–Clyburn update below–
Here’s the headline: Pelosi halts effort to sanction Wilson over ‘You lie!’ outburst
Democratic leaders were looking into what formal action the House may take against Wilson, whose outburst during the Wednesday night address has rocked the lower chamber. On the list was a move to censure him.
But Pelosi dismissed that idea, as well as a call for Wilson to apologize on the floor.
“I’m on to healthcare reform. I’m not going to discuss Joe Wilson,” she said. “I think his action spoke for itself. He has apologized. He will figure out what is appropriate for him to do.”
Speaker Pelosi has been around a long time. No doubt she doesn’t want to distract or get into a partisan war just as markup on health care legislation is coming down, on which I’m sure Pres. Obama agrees.
But this is an example of why we got “death panels” in a summer filled with town hall brawls, not to mention the resignation of Van Jones, and now Yosi Sergant’s position with the Administration threatened by Glenn Beck.
Elite DC Democrats just do not know how to wage a battle for health care, while holding politicians accountable when they challenge a sitting president in such a humiliating display of disrespect.
I never thought I’d say this, but Arlen Specter is right. Wilson should be censured.
UPDATE: Interesting exchange with Rep. Clyburn, an Obama administration insider, on MSNBC earlier. Greg Sargent has more.
Clyburn: … And so I think that what we saw last night was a lot of bad manners on the floor of the House by my colleague from South Carolina, and it is very, very unfortunate because the decorum of the House was violated and I would have hoped when I spoke with him today that he would have followed my advice and go to the well of the House and apologize to his colleagues for violating the decorum but he refused to do that. And now he’s saying today that the only reason he called the White House is because his leadership ordered him to do so. So he has no remorse whatsoever so his words have very little meaning.
David Schuster: Congressman, I thought I heard you say earlier today that you described his actions as cowardly. Do you still believe that and do you think the House should now censure Congressman Wilson?
Clyburn: Well I never used that word, cowardly – that was somebody else. What I said is I thought his words were inappropriate and I think they’re a sign of bad manners. Do I think we should censure? No. Do I think we ought to pass a resolution of disapproval of his actions? Yes. And I do believe that that or a reprimand would be appropriate next week when we come back into session. We’re no longer in session today, but I plan to introduce such a resolution or ask my leadership to do so if he refuses to go to the well and apologize to his colleagues.
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