Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, has achieved the ignoble distinction of being admonished by the House after refusing to apologize on the floor for his outburst during the presidential address of President Barack Obama. What is astonishing is that only seven Republicans voted to uphold the House rules and to admonish their colleague in a 240-179 vote.
What is equally striking is that twelve Democrats voted not to admonish a member for screaming “you lie” at the President of the United States during a formal address on the House floor. Moreover, five Democrats simply voted “present.”
Most notably, Barney Frank did not vote for the measure and instead voted “present” while Dennis Kucinich voted against the measure. The only good news for Wilson is that Pete Stark voted for the measure and Wilson is thus not someone Stark would bestow his novel method of showing respect, here.
Here is the language of the resolution:
Raising a question of the privileges of the House.
Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and
Whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009.
The twelve Democrats voting against admonishment were:
Michael Arcuri (NY)
Bill Delahunt (MA)
Gabrielle Giffords (AZ)
Maurice Hinchey (NY)
Paul Hodes (NH)
Dennis Kucinich (OH)
Dan Maffei (NY)
Eric Massa (NY)
Jim McDermott (WA)
Gwen Moore (WI)
Gene Taylor (MS)
Harry Teague (NM)
The seven Republicans who voted for admonishment were:
Joseph Cao (LA)
Jo Ann Emerson (MO)
Jeff Flake (AZ)
Bob Inglis (SC)
Walter Jones (NC)
Jim Petri (WI)
Dana Rohrabacher (CA)
The five Democrats who voted present were:
Eliot Engel (NY)
Bill Foster (IL)
Barney Frank (MA)
Carol Shea-Porter (NH)
Ike Skelton (MO)
This is the first formal admonishment of a member for misconduct during a presidential address in Congress. House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio called the resolution “piling on” and urged a vote against the measure.
For the full story, click here.
The Dems cry when they are called out. They boo’d Bush in 2005 and no one said a thing. The Dems are cry babies who want everyone to kiss the ground they walk on. They need to try running the country now that they are in charge. This has been the most comical Congress and Presidencey to watch. I look forward to more of their stupidity and socialist agendas which will lead to them being oousted in 2010. I cant blame Obama. He was ignorant to begin with and surrounded himself by bigger idiots.
An admonishment for calling Obama a liar is a badge of courage and truth. This document should be displayed proudly.
Dr. Alan Keyes will tell you the truth about Obama as Joe Wilson did. Obama is a liar.
I wish that dueling were still in vogue. If not a duel, maybe a 1 on 1 between BHO and Wilson. I can see it now, the Prez skying over Joe with an in your face power jam that leaves Rep. Wilson counting his teeth. Either way, my money is on Obama! Always has been, always will be.
Are they racist against Black or White, since Obama is half black and half white? No one was called racist when they voted for Obama, but now when you don’t agree with the actions he is taking, you are racist. Just another excuse to cover up the irresponsible spending and actions of the Obama administration.
So the argument for the Sanction is that the KKK will rise again if they don’t sanction Joe Wilson for calling the President a Liar. I think it is a bit of a stretch. Ok, Rep. Wilson is from South Carolina…that means he is a racist? Is everyone in South Carolina a Racist? This wouldn’t be politically motivated would it? I’m sure no other Presidents have every been called a liar, and is secretly means you are a nig&r, when has that ever happened?
Let’s see how you extreme left do on your own in 2010 and 2012….can’t wait!
Carrie,
I don’t know why you would have voted for Obama if you thought he was going to stop the bailouts, when it was pretty clear he was for them since the beginning of the economic crisis a year ago this week. McCain if anyone would be the one to vote for for this issue, even though he changed his position on it every other week.
As for deficits and spending etc. Obama made the mistake of doing what he promised to do and tackling issues. He should have kept the Iraq and Afghanistan wars off the budget costs like Bush did, but instead he was honest and the costs were added to spending, giving conservatives bigger numbers to play with concerning the deficits.
If you really do your homework on most things President Obama has done, they have actually had positive effects or outcomes. However, it has only been 7 months and there are 14 months until the 2010 elections (Bush and other Presidencies usually done nothing about anything by thius point). That’s twice as long as Obama’s been in office so far and for people to judge how “bad” he is. It took Reagen 1 term to turn around the economic crisis of the 80s (which isn’t as bad as this one) and he received credit for it.
During the 2008 election Obama called George Bush a “Bald Faced Liar”
……….but that was OK……..
Carrie,
If you are the “common sense Democrats” then I think we will do just fine.
Rafflaw,
Yes, George Bush started a lot of it……and I voted for Obama thinking he was not going to continue bailouts and extreme bonuses, and outrageous ear marks…but nothing has changed. Obama is George Bush on steroids!!! Obama never speaks to all the money he has spent in the first 6 months…only back at Bush. We didn’t want what Bush was doing….so why would Obama continue it????
