Wilson was only the most flagrant. There was booing from House Republicans when the president caricatured a conservative argument by saying they would "leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own." They hissed when he protested their "scare tactics." They grumbled as they do in Britain's House of Commons when Obama spoke of the "blizzard of charges and countercharges."
When he asserted that "nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have," there was scoffing and outright laughter on the GOP side. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Tex.) shook his head in disbelief. Several Republicans shouted "What plan?" and Rep. Louis Gohmert (Tex.) waved at Obama a handwritten poster he made on a letter-size piece of paper: "WHAT PLAN?" Gohmert then took that down and replaced it with another handmade poster that said "WHAT BILL?"
It went on like that all night.
But while the majority of both parties' lawmakers behaved as adults, the insolence by House Republicans stole the show. There was derisive laughter on that side of the chamber when Obama noted that "there remain some significant details to be ironed out." They applauded as he spoke of "all the misinformation that's been spread over the past few months." They laughed again when he said that "many Americans have grown nervous about reform."
When Obama addressed the charge that he plans "panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens," someone on the GOP side shouted out "shame!" The president went on: "Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical." "Read the bill!" someone shouted back. Obama mentioned those who accuse him of a government takeover of health care. "It's true," someone shouted back.
"Even as Obama delivered a tribute to the late senator Ted Kennedy, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga), a leader of House conservatives, perused his BlackBerry," Milbank reports. "Shortly before the speech ended, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) walked out to beat the rush."
If they wanted to prove that they have no interest in reform, hey... Mission accomplished guys. Unfortunately for the GOP, Obama is the definition of unflappable. You just can't throw the guy. As a result, viewers at home were left with the impression of the president as babysitter, calmly dealing with the tantrums of three year-olds. One side is serious, the other is sullen and unconstructive. Who would you identify with?
Republicans seem to be operating under the assumption that August meant something lasting. It didn't. All it was was the stupidest goddam voices of the Republican base making the most noise. They seem to believe they have some momentum, but you don't get momentum from sitting in one place, throwing a hissy-fit, and refusing to move. It wouldn't surprise me any if, in the near future, we all look back at this as the moment it all went to hell again for the GOP. You can get away with this stuff while government is on recess, but now's the time to get things done.
1 comments:
Did you notice that the most disrespectful ones were middle aged to older white guys from the south? A cynic might say that those guys just can't get over the fact that a successful black man won the election and is in the White House, and that they would not have been nearly as obnoxious if say, Hillary or even John Edwards had somehow said the same things. Not that I'm a cynic. Just sayin'.
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