Think Progress

Wilson refuses to offer apology in first floor speech since heckling incident.

Last week, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) refused to apologize on the House floor for interrupting President Obama last week during his address to Congress. Earlier today, Wilson made his first speech to the House since his outburst. Instead of apologizing, Wilson attacked Democratic reform proposals as a “government-run health care” plan with misleading claims. Watch it:

One Democratic aide responded to MSNBC by saying, “I suppose he’s trying to show that he will not be muzzled.” Momentum is currently building for the House to officially condemn Wilson for his heckling, with a possible vote coming as early as tomorrow.

Update On his Twitter feed today, Wilson wrote, "Thank you Rep Gohmert and Rep King for your support on the House floor. I appreciate everyone's support."


96 Responses to “Wilson refuses to offer apology in first floor speech since heckling incident.”

  1. Chessmaster says:

    C’mon, reprimand this guy, he sets a nasty precedent!


  2. Pilotshark says:

    Well do it then please….. as they will run this for all its worth if you the congress will not stand up to this idiot then who the hell will.


  3. Rich H says:

    The problem is All the republicans have set a nasty precedent.

    Off topic,

    Just heard some redneck on the radio complaining about Olbermann being on MNF when “it’s a known fact at least half the country hates him.”


  4. Badmoodman says:

    One Democratic aide responded to MSNBC by saying, “I suppose he’s trying to show that he will not be muzzled.”

    – - Fine, then neuter the little prig.


  5. chiroptera toasterhead says:

    Wait – so the Democrats in the House didn’t wave signs and heckle him while he spoke to the chamber?

    Huh. At least someone in Congress still has some respect for decorum.


  6. Badmoodman says:

    Off topic,
    Just heard some redneck on the radio complaining about Olbermann being on MNF when “it’s a known fact at least half the country hates him.”

    – - If I have to listen to that moronic shit-kicker Hank Williams Jr. and the views he espouses, then “half” the country can put up with Olbermann and just STFU.


  7. ElBruce says:

    Censure!

    Even that’s just a slap on the wrist, but it’s appropriate. Not censuring him just opens the floodgates to crazy.

    I’m surprised noboby interrupted his speech.


  8. Rich H says:

    Badmoodman,

    What’s worse than no talent Hank Williams Jr? Actually I don’t know – and you have a point.

    At least K.O. was a sportscaster and (I think) he’s authored a few sports books – so he does have some experience.

    You should have heard that guys voice, thick with southern hillbilly twang.


  9. robbez_92107 says:

    A great spokesman for South Carolina – like Gov. Sanford and Lindsey clutching her pearls.

    Good luck with the tourism revenue.


  10. P.D. says:

    Let him be the GOP hero. Let’s look at the heros, shall we, Sarah ‘The Quitter’ Palin, Glenn ‘I lost 50% of my advertisers’ Beck. Orly ‘???’ Taitz, Rick ‘Let’s secede’ Perry. What a list of illuminaries!


  11. smidget says:

    Just heard some redneck on the radio complaining about Olbermann being on MNF when “it’s a known fact at least half the country hates him.”

    Well, it’s a known fact that at least 2/3 of the country hates Rush Limbaugh, and I didn’t call the radio to complain about him. I suppose taking this guy’s lead, it would be perfectly acceptable for me to do so, correct?

    BWAHAHAHAHA! Just kidding. Everyone knows that it’s only okay if you’re a Republican.



  12. tom says:

    Little Joey Wilson was on Seanie Vanity’s rant-fest today. He’s setting the stage to be a “victim”. Claims he has already apologized and won’t do it again so anything that happens from here on in is vindictive and punitive. You know the drill.

    How appropriate for Seanie Vanity’s show — after all, Seanie is the ultimate “victim”. That’s how he makes a living . . . p*ssing and moaning about government intervention, blah, blah, blah.


  13. eyeswideopen1 says:

    I fail to see how some symbolic vote in Congress will accomplish anything. What are the consequences for this a$$hat other than more publicity and fundraising opportunities?