Let’s see how you LEFT Democrats do in the next election without the vote of the “common sense” Democrats! Maybe then you’ll learn to listen instead of spin, and spin! Good Luck Lefty, you’ll need it in 2010 and 2012!
Carrie,
At least Joe Wilson was open about his slander. Be he was lying about his claims. It is time for you to own up to the facts. The victims of 9/11 were murdered, but under George W. Bush the torture that you think is necessary was used in violation of domestic and international law. The bank bailout was initiated by George W. Bush long before he left office. The recession started in December, 2007 so your dislike of Obama on the economic issues is misplaced. If you would do your homework you would also know that Obama is not Far left wing. He is actually a moderate on most issues. On the security issues he is unfortunately following W’s lead way too often. On the Patriot Act side he wants to continue Bush’s policies. You and Joe Wilson will have to get your facts straight and find some other false reason to slander the President.
Buddha Is Laughing says…”If the President isn’t a liar, a traitor or intellectually dishonest, he should either be able to defend himself (if not guilty) or I suggest he’s not skillful enough to be President.”
—
Yup!
That’s pretty funny…….but, it just fuels me even more to find a new party. I don’t fit with your thinking at all. Do you think those who jumped from the World Trade Center were not tortured????? I don’t believe in War, because our young people shouldn’t waste their lives like that. However, I beleive we have a great CIA, and we should let them do their work….outsmart the terrorist! My whole family has been Democrats…we’re also small business owners, flight attendents, and police officers. Every single one of us, has changed their mind regarding Obama. The small business owner is struggling to keep going, while Obama gives our taxpayer dollars to the wall street bonuses. The flight attendent has taken 2 pay cuts in the last year, just to keep a job (no bailout money to flight attendents)! The police office watched as Obama had NO facts, yet said the police acted stupidly! In this case, Obama has lost a whole family of Democrat voters….and when I see your responses….it’s just confirmation…if you’re not an EXTREME left you’re being dissed by this administration and people like YOU!
Carrie,
Your comments above tell the real truth about your claim to be a Democrat. First of all, it is obvious that your belief in torture as a punishment for someone the CIA thinks is guilty, seems a very Right wing belief for a Democrat. Secondly, your belief that “the Democrats don’t think we should treat the terrorist like terrorists..” is strong evidence that you are Republican in Progressive clothing.
Rafflaw, and YES, there are a lot of us Democrats who will change our OPINION, and we’ll show it in 2010 and 2012!!
I was originally for punishing this clown. I may have been hasty.
After some consideration, section 370 should be amended to allow calling the President a liar, accuse him of treason (because that’s what aiding the enemy is and exactly what the Bush Administration did), and challenge his intellectual honesty when there is a suggestion of Constitutional impropriety.
Jill is correct in that without that ability to challenge him our representation (when they can remember they do work for We the People and not their K St. pimps) are severely curtailed in their ability to protest unconstitutional practices.
If it had been against the rules of order for the body, I’m thinking someone like Kuchinich would have long ago called Bush a liar and Cheney a traitor and thus forced the issue. Civility has its place except when the rules of the civil group prevent getting at the truth even if it requires direct confrontation. “I seek only the truth by which no man was ever harmed.” If it’s good enough for Marcus Aurelius, it’s good enough for me.
If the President isn’t a liar, a traitor or intellectually dishonest, he should either be able to defend himself (if not guilty) or I suggest he’s not skillful enough to be President.
Rafflaw,
If I knew who Bill L is, I’d answer you. If the CIA tortured those responsible for the innocent individuals who had to choose between jumping from the world trade center or die in the inferno, I say go for the torture. I couldn’t understand why Bush would send young men and women to die. I kept saying ‘Where’s our CIA, why aren’t they over there taking out the terrorists. They outsmarted us, and we send young men and women to die!! Then I find out the Democrats don’t think we should treat the terrorist like terrorists!!
Why doesn’t Obama cut 5 billion from the Federal employees GOLD health insurance, and apply that 5 billion to Medicare, which is only the basic of plans. Since he can cut without decreasing any care, why doesn’t he apply it to the Federal Health Care program? Because his numbers are fiction, just like the fiction he told us when he ran….remember all the ear marks in the stimulus? I voted for someone who ran against ear marks, it was Obama! He has lost a lot of “common sense” Democrats….I’m going to place my bet on whoever runs against him in 2012. How could they do any worse?
While I think Wilson was an idiot for shouting disrespectfully at the President of the United States during a formal address, I would say that I would have voted against the sanction or, as some did, present.
And even though he dug himself further in a ditch with his refusal to offer a simple apology to his colleagues and the President, something he could have easily entered in the record at any time, I would have erred on the side of keeping the body free from these kind of speech based sanctions.
My 2 cents, anyway.
I think Jill correctly captures the fallacy in objections to Wilson’s behavior, especially when compared to the magnitude of harm done by years of unquestioning deference to the Presidency.