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Wilson: I'm Still Sorry -- But I Won't Apologize Again
Ben Frumin | September 13, 2009, 10:50AM
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Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) of "You lie!" fame appeared on FOX News Sunday to say that he's done apologizing for heckling President Obama during his health care speech to Congress on Wednesday.
"I am not going to apologize again," Wilson told Chris Wallace.
That likely means that Wilson will be rebuked by House Democrats, who indicated late last week that they planned to admonish the GOP heckler if he didn't apologize on the House floor.
"This is playing politics," Wilson said of the Democrats' plan to rebuke him. "This is exactly what the American people do not want to see, do not want to hear."
Wilson also suggested that Democrats were using him to divert attention from health reform.
Wilson apologized to President Obama on Wednesday. The president accepted Wilson's apology.
Despite what he described as "a town hall moment" during Obama's speech, Wilson again and again on Sunday emphasized his civility.
"I respect my colleagues and I respect civility and I support civility," Wilson told FOX.
Wilson described his outburst as "a one-time event" born "out of frustration" of hearing the President "misstating the facts" on whether illegal immigrants would be covered under a new health bill.
"I believe in the truth," Wilson said. "What I heard was not true."
Of course, that's not true. But never mind -- Wilson repeatedly tried to lay claim to the truth by invoking how some Democrats implicitly affirmed Wilson's false accusations last week by inserting stronger provisions about illegal immigrants into proposed health care legislation.
"I've been proven correct on the issue of citizen verification," Wilson declared Sunday.
Wilson also said Sunday that "I would never do something like that again," "I would never do this on purpose," and that "I respect the president."
And has his outburst helped him?
"People have just been loving," Wilson said, adding that "our office has been overwhelmed with phone calls, letters and contributions."
Wilson has reportedly raised more than $1 million since heckling Obama.
Late Update: Here's the video.
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spsie
September 13, 2009 11:25 AM
One thing that is so frustrating is to see Democrats fumble this opportunity - particularly with Baucus and Conrad. Often I just don't think Dem's can do strategy.
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NobleCommentDecider
September 13, 2009 11:27 AM
Why is it Republicans when cornered or when running for election always claim they represent or are backed by "the American People" - "This is exactly what the American people do not want to see, do not want to hear."
A lot of American people 'do not want to hear' any more self-righteous BS and holier than thou hypocrisy from demagogic windbags on the right, of which Wilson is a prime example.
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Official A
September 13, 2009 12:07 PM
Great. Here we have a media-manufactured hero and the Dem-wits are planning on keeping the matter front and center. Fricking brilliant.
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Rich in NJ
September 13, 2009 12:13 PM
The crazies are well represented by Wilson.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:08 PM in reply to Rich in NJ
and the half-wits lead by by obama.
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cole_dranx
September 13, 2009 12:16 PM
So far as I've seen, he apologized to the President but has made no apology to the House for shaming the institution.
I think the House deserves one, and if he can't muster it, it seems perfectly appropriate to censure him.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:16 PM in reply to cole_dranx
You mean the House of Shame.don't you? before you go after Wilson,Good for him, he never should have a apologized, investigate the Bruja pelosi and and have her apologize for lying about her part to the CIA, then scurring of to lay low like a scared rat.Where is the outcry about her shameful behavior?
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jagriff1
September 13, 2009 2:25 PM in reply to Malachi
Idiot. Your lack of English skills leads me to believe that you're one of the people for whom Joe Wilson would like to deny health care. Why do you loathe yourself so much?
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:28 PM in reply to jagriff1
I use language that is at your level,so there won't be any misunderstanding.
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Armageddon T. Thunderbird
September 13, 2009 8:45 PM in reply to Malachi
Shame is torturing people.
Shane is lying about weapons of mass destruction.
Shame is thinking it is right to send the US Navy to defend ExxonMobil and calling that Capitalism.
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eggroll
September 14, 2009 5:38 AM in reply to Armageddon T. Thunderbird
I thought Shane was about a conflict between cattle farmers and an interloper who cuckolds an older man's wife. Who'da thunk "Shane, come back!" was lying about weapons of mass destruction. No wonder he left.
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Kuyleh
September 13, 2009 10:06 PM in reply to Malachi
And yet Jaq understands spelling, capitalization, punctuation, what spaces are....Your lame insult might have worked if there had been one thing wrong with his statement, but his is perfect while yours has a multitude of errors. Take your racist rear and negative IQ back across the border where they belong.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 10:56 PM in reply to Kuyleh
Got the message didn't you, have you never heard of educated idiots?
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:03 PM in reply to Kuyleh
Talk about idiots, you win the dunce hat! This is my land,we were here long before your ancestors ever dreamed of coming here!Go back and learn your American & Texas history,geez!
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:50 PM in reply to Kuyleh
Work with a chimpanzee long enough and I'm sure he can be trained to do correct punctuations just like your friend!