  14. okie dokie says:

    Why is a congressman that cannot follow house rules and publicly slandered his commander in chief allowed the floor?

    Wlison’s corporate sponsor that wrote the “remarks” would have done a better job reading them, anyway.


  15. ralph the wonder llama says:

    Since it looks like Twajie’s latest sockpuppet got banned earlier today, I guess it’s up to me to say:

    “So much for freedom of speech, eh, libtards?”

    I hope I caught the proper inflection…


  16. joeyramonesmom says:

    Well, if he is so right and has nothing to apologize for, how come the big pu**y has removed all methods of contact from his Web page?


  17. Badmoodman says:

    You should have heard that guys voice, thick with southern hillbilly twang.

    – - Shocking.


  18. T.H.E.Cat says:

    Reprimand; censure, _hell_! SC needs to _recall_ this moron!


  19. Badmoodman says:

    What’s worse than no talent Hank Williams Jr? Actually I don’t know

    – - Hank Williams Jr. is the white Kanye West.


  20. joeyramonesmom says:

    Slightly off topic, but here’s some news from the family values land of Wilson and Sanford: http://tinyurl.com/oxp82s


  21. chiroptera toasterhead says:

    UH-oh! Someone’s voting down comments… Is that you, Rep. Wilson?


  22. Zooey says:

    Did you see Nancy’s face after this moron shouted “You lie?”

    Wilson will be lucky if she doesn’t whack his pee pee with a ruler on the House floor.


  23. dbadass says:

    Well done ralph but please do not get so into character that you start dating chicks with teeth like that….


  24. dbadass says:

  25. hormiga brava chavez says:

    Censure this Son of Confederate Veterans!


  26. Rich H says:

    Badmoodman

    “What’s worse than no talent Hank Williams Jr? Actually I don’t know

    - – Hank Williams Jr. is the white Kanye West.”

    At least Kanye was right when he said “George Bush Hates Black People.”


  27. dasm says:

    Wilson, you no-class buffoon, you do NOT have “everyone’s” support. You are the liar, and you deserve to be criticized & reprimanded. You showed no respect whatsoever for the position of the President of the United States. You are a shameful excuse for a politician, let alone an American.


  28. Tired Of Fighting says:

    What Rep. Wilson is saying to the President of The United States, the Congress, the so-called Media, America, and to his (Wilson’s) followers is that a Black Man (especially the one that is the POTUS) has no rights that a White Man is bound to respect. We have officially reverted back to the pre-Dred Scott days.

    RIP
    SGT Stephen R. Sherman
    C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
    KIA 3 Feb 2005
    Mosul, Iraq


  29. Rich H says:

    dasm,

    Um, actually I showed no respect “whatsoever” for the last President of the U.S. However, I didn’t get to do it on live t.v. I would have if I could have.


  30. Keith says:

    Except for Olbermann, everyone else has totally ignored the fact that Wilson was totally wrong in his claim. The right can make any sort of false claim—such as “born in Kenya”, or “death panels”—-and it stays in the mainstream media for months—when it never should be in the media in the first place. Confrontation gets more viewers?


  31. MadasHelinVA says:

    As usual, the “you lie” outburst was used to not only disrupt our POTUS and chamber, but to effectively take ‘all’ attention AWAY from his speech and put it on “unknown Joe Wilson” who used it to pump up his war chest and become better recognized during his 15 minutes! His refusal to apologize to the House is simply a means to remain in the MSM. As long as we’re talking about him, no one is paying attention to the important issues of the day.

    It’s imperative that we progressives learn the importance of neo-con strategies so we can deploy them whenever necessary to disrupt whatever lunacy they have going on!


  32. Zooey says:

    dbadass says:

    Ah Mistress Z….
    September 14th, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    Actions have consequences. ;)


  33. P.D. says:

    Zooey23, Nancy’s expression was priceless, also Joe Biden’s look. As for Wilson? If he is re-elected, then his constituents are idiots. Much like Michelle Bacman’s. Hey, if they liked getting slammed for back water hick racists they are, more power to them.


