Kathleen Parker lies while trying to play down Joe Wilson's "You lie!" behavior
September 11, 2009 8:45 am ET by Eric Boehlert
Wilson's hateful and unhinged outburst wasn't' really that bad, writes Parker, because members of Congress have always done rude things while presidents address Congress, like when Sen. John McCain was caught napping during one of Bush's speeches.
I'm not kidding. That's what Parker wrote.
Do false equivalencies come any more lame than that? Indeed they do, because Parker's just getting started. She also notes that Hillary Clinton once wore a nasty expression on her face when Bush spoke to Congress, which let's face it, is just like calling interrupting the President of the United States on national television and calling him a liar. (And, of course, lying about him being a liar.)
It gets even worse. Parker then goes back and simply reinvents history by claiming that Democrats were "booing and heckling Bush throughout his 2005 address."
Parker here is flat out lying here. Go watch the clip of Democrats allegedly "booing and heckling Bush" in 2005, which conservatives eagerly posting on the Internet yesterday. See for yourself what a joke it is to suggest the Democratic groans that arose when Bush was fear mongering about the state of Social Security, were the same as Wilson's clarion and unhinged "Your lie!" outburst.
And a personal challenge to Parker: Please substantiate your claim that the so-called "booing and heckling" of Bush in 2005 lasted throughout his 2005 address. Not even the factually-challenged right-wing blogosphere is making that preposterous claim.
UPDATED: Parker just plays massively dumb throughout the column [emphasis added]:
South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson seems to have set a precedent Wednesday night when he called the president a liar during a joint session of Congress. That's the official word from House deputy historian Fred Beuttler, who says that though cheering and jeering between parties are commonplace, a single individual seldom steals the floor.
Why the "seems"? Parker quotes a House historian who says nobody's done what Wilson did. But since her point is to pretend the "You lie!" was no big deal, Parker suggests it might have not been so novel.


















It was just the most disgusting display, it really was. Hoping MM gets the video.
Does the GOP email out False Equivalency talking points nightly? Jamison's post late last night pointed out the Politico article, and this morning, Scarborough sounded almost to the punctuation exactly like