Wednesday, 16 September 2009The U.S. House of Representatives voted on a resolution Tuesday to formally reprimand Representative Joe Wilson for yelling "You lie� during President Obama's recent health care address. The vote of 240 to 179 was unsurprisingly divided across party lines, with seven Republicans and 12 Democrats defecting, and reflects the tense and partisan atmosphere of the House.
Mr. Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, apologized to the White House by phone after the speech, but the polemical event has become a rallying cry for some and a sign of continuing Republican disrespect for others. It quickly garnered high-profile media attention, and in the days since the incident, Wilson and his 2010 Democratic opponent, Rob Miller, have each received over $1 million in campaign contributions.
Some have viewed Mr. Wilson's comments as being motivated by racist sentiments and a continuing desire to delegitimize Mr. Obama's presidency, although top Democrats have avoided such a position and said their actions were mild and only intended to maintain the integrity and order of the House. Representative James E. Clyburn, Mr. Wilson's home-state colleague and the No. 3 Democrat in the House, said, "This is about the rules of this House and reprehensible conduct.�
Although lawmakers have been cited in the past for personal attacks on an absent president, this is the first time for one to be censured for such behavior toward the president in person.
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Safiye Ozkan (JTW)
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