I love Joe Wilson. Again! Which sets
me up here and now to make sure a critical distinction is made. Joe Wilson
is not Joseph
Wilson, the former ambassador whom I really do love for the devotion
and fiery outrage he’s displayed in nonstop defense of his wife,
outed CIA undercover agent Valerie Plame. The other Joe Wilson, by contrast,
seems more like an inhabitant of Superman’s Bizarro World.
But make no mistake, I heartily celebrate him nonetheless! This Joe Wilson
may not necessarily be the Evil Twin of Plame’s husband. But he
indeed is the newly-crowned, self-appointed hero of the politically deranged.
As such, these are ironically some of the very folks who would certainly
stand to benefit most of all from Obama’s efforts to clean up the
health care mess and make insurance coverage more widely available and
affordable. I was outraged, of course, while watching President Barack
Obama’s Wednesday night speech to a Joint Session of Congress,
to see Congressman Wilson loudly blurt “liar!” WHILE Obama
was speaking. This thoughtless pipsqueak brought shame upon himself,
his constituents in his 2nd district in South Carolina, and to the entire
Republican Congressional delegation.
The Second District, according to Wikipedia, is located
“ in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Lexington,
Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Allendale and Barnwell counties; almost all
of Richland County and parts of Aiken, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.
It is based in the state capital, Columbia; other major cities in the
district are Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina%27s_2nd_congressional_district
The benign, smiling face in Joe Wilson’s official representative’s
portrait is lightyears distant from the GOP Gargoyle-du-Jour he became
on the night of Obama’s speech. That signature candid of Wilson
rudely interrupting the President, pointing, mouth agape, having just
formed a loud and hugely inappropriate diss of the President, will live
in both infamy and on the internet.
http://blog.taragana.com/n/joe-wilson-shouts-you-lie-to-obama-164298/
I couldn’t be more delighted. Thank you Joe Wilson, for voluntarily
becoming the angry, twisted, insolent face of the Republican naysayers, “NO-bodies,” and
assorted nattering nabobs of negativity (hey, this fellow is becoming
one BIGTIME inspiration – I’m getting totally carried away
here)! Mr. Wilson, you’ve just birthed a poster child for all those
folks who insist on creating ugly, out-of-control displays and tantrums
on your side of the fence. Makes our job that much easier! Plus, while
you’re busy dining on crow all the following day, your Democratic
opponent, Rob Miller, has spent the morning digging out from under an
avalanche of fresh new campaign donations – estimated at least
double the stated hundred-thousand-dollar goal.
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19079
I’m certain the flip side has been left mumbling “say it
ain’t so, Joe!” for what may be several news cycles in a
row. Joe Wilson accomplished something rather impressive. Suddenly, the
GOP was knocked off its stride yet again, while already reeling on the
heels of a vigorous and impressive speech by Barack Obama. Just what
they needed to put a cherry on top of their PR offensive (an even more
relevant term now) was for one of their own acting like a cretin to draw
attention to their stubborn incivility and lack of willingness to work
with the President. Certainly many of them were hardly innocent themselves.
Plenty of them were busy with texting, waving papers and leaflets, harrumphing
loudly, and other rude stunts during the speech when they were supposed
to be paying at least some attention and showing respect. Thanks Joe!
Now THAT’S leadership. Outstanding example to set. A REAL family
value! You ALL must be so proud. The whole sordid display reminded me
of a TV commercial for a local men’s clothing store in which the
spokesman says – “you’re gonna like the way you look.” So,
Republicans, do you like how you guys look now?
Evidently not. The next day, cable TV was awash in uncomfortable, hesitant,
embarrassed Republicans trying to dial it back a notch. Whether it was
an uncharacteristically warm-fuzzy Michael Steele commercial, or self-styled
firebrands Eric Cantor and John Boehner turning the volume down on the
verbal punches they were now delicately trying to pull, these political
WWF combatants seemed extra defensive. Even some of the pundits were
more circumspect. Washington Post contributor Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC
noted that if any Democrats had behaved that boorishly when George W.
Bush was speaking, there would have been Seven Levels of Hell to pay.
Objectively, this is not what the “’loyal’ opposition” needs
as its members keep trying to throw banana peels into Obama’s path.
They’re still hoping to make the face behind the Oval Office desk – and
not the faces they see in their own bathroom mirrors – look bad.
But, not surprisingly, they overreach, throwing too many banana peels
on the pavement, leaving plenty available for them to slip on, too.
The marginally-penitent Congressman offered an apology following across-the-board
condemnation. That’s mighty big of you, Joe. Almost as big as your
mouth. Or the hole in your head. For all I know, they’re interchangeable.
Doesn’t matter. The damage, thankfully, has been done. You’ve
unintentionally knocked your own forces off-message, Mr. Wilson, giving
your side a very messy bloody nose by behaving like a swine. I hope the
Democrats and pro-Obama/pro-health care reform groups take full advantage,
because this kind of break doesn’t happen often. The GOP just loaded
and gassed up a battle-ready battering ram, and handed the Democrats
the keys. Here’s hoping the Dems know how to drive it – through
every kind of terrain.
Email: joe.wilson@mail.house.gov
----
Contact Rep. Joe Wilson via Web Form.
Website: joewilson.house.gov
Washington, D.C. Office:
212 Cannon House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-4002
Phone: (202) 225-2452
Fax: (202) 225-2455
Beaufort Office: (more district offices)
903 Port Republic Street
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902
Phone: (843) 521-2530
Fax: (843) 521-2535
Beaufort Office:
903 Port Republic Street
Beaufort, South Carolina 29902
Phone: (843) 521-2530
Fax: (843) 521-2535
West Columbia Office:
1700 Sunset Boulevard (US 378), Suite 1
West Columbia, South Carolina 29169
Phone: (803) 939-0041
Fax: (803) 939-0078
Mary
Lyon spent the first 25 years of her adult life as a broadcast journalist,
at Los Angeles radio stations KRTH-FM, KFWB-AM, KHJ-AM and KLOS-FM, the
NBC, ABC, and RKO Radio Networks, plus KTLA-TV. She retired from day-to-day
broadcasting in 1996, after covering Hollywood for nine years in radio,
TV, and print, for the Associated Press. She wrote and illustrated "The
Frazzled Working Woman's Practical Guide to Motherhood," and is presently
at work on a new craft book for kids and friends. A lifelong Democrat
who began her political involvement in the Student Coalition for Humphrey-Muskie,
and Tom Bradley's first L.A. Mayoral campaign, Mary currently is a weekly
columnist for www.democrats.us -
from the Left.