  34. What the GOP REALLY means ... says:

    Wednesday, September 9th: Meet Joe Wilson, the reluctant apologist.

    Monday, September 14th: Give your support to Joe Wilson, the victim.


  35. What the GOP REALLY means ... says:

    The cowboys in this American Values district would go haywire to see their white representative give a heartfelt apology to a black man. Did the slaveholders ever apologize to their slaves?


  36. P.D. says:

    Kieth@31, Only MSNBC has had the balls to call Wilson’s claims bogus. I remeber when CNN would never confront their guests after they piled on the crap. The WMDs is a perfect case. ALL of MSM let the Bush Administration tout their bullsh*t.


  37. STORM says:

    This comment has been voted down. Click to read.


  38. Rich H says:

    Oh look, storm has shown up.

    How cute.


  39. raynman says:

    This is what the Republican Party has allowed itself to be reduced to.

    Instead of rallying around this bozo, the leadership should be doing its best to sanction him before the Democrats get around to it so that they can at least have the appearance of being somewhat respectful.

    But no, the Republican Party has whittled away its own base so that it has to appease these yahoos…

    And the mainstream media continues to report on the Republican party like it is still a mainstream party….


  40. Zooey says:

    Stormpooper lives in a tiny make-believe world of his own, where Sarah Palin and Ann Coulter fight to see who will blow him first.


  41. Keith says:

    P.D.,
    I know, CNN will allow anyone to say anything with no rebuttal. Like “Dubya’s unemployment was lower than Clinton’s” or “The Lewin Group is independent”.


  42. Incars says:

    Censure this dickhead and lets proceed to save America.


  43. raynman says:

    I remember when I used to just accept what I was told without questioning the validity of what was said much like the Trolls… then I turned 3….


  44. ralph the wonder llama says:

    STORMfront, even if Wilson hadn’t been wrong, he would still owe the House an apology for his breach of decorum.

    I know that’s not the sort of consideration on which Republicans put a lot of emphasis (unless, of course, it’s a Democrat breaching decorum, in which case, where is the fainting couch?). But he was wrong.


  45. Keith says:

    Storm,
    Is that short for Stormfront?
    Nothing in the bill provides for healthcare for illegals. Some conservatives are mad because they want every single person showing up at any doctor’s office or hospital to provide proof of citizenship. But that is different. The bill still provides nothing for illegal immigrants.


  46. tombaker says:

    STORM is as astute as Mr. Wilson when it comes to lie detection.

    They weren’t fooled – the knew the tax cuts would create the Ownership Society, and they knew GWB could make the Clinton years look like “the bad old days”.

    They weren’t misled, they know the WMD’s are really there, still, and they saw Saddam’s fingerprints all over the Towers.

    They didn’t buy it – they knew we’d be greeted with flowers, and they know we were out of there in 6 months, and don’t try to tell them it didn’t pay for itself, ’cause it sure did.

    So don’t EVEN try telling them what’s a lie and what’s not.


  47. Keith says:

    ralph, owe you a coke


  48. Hoodathunk says:

    It is so comforting to know that the President’s words about calling the opposition on their lies and bad behavior is so effective.

    (should be snark but it isn’t)


  49. LibertyLover says:

    It’s amazing to me that Republicans have no shame.


  50. P.D. says:

    Keith@48, Are you a Simpson’s fan by any chance?


  51. Keith says:

    Didn’t get that from the Simpson’s—just my youth.


  52. mary lacewing says:

    joe cantwell says:

    ot,

    mike “huck” huckabee is sad.

    To paraphrase one of the comments on that story, Huckabee bemoaning the death of journalism while being a member of Fox News is like an arsonist holding an empty gasoline container and a lighter being saddened by the house fire in front of him.


  53. misscoleopteramolly says:

    STORM says
    September 14th, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    Wilson was telling the truth. He needs to apologize for telling the truth?
    ____________________________________________________________

    No, he needs to apologize for treating the President of the United States like he was an umpire that just made a call Wilson disagreed with. The House floor isn’t Fenway Park. Presidents have been cheered, Presidents have been booed, but NO President has ever been treated the way President Obama was — at least not since the age of television, when we’ve been able to keep track of such things.

