“Today Was Worse” – With Video
Sep 15, 2009 24 Comments ›› Pat Dollard
House Democrats dealt South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson a formal rebuke Wednesday, taking the rare step of passing a resolution of disapproval for his famous “you lie!†outburst last week in the House chamber.
The vote was 240-179, falling almost exclusively along party lines.
While Democrats said they were defending the rules of the House and enforcing the traditional decorum of the chamber, Republicans mounted a fierce attack on the resolution, saying it was a waste of time after Wilson had duly apologized to President Barack Obama for his outburst during a joint address to Congress. While a resolution of disapproval is little more than a slap on the wrist, a formal roll call vote like this – permanently entered into the Congressional Record – is extremely rare.
“What’s at issue here is of importance to the House and of importance to the country,†House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer proclaimed during the hour-long debate preceding the vote. “This House cannot stay silent.â€
Wilson himself was defiant to the end, calling the action unnecessary and a waste of time. He also used his floor speech to criticize the Democratic health care plans and government spending in general.
“The challenges this country faces are greater than any member of this House,†Wilson told a packed chamber. “…When we are done here today, we will not have taken any steps to improve the country.â€
According to a C-SPAN count, 11 Democrats voted no on the resolution, and seven Republicans voted yes.
Wilson’s Republican leaders came to his defense during the debate, accusing Democrats of engaging in a political game.
“I think this is a sad day for the House of Representatives,†said Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). “I think this is a political stunt aimed at distracting from the American people from they whey really care about, which is health care.â€
“There’s been behavior in this chamber that’s more serious than this,†said Boehner. “None of it required a resolution.â€
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“Last Wednesday was not a good day for the House. But today is worse,†said GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence.
Democrats defended the move, saying that Wilson had violated the House’s rules of decorum and needed a formal reprimand.
“This is about the rules of the House,†said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who took the lead in bringing the resolution to the floor.
But the Democratic rhetoric during the debate was far cooler than the racial overtones the party had evoked in the hours leading up to the vote.
“I think there was a racial element,†said Rep. Steve Cohen, who is white but represents a heavily black Tennessee district. “I’d be sad if any Democrats voted no and I feel saddened for the Republicans that will vote no.â€
Rep. Hank Johnson, a Georgia Democrat and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, took to CNN to declare, “We will have people with white hoods running through the countryside again.”
Clyburn today bristled at the notion that he was playing politics with the resolution.
“This is not a political stunt. I do not participate in political stunts. And I think every member here knows that,†he shot back at Boehner.
Even though the vote was largely partisan, there were a few departures from party loyalty. Seven Republicans voted to rebuke Wilson: Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana, Joanne Emerson of Missouri, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Walter Jones of North Carolina, Tom Petri of Wisconsin, Dana Rohrabacher of California and fellow South Carolinian Bob Inglis.
But 12 Democrats voted no on the resolution: Michael Arcuri of New York, Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts, Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, Maurice Hinchey of New York, Paul Hodes of New Hampshire, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Dan Maffei of New York, Eric Massa of New York, James McDermott of Washington, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, Gene Taylor of Mississippi and Harry Teague of New Mexico.
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