.
As for Code Pink, Democrats continued to give them tickets to the gallery in the Congress, essentially they were guests of Democrats. That's how they got in. No need for Dems to yell out, just boo or what have you, because they relied on Code Pink to distrupt.
<"...I would remind Gary that Wilson's outburst pales by comparison to Dick Cheney's using the F-word on the Senate floor a few years back...">
Charles
Is that supposed to mean something to me? You think bad language is never used in the Senate and the House? You must have never heard of James Traficant.
Is it really dark under your rock?
Amy, George Bush was a liar, as is Obama, as was every President before them. Calling the President a liar is no big deal. Wilson was just angling for his big moment of fame on national TV by appealing to the wacko wing of his party. Well he got it, and his opponent got huge bundles of cash as a result. Nice work.
No, Charles, George W Bush was no liar. He was a man of character, which is why he was so hated. If he were a liar, I wouldn't defend him.
Barack Obama stood up there and lied about almost every aspect of healthcare to the American people. That takes nerve and a sense that the end justifies the means.
Wow! Bush was no liar??? Here's one of many:
During the 2004 campaign, Bush claimed “Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so.”
It's odd how Dems cried that Liberty was being taken by Bush, as if they were all making calls to Middle Eastern countries discussing plans to attack the US, then when they want to corral us into a pen and give us all the Gov Health care to take away choices and Liberty that seems OK all of a sudden. So the only thing I can conclude is that Party leaders don't care about freedom.