Friday, September 11, 2009
Joe Wilson's Come and Gone
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 10:02 AM
The saga of Representative Joe Wilson and "the shout" provides an instructive primer for how social networking and the Internet have utterly transformed not just the coverage of the news, but the very making of it.
I was watching the president's healthcare speech from home and Tweeting casually about it, along with a number of other local Twits, some in journalism, some not.
- Joe Wilson
When Wilson shouted "You lie," several people tweeted, "Did someone just call the president a liar?" Who was it? Everyone wanted to know. Within seconds, we did know. The culprit had been identified on CNN and his identity tweeted to millions. Within minutes, Wilson's Wikipedia entry had been updated to include the shout in his bio. Wilson's Twitter and email addresses were sent out and thousands of people began sending him messages demanding he apologize. Within 15 minutes, the name, address, website, and phone number of Wilson's opponent in the 2010 Congressional election had been spread around the blogosphere. Within 8 hours, more than $400,000 had been pledged to him.
So many website URLs about Wilson's background were sent out via email and Twitter, that within a half hour I'd learned more about an obscure South Carolina congressman's history and record than I know about my own representative's. And this was a man I'd never heard of a half-hour earlier.
Wilson had to change his Twitter account. He quickly apologized, more or less, for his actions. The next day, he appeared on Fox News, where he received sympathy and understanding as only Sean Hannity can deliver it. Rush Limbaugh, predictably, offered his support. On the opposite side of the spectrum, on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann did a typically histrionic "special comment" on Wilson, elevating the man and his moment of stupidity to even higher planes of outrage.
Let's review: Within 24 hours, South Carolina representative Joe Wilson went from an absolute nonentity on the national radar to a household name. His opponent now has twice as much as money to campaign with as Wilson does. A national campaign to unseat him has been put into motion. Millions of people think he's an ungracious ass.
Fifty years ago, Wilson's outburst might have been reported in the morning paper. A few of his colleagues might have insisted he apologize, which would have been duly reported over the next day or so. Most people would never have heard about it or cared, if they had. Now, we're all connected, like bees in a cyber-hive. Consequences come quick and hard. Public — and even private — stupidity is much more difficult to get away with.
That's a good thing, right?
Comments (31)
Showing 1-25 of 31
Fifty years ago, it probably would not have happened, and if it had, he probably would have been brought up on charges of violating House rules. They probably took the rules more seriously back then.
He's caught heat for saying stupid things before... supposedly he may be addicted to no doz, if The Hill is to be believed.
Here's a good read on why the current incivility toward the president is not a good thing.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/…
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the democrats should be thanking joe wilson for thrusting himself into the spotlight. a 60-something year old southern white guy/strom thurmon hero-worshipper becoming the posterboy for the GOP is the last thing the party needs to improve it's image. especially when the one thing that outrages him to the point of "you lie!" is the thought of brown people getting health care coverage. the democrats couldn't design a better stereotype for republicans. they would be wise to use him as the face of anti health reform.
fifty years ago, members of congress, maily southerners, routinely dropped the n-bomb in reference to black people ON THE RECORD, in both houses of congress. How's that for historical civility in politics? Maybe it wasn't so great back then, all I'm sayin.
The bees are dying in droves - Colony Collapse Disorder - and they still don't know why.
What the hell is going on in South Carolina? It's like everybody smoked opium and decided to become a Wiccan.
Zip, you need to get wit' da twit. You'd dig it. So would everybody else who comments on here. Every big televised event is like a smack-talk festival.
packy, my comment was more in reference to how they talked to each other and showed at least a little respect for the office of the president, and not about how they treated/referred to your average citizen.
although in terms of civil rights, i'd have to say that just because the racism is now in code instead of overt and on the record doesn't mean the situation's any better.
This man has received over $240,000 in contributions from the insurance and other healthcare related industries. I guess this is how he pays them back.
@clint:
Yeah, I'd probably start panicking and shouting if I saw my revenue stream drying up before my eyes....
I'm with you b. Your point is valid. You know, my wife said I need to lay off reading about the civil rights era for a while, I get too worked up about the injustices and appalling murderous bigotry. Funny, there used to be quite a few actual liberal and moderate Republicans who supported civil rights. Then when ol' Strom switched parties, well, we know what happened after that....
Coded racism? You conspiracy-minded Moonbats need to quit it. The racism is unsubtle and overt but denied out of existence by the racists who are covered by the wise members of our MSM who know full well that all societal ills that weren't fixed in 1964 were certainly fixed when we elected Obama.
Code. What kind of Macaca is that?
Am I jaded ? All I see in Congress is a bunch of crooks, liars, and thieves. Did I miss anyone? Just asking.