    But about the “truth” thing — just as Joe Wilson made an accusation with no evidence to back it up, you purport something is the “truth” equally empty-handed.

    Would you care to explain how President Obama “lied” when he made a claim that something was in the bill when it actually was in the bill?


  54. Mathazar says:

    I know that hindsight is always 20/20, but Pelosi or Biden should have instructed the Sergeant at Arms to escort the rude
    heckler out the door.


  55. texaslady says:

    Instead of accepting his apology I wish someone would make wilson read the Bill line for line about 500 times. But all Mr. racist can see is America has a biracial President and it is eating him up.


  56. texaslady says:

    Wouldn’t it be great to just tell the repubs to go sit on it, we are writing the Bill without anything from you. Hey, repubs did it over and over to the Dems even changed where the meetings were held to keep the Dems out.


  57. 00mpp00 says:

    Doesn’t Wilson and the rest of the GOP realize that his refusal to apologize is hurting the party and their fight against health care? No coincidence that Obama’s numbers overall and specifically on health care have gone since the speech and since Wilson’s outburst.

    http://www.political-buzz.com/


  58. Leftside Annie says:

    Red America: Land of the Retards, Racists and Thugs


  59. kwsventures says:

    This comment has been voted down. Click to read.


  60. Badger says:

    At least the first Joe Wilson had the courtesy to WRITE his accusations of deception in a NY Times OpEd, instead of shouting them out on National TV.

    Question?? If a Foreigny looking Person shows up in an emergency Room hacking Ebola Virus on everything…should the ER Folks just ask him to leave if he doesn’t show them his birth certificate or green card ???


  61. SoapBox says:

    Since you can’t get to Joe “Old Yeller” Wilson here:

    http://www.joewilson.house.gov/

    And you used to be able to “contact” via this site (BUT it has now been change!):

    http://www.joewilsonforcongress.com/

    HOWEVER…cards and love letters can be sent to:

    Joe Wilson for Congress
    P.O. Box 2145
    West Columbia, SC 29171

    BOY…this guy has gone into hiding!


  62. Beethoven Rules says:

    This comment has been voted down. Click to read.


  63. jb says:

    Wash Wilson’s filthy lying mouth out with soap. He’s got the Republican projection thing down to a fine art….yelling out “You Lie.” when our president is trying to get a bit of truth out to the people.


  64. ralph the wonder llama says:

    kwsventures says:
    The remark was directed at Prez. Obama. He call the prez and apologized. Enough.

    It wasn’t an insult delivered in an intimate setting; it was a boorish jeer lunched during a joint session of Congress.

    As such, the Congressman should apologize to the Congress for disgracing the chamber.

    But we know you won’t agree — unless such time as a Democrat directs an offensive slur at a Republican president, right?


  65. jb says:

    Joe Wilson is the liar and he deserves to be told as often as he open his lying mouth.


  66. Fred says:

    kwsventures says:
    The remark was directed at Prez. Obama. He call the prez and apologized. Enough.

    You really want to run things don’t you little one?

    Too bad. You don’t even have any input on how this goes. Neither do any gop members.

    In fact, this is really none of your business.


  67. Fred says:

    Beethoven Rules says:
    Hang in there Joe.

    yeah joe, the gop needs to be heard for as long as possible because they are losing representatives fast.


  68. Hoodathunk says:

    kwsventures says:
    The remark was directed at Prez. Obama. He call the prez and apologized. Enough.

    No, the remark was made in the chambers of Congress where elected representatives are supposed to act in a decent and civilized manner.

    If the president has accepted the apology for his rudeness is one thing. It does not address his lack of respect for Congress and its rules.


  69. EugeneDebs says:

    STORM says:

    Wilson was lying and so are you. You are ignorant you are a punk you are a troll and you are a liar.


