South Carolina Republican House member, Joe Wilson, was so beside himself he had to make in known how he felt when he shouted “You lie” during President Obama’s speech on health care reform Wednesday night.
While pictures and the timing of his remark show brazen disrespect, he issued an apology shortly after his “outburst.”
“This evening, I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill,” the statement said. “While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”
Wilson even went to extra mile and called the White House to apologize to the President personally. Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, accepted Wilson’s apology on the president’s behalf, reports CNN.
“We can disagree without being disagreeable,” Emanuel said to Wilson, according to the official. “That was the point of the president’s speech.”
His outburst came after Obama denied that illegal immigrants would be covered under his health care proposal and Wilson immediately shouted, “You lie!”
The heckle silenced the room along with the President, who peered in Wilson’s direction after his remark.
“It was crude and disrespectful,” said Sen. package Durbin of Illinois, a top Senate Democrat. “I think the person who said it will pay a price.”
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler took it further.
“Once again a South Carolina Republican has embarrassed our state,” Fowler’s office said in a statement that referred to S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s extramarital affair.
“Never has any member of Congress shown such disrespect for the president during a speech,” Fowler wrote. “One would think that as a member of the military, Joe Wilson would have more respect and patriotism than he displayed tonight. When Congressman Wilson insulted President Obama, he also insulted the American public. Joe Wilson is a poor example of a statesman and an American. He owes an apology to the president and the American people.”
Indeed he does owe an apology to President Obama and instead of hiding behind a written statement, man up, show your face and air your apology as you did when you shouted across the House! While you’re at it, why don’t you admit that you and party are scared your black President is going to change the face of the corrupt politics the Grand Ol’ Party has been strong-arming for decades.
And you’re wondering why town-hall meetings are turing into shouting matches and fits of rage?
Bottom line: scare tactics are no longer working, your party is tanking and you all are being punks about it! Your party has us engaged in wars that have no meaning and in a deep recession, that could have been avoided, if it weren’t for the greed of the Republican Party!
Embrace your President, conservatives. He deserves your silence and the American people continue to invest in your soundlessness every time we fill our gas tanks!
Check the video here.