It is down right embarrassing to watch the democrats behave like spoiled brats. Calling Joe Wilson on the carpet for being the only honest person in the room.
Joe Wilson is a man with a passion to save this country and our constitution. This is no longer a war between republicans and democrats, this a war between a dictator/oligarchy take over of our government and Proud, Intelligent, Americans who wish to preserve the ONLY FREE REPUBLIC left on the planet. The American lifestyle is being systematically destroyed by Obama and his team of Kool Aid drinking, power hungry Marxists in Democrats' clothing. Obama is the Trojan Horse that Acorn put into office. The belly of the horse is filled with democrat senators and congressmen.
THANK YOU JOE! AND GOD BLESS THE REPUBLIC, CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS. IT'S ABOUT TIME WE STAND UP AND TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK. RUN FOR PRESIDENT JOE! YOU AND SARA WOULD GIVE THE MARXISTS A REAL CHALLENGE.
Where were you lefties when we sat through 8 years of taunting and bullying as the dems boo'd George W Bush when he spoke the truth. Where you you slefties when you chanted Bush Lied... People Died. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. but I can point out thousands of lies that dems spewed about him.
Democrats behave like spoiled rotten brats. They are corrupt beyond comprehension!
RadioGal, how much of that neo-con meth you done today, sweet thang?? Or is that just some of that good old homegrown, Down in Dixie, weed you smokin? Didn't your Mama tell you crack is wack? C'mon and share your dope preference with the rest of us here. Give it to us. You know you want to.
What do people think?...illegal immigrants go home when they get sick NOW??...NO , they go to our emergency rooms and WE pay for it NOW by paying higher prices NOW!!! Can we think for ourselves or are we continually allowing politicians to manipulate us....
I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office. I can say that at no time has Bush ever spoken a lie while in office.
can you now. really.
Nurse Ratchet--oops 'scuse me--Bev, Sec. 246 of the House bill clearly states, "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States." so you don't have to worry your sweet little compassionate conservative heart that any brown people who cut your grass or clean your house are going to show up at a hospital with a sick, injured, or dying child and get a penny of your taxes for medical treatment. Heck, that is the Christian American way. And just for our own "security", do you prefer that we all get a National ID card or would you rather we just carry our birth certificates in baggies around our necks?
Hey rantboy, would it have to be the "long form" version to preclude any notion that we were not a citizen?
Bush never lied in office, lmao. thanks, I needed that. I'm lying here,in pain, down in the back, feeling like sh!t, thank you, I needed some humor right about now.
btw, radiogurl, the Dems are praying that the GOP runs a joint slate of an illiterate northwoods quitter and a Son of Confederate Vets. What a winner of a ticket THAT would be. You'd win Alaska and all the states George Wallace carried.
Where was Bruce when shoes were thrown at Bush last year? Where was Bruce's comments when Pelosi, Reid, and others let out little sounds of disgust during Bush's statements? Bruce didn't deal with the main issue; did he or did he not lie? Sure he did; here are some examples from the Creative Minority Report:
These are a few of the lies...I mean oversimplifications told by Obama, according to the AP:
OBAMA: "I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits either now or in the future. Period."
THE FACTS: Though there's no final plan yet, the White House and congressional Democrats already have shown they're ready to skirt the no-new-deficits pledge.
House Democrats offered a bill that the Congressional Budget Office said would add $220 billion to the deficit over 10 years...
OBAMA: "Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have."
THE FACTS: ...The Congressional Budget Office analyzed the health care bill written by House Democrats and said that by 2016 some 3 million people who now have employer-based care would lose it because their employers would decide to stop offering it.
In the past Obama repeatedly said, "If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period." Now he's stopping short of that unconditional guarantee by saying nothing in the plan "requires" any change...
OBAMA: "Don't pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut. ... That will never happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare."
THE FACTS: Obama and congressional Democrats want to pay for their health care plans in part by reducing Medicare payments to providers by more than $500 billion over 10 years. The cuts would largely hit hospitals and Medicare Advantage, the part of the Medicare program operated through private insurance companies.
Although wasteful spending in Medicare is widely acknowledged, many experts believe some seniors almost certainly would see reduced benefits from the cuts. That's particularly true for the 25 percent of Medicare users covered through Medicare Advantage.
So while I don't want congressmen yelling out at Presidents in the middle of speeches, at least Joe Wilson told the truth when he called Obama a liar. Obama lied about Palin being a liar. And then he lied about the costs of his plan. He lied about who it would cover. He lied about Medicare.
You people need to pick up a Bible and/or trust in the higher power. Remember when you point a finger you have 3 more pointing back at you. BE BLESSED and stop criticizing one another.
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