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Specter: Wilson Should Be Censured
Rachel Slajda | September 10, 2009, 10:46AM
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA)
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Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) just tweeted that Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-SC) apology for heckling the president Wednesday isn't enough -- the congressman should be reprimanded.
"Rep. Wilson apologized immediately afterward but I don't think that's adequate," he wrote. "There ought to be a reprimand or censure of Rep. Joe Wilson to discourage that kind of conduct in the future."
Wilson yelled, "You lie!" during President Obama's address to Congress, after Obama said public insurance wouldn't be provided to illegal immigrants. Wilson apologized soon after the speech.
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JohnDoe
September 10, 2009 11:01 AM
It's a waste of time.
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ru4862
September 10, 2009 11:07 AM in reply to JohnDoe
Why is it a waste of time? The votes are there in the congress to punish the congressman
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RoboticSpacePenguin
September 10, 2009 11:26 AM in reply to ru4862
It doesn't matter if we have the votes. Do we really want to devote our time, energy, and news cycles to this creep? He apologized and his assertion that Obama was lying has been debunked by most major news organizations. The less direct engagement with him and his kind the better.
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Shrubbit
September 10, 2009 11:40 AM in reply to RoboticSpacePenguin
Yes. Make him apologize.
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JohnDoe
September 10, 2009 11:26 AM
Because it's a distraction, and will turn Wilson into the new Palin. Let his boorish behavior stand on it's own, and get back to passing health care reform.
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Shrubbit
September 10, 2009 11:40 AM in reply to JohnDoe
They're ALL Palins. It's time everyone in America knows that.
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Will work for shoes
September 10, 2009 11:57 AM in reply to JohnDoe
Screw that. The Republicans have been disrespecting the president since the election. It's way past time they face some consequence for their behavior. Lindsay Graham today said, "At times I found his tone to be overly combative and believe he behaved in a manner beneath the dignity of the office. I fear his speech tonight has made it more difficult - not less - to find common ground."
If Wilson becomes the new Palin, fine. She's an idiot and so is he. Now lots more folks know it.
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KuhWaver
September 10, 2009 11:55 AM
The House must go on record that decorum must be observed, and those who don't possess self-control must be held accountable. Doesn't take much energy to follow parliamentary procedures.
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jward
September 10, 2009 12:11 PM in reply to KuhWaver
I agree--can't let this set a precedent.
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Metzengerstein
September 10, 2009 12:11 PM
He needs to apologize, abjectly, in the well of the House. Perhaps adding in actual groveling, bowing and scraping for good measure. That or be censured.
Pete Stark got slapped around by his own party for a lot less.
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kittykate48
September 10, 2009 12:22 PM
Does anyone else recall the right wing reaction to the letter Moveon.org put in the New York Times (General Petraeus or "Betray Us") the day before that man was slated to give Congress a progress report? The Repugs were almost foaming at the mouth over the perceived disrespect there - and that was from an entity known to have an activist agenda outside the Congress itself. Last night's breach of respect was far, far worse than that - and wholly unprecedented. None of us can afford to let it pass. How can we expect our allies to respect us if we allow our president to be so grossly insulted by a member of our own legislature?
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NuttyProf
September 10, 2009 12:44 PM
It was unprecedented.
Why do the democrats always have to "let it go?"
Some of us are tired of taking the disrespect from these wing nuts, it looks weak
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