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midnight rambler
September 13, 2009 2:57 PM in reply to Malachi
I'm guessing you didn't see the story about how the CIA quietly admitted they'd been lying to Congress? Not surprising, since it didn't get nearly as much media coverage as Pelosi, and even at the time most of the MSM covered Panetta's threats to resign over the problems there.
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twoviragos
September 13, 2009 6:40 PM in reply to Malachi
¿Quién es una bruja? Creo que estás confundiendo Nancy Pelosi por ti mismo. Vete troll.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:07 PM in reply to twoviragos
Aaah! another Bruja!
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twoviragos
September 14, 2009 10:32 AM in reply to Malachi
Prefiero ser una bruja que una puta como tú.
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drubs
September 13, 2009 3:35 PM in reply to cole_dranx
Nothing more insincere than a private apology after a public insult. Apologize in the same venue where you showed disrespect.
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jedi joe
September 13, 2009 12:21 PM
This is going to be fun. Now we get to see which republicans, by voting against the admonishment, are seen defending Wilson.
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Bademus
September 13, 2009 1:54 PM in reply to jedi joe
Indeed, who backs uncouth and disrespectful behavior that is an embarrassment to the nation and an affront to our President. Censure the creep.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:25 PM in reply to Bademus
The uncouth is the one you voted in, an arrogant, uncouth commoner with no class and a liar to boot,and it shows, you can take a man out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the man.Respect! [ a joke right? ]
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mJJ
September 13, 2009 5:16 PM in reply to Malachi
Your racism is on display here and believe me, it looks very ugly. I guess it finally had to be reduced to this sort of racism but it still disappoints me when it happens.
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Armageddon T. Thunderbird
September 13, 2009 8:49 PM in reply to mJJ
That's Republican Honor on display.
That's Republican Bravery.
That's as brave as a chickenhawk gets.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:22 PM in reply to mJJ
OOOOOOh, when all else fails, lets use the race card! you bunch of hypocrites, of all the intelligent black politicians, that would have made the black people proud, they scraped the bottom of the barrel and came up with the "Court Jester"
Seems like they didn' care who they got as long as he was black! as for the kiss_____ whites, they just wanted to be part of history by saying I made history! I voted for a black man"! guess what you ninnies, obama doesn't like whites! blacks don't like whites and they are going to make you pay thru the nose!
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AJM
September 14, 2009 9:16 AM in reply to Malachi
Sure haven't taken slum behavior out of you, have they? Don't know what brand of trash you may be but if Rep. Wilson has a problem with the rules of the House he should first apologize and then act to change them, not disrespect the Office of the President by showing a childish lack of control in the middle of the President's speech.
And,oh,by the way, President Obama shows what happens when individuals are chosen for Harvard Law on the basis of intellect as opposed to what happened when George W. Bush was chosen for Yale on the basis of affirmative action for offspring of rich alumni.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:30 PM in reply to mJJ
Many bought into the "Father Knows Best" "Ozzie & Harriet Show" guess what! that was make believe, wishful thinking!Welcome to the real world!
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greysells2
September 13, 2009 12:28 PM
I always thought the People of South Carolina were gracious and had good manners. Guess I'm wrong. Mr. Wilson seems to be parlaying his churlishness into becoming a 'darling" of the Far Right. Why they would want him beats me.
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JNagarya
September 13, 2009 12:35 PM in reply to greysells2
Why would they want him? Because he's an asshole as stupid, immature, dishonest, and opportunistic as they are.
And because he doesn't know the meaning of respect and civility -- though he lies (which are disrespectful and incivil) that he does.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:39 PM in reply to JNagarya
Your vocabulary says much about you, infantile behavior and reaction. [time warp]
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Armageddon T. Thunderbird
September 13, 2009 8:54 PM in reply to Malachi
Your're a filthy Racist.
I bite off your finger - chew it up and swallow.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:38 PM in reply to Armageddon T. Thunderbird
What mental ward did you escape from? Are you a follower of the messiah too?
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JNagarya
September 14, 2009 11:12 AM in reply to Malachi
Thank you!
It's so rare I get kudos -- you know, expressions of appreciation!
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JNagarya
September 13, 2009 12:33 PM
"This is playing politics," Wilson said of the Democrats' plan to rebuke him. "This is exactly what the American people do not want to see, do not want to hear."
_____
Oh. For shame. We shouldn't play politics, else we risk being seen as a politician elected to a political office.
I'm duly chastened. Or will be if ever I get around to it.
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midnight rambler
September 13, 2009 2:58 PM in reply to JNagarya
No kidding. It's about time for the Democrats to start playing politics, instead of playing pussy.
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wbgonne
September 13, 2009 12:45 PM
Now they should censure him instead of the admonition they planned. If he keeps it up, he should be expelled.
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Winski
September 13, 2009 12:48 PM
Then it's time to EXPEL Wilson from the House and send him home. He is a liar, a bigot and an embarrassment to the nation.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 2:33 PM in reply to Winski
You must be mistaken, you must mean the messiah that occupies the White House, sorry the White House Of Shame.
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Armageddon T. Thunderbird
September 13, 2009 9:00 PM in reply to Malachi
Shame is outing a CIA official for political gain.
Shame is befriending Saudi Arabia who is responsible for 9-11
Shame illegally violating the sacred privacy of American citizens and lying about it.
And you are a filthy Racist.
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Malachi
September 13, 2009 11:44 PM in reply to Armageddon T. Thunderbird
You nasty nasty cannibal!
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Armageddon T. Thunderbird
September 14, 2009 5:38 AM in reply to Malachi
I feed off of your fear.
Your Republican cowardice sustains me.
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3star2nr
September 13, 2009 12:59 PM
good censure him
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synchronicity
September 13, 2009 1:07 PM
I would rather that they just sanctioned him anyway. They must take some action to put the republicans in congress on notice for their behavior, and most specifically Joe's or it will only get worse.
His public apologies have been ridiculous so 'he' may think he's apologized but 'I' do not.
Senator Baucus shoud NOT be the finance committee chair for a million reasons and he and Senator Conrad should be put on notice for their idiotic move to appease Rep Wilson.
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Hidden Oak
September 13, 2009 1:49 PM
He's not going to issue another non apology. I guess that's a GOP thing. You don't actually admit that you are really the liar. You make a half assed, "If I offended anybody, I apologize for that" without admitting that, gee I was wrong and totally have my head up my ass and I'm sorry. No surprise there.
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"Ruthless Pragmatism" Sucks
September 13, 2009 1:50 PM
Please just censure the f#cking guy already. Don't cave on censuring too!!
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serge
September 13, 2009 1:51 PM
Shit...he's been receiving the love? I'll grant him the money figure, there's no shortage of racist assholes here in SC that would contribute to The Cause.
If he's taking calls from his fans, I'll cry bullshit. His office hasn't been answering calls, period. Not even voice mail. Try to go to his website, you just get redirected to his "bio." He's a fucking joke, a cosmic pimple on the ass of this country.
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Captain Canard
September 13, 2009 3:47 PM
MythBusters experiments prove Joe Wilson's "You lie!" presidential heckle occurred seven years too late.
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EH
September 13, 2009 3:58 PM
Who better person to hold high political office than someone who admits they can't control their emotions?
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Steve Woodward
September 13, 2009 4:05 PM
I find the "town hall moment" remark quite telling. This kind of behavior is inappropriate at a town hall, much more so at a joint session of Congress. Shouting down the individual who, by common consent, has the floor, is antithetic to the speaker's right to free speech. There are rules to civilized debate, Mr. Wilson. You'll get your turn. And when it's your turn to speak, no one will scream at you while you're speaking.
If you don't apologize, properly and sincerely, to Congress and to the American people, you're simply a coward who can't admit he's made a mistake.
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mJJ
September 13, 2009 5:12 PM
That is fine with me. Go ahead and get censured. I would feel better about that too. After all, you made that disgusting, ill-mannered comment on the floor of the house and have brought disdain on the House in so doing. So resist an apology on the house floor and them be kept from voting until you decide to do so. You, Mr. Wilson, are sounding just like my great granddaughter when she gets miffed and refuses to backtrack with an apology. However, Mr. Wilson, we expect more from adults and especially from our Representatives. I am certain that part of your resistance is due to the fact that you would have to apologize to a black person and for you, that is just too undignified. So go ahead, don't open you mouth for even a peep and let your constituents down in the process. Sounds par for the course but you are a terrible embarrassment to us Republicans who do not happen to be racists.
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jdb316
September 13, 2009 5:42 PM
Have Baucus and Co. ever given an explanation why they gave creedence to this guy by adding language to the bill about verifying citizenship?
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amwa
September 14, 2009 12:45 AM
So interesting this" southern gentleman" and all his family has some kind of government run health care. Interesting. So glad he is the Republican embarrassment not the Democrat, and they have so many, every week there is another one added. Apologize Mr Wilson to our President and to the American people, but you are probably too ignorant to do this.No class.Maybe Lord Boustany can teach you some manners.
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Strykur
September 14, 2009 8:47 AM
Joe Wilson used to be famous for wrapping himself in the Stars and Bars.
http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/09/rep-joe-wilson-said-the-confederate-heritage-is-very-honorable-in-1999.html
Now he's cashing in on Health industry cash and Teabagger anger:
http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/09/south-carolina-lawmaker-who-accused-president-of-lying-during-speech-is-a-health-industry-darling.html
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mikedrevguy
September 14, 2009 10:09 AM
I believe Pres. Obama should invite Wilson for a beer and see if there can be anything resolved over a pint.
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