  70. conservative guy says:

    Let’s have Nancy Pelosi apologize to the CIA for calling them liars and Dirty Harry Reid calling Bush a liar first.


  71. EugeneDebs says:

    Beethoven Rules says:

    You are a punk and a lying piece of garbage. You think the right needs more ignorant weasels lying because YOU are a liar. You LOVE to lie. You get pure JOY from lying. Its just the kind of ignorant punkass troll you are


  72. EugeneDebs says:

    ConservaTROLL

    You ignorant worthless punkass troll. You cant show Pelosi was lying you brainwashed maggot. And Bush IS a liar. He lied over and over.


  73. dbadass says:

    Hi conservative guy
    How about a caprese salad and some salmon cakes?


  74. RealityCheck says:

    Joe Wilson…another true American Hero…who stood up against the socialist PeeBO!!!

    B.O. was lying his azz off and he got called on it!

    By the Way…How is you’re old ACORN thing working for you now PeeBO?


  75. RealityCheck says:

    conservative guy says:

    Let’s have Nancy Pelosi apologize to the CIA for calling them liars and Dirty Harry Reid calling Bush a liar first.

    I agree and I see the low life are already pushing their lil mouses trying to silence the truth!


  76. RealityCheck says:

    ACORN = CROOKS = PeeBO


  77. tombaker says:

    wow

    powerful stuff, RC

    looks like you’ve really blown this lid off this thing.


  78. EugeneDebs says:

    RealityPUNK

    Just go kill yourself. Everyone who has ever met you wants you dead. Your trailer trash whore of a mother cries nightly that she didnt drown you at birth. Your wife/sister wishes you would just go suck in a tailpipe. Even your nieghborhood priest prays nightly that you would just go kill yourself. Tick Tock the world expects you to do the righ thing. They cant stand the stench of your stupidity anymore


  79. EugeneDebs says:

    RealityPUN=Ignorant punkass troll and stinkind putrid pile of dogshit


  80. evangenital says:

    What would Wilson think if someone interrupted his yakfest, calling him an a-hole?


  81. bluesunflower says:

    evangenital says:

    ——————————————————————————–

    What would Wilson think if someone interrupted his yakfest, calling him an a-hole?

    That’s he’s the victim, duh. And the victim of a liberal witch-hunt to boot.


  82. Pelotonpro 048 says:

    Dammit, another missed opportunity to hold their,(THE G.O.P.} feet over the fire. Now we’ll have to wait until he gets busted in a men’s room!


  83. Intrepid says:

    STORM says:

    This comment has been voted down. Click to read.

    Wilson was telling the truth. He needs to apologize for telling the truth?

    SEC. 246. NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS.

    Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.

    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c111:1:./temp/~c111DG3Uw3:e176188:

    So Storm aka Watchdog, better known as DOGSHIT, Explain how Wilson is telling the truth when Section 246 of HR 3200 proves him wrong as pointed out in the above from the bill itself.

    YOU LIE!! Just like Wilson lied………Out of pure racism of course……Just like you……..Little racist teabagger terrorist…


  84. Intrepid says:

    Reality Punk and Storm aka Watchdog, better known as DOGSHIT, Can you refute 84 and then say that Obama lied about payments for undocumented aliens under HR 3200 please?

    The section of that bill is on that post. Please try to claim that OBAMA lied about this.

    Are you trying to say this is NOT the language of Section 246 of HR 3200? If so, you are lying, so please, see how much you can muster out of your one remaining brain cell by refuting 84.

    It’s worth a try.


  85. Intrepid says:

    EugeneDebs says:

    RealityPUNK

    Just go kill yourself. Everyone who has ever met you wants you dead. Your trailer trash whore of a mother cries nightly that she didnt drown you at birth. Your wife/sister wishes you would just go suck in a tailpipe. Even your nieghborhood priest prays nightly that you would just go kill yourself. Tick Tock the world expects you to do the righ thing. They cant stand the stench of your stupidity anymore.

    I noticed our pet trolls have voted you down. I just voted you up to even the score.

    I think they are at the moment looking for something/anything to rebukd #84 but the response will be the usual dropping of another trollturd in the form of ad hominem, translating to “I have no defense to my claim to the contrary”


  86. Intrepid says:

    RealityChicken says:

    ACORN = CROOKS = PeeBO

    Translation:

    RealityChicken says:

    ACORN = CROOKS = PeeBO = DIRTY NI99ER

    What you really meant to say. Translated from “Teabagastani” to ENGLISH.


  87. Max Anax junius -1 says:

    .

    I didn’t know that Members of Congress can address the President of the U.S.A. by rudely interrupting him during a speech he’s delivering to a joint session of Congress and the Nation, acusing him of LYING. In the capacity in which this said LIE occurred, it would seem as if the Congressman accused the POTUS of a crime, of sorts.

    I remember the days when people were kicked out just for wearing T. shirts that simply disagreed.

    I smell a double standard…
    … Because I don’t recall a single member of Congress being allowed to call out a simple 16 word LIE. Then, it was called something far different..

    .


  88. Intrepid says:

    Max Anax junius -1 says:

    .

    I didn’t know that Members of Congress can address the President of the U.S.A. by rudely interrupting him during a speech he’s delivering to a joint session of Congress and the Nation, acusing him of LYING. In the capacity in which this said LIE occurred, it would seem as if the Congressman accused the POTUS of a crime, of sorts.

    I remember the days when people were kicked out just for wearing T. shirts that simply disagreed.

    I smell a double standard…
    … Because I don’t recall a single member of Congress being allowed to call out a simple 16 word LIE. Then, it was called something far different..

    IOKIYAR


  89. Intrepid says:

    Still waiting for your reply to 84 STORM, a.k.a Watchdog, better known as DOGSHIT.

    Show some balls if you really have some. Oh wait…..


  90. Intrepid says:

    RealityCheck says:

    The truth is you are a liar, a punk and a troll who hates America worse than you hate abortion clinics. The truth is BUSH DID LIE about WMD, yellowcake and the intel from the CIA. The truth is little girl is that the Bush DICTATORSHIP (I hardly call it an administration) outed a CIA operative because she told the truth. The truth is little girl is that the same dictatorship lied about torture. The painful truth is that you regurgitate the lies that RUMPRIDER Limpdick told you to think and say because you have no brain to think for yourself. Keep repeating the lies. I will destroy every one of them. Keep displaying the stupid. You’re good at it.

    Better yet. Take Eugenes advice and plainly and simply do the right thing by killing yourself.


  91. Intrepid says:

    Still waiting Stormfront poster boy.


  92. tim.ned says:

    The flack Wilson is receiving for “the lie” statement is self inflicted. No President should be shouted down during a joint congressional speech and there is plenty of time after to debate the speech.

    There is no doubt there is a big question mark on this issue. The following link provides a statement released by the White House the following day to msnbc. So the question is who was right?

    http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/11/2065287.aspx
    The GOP is the minority but winning the debate in a bill that does not yet exist. The public option is most likely dead and hopefully tort reform will be included to provide health care providers some protection from lawsuits.


  93. lvdragonlady says:

    He should be suspended from speaking to Congress, in any form, for the rest of the current session.


  94. ElBruce says:

    kwsventures says:

    The remark was directed at Prez. Obama. He call the prez and apologized. Enough.

    Normally, I’d agree. But then he went around and bragged about it, proving that his apology was insincere.

    .

    RealityCheck says:

    B.O. was lying his azz off and he got called on it!

    No he was not. Fact: the bill under consideration does not mandate coverage for undocumented immigrants. Wilson was lying, as well as being inappropriate. You are lying also.

    .

    RealityCheck says:

    Let’s have Nancy Pelosi apologize to the CIA for calling them liars and Dirty Harry Reid calling Bush a liar first.

    1. I await any proof that the CIA did not lie to Nancy Pelosi. I’ll be right here, waiting.

    2. Bush was a liar. And Reid did not shout that at him during a Congressional speech.


  95. karadagli61 says:

    Thank you for your sharing.!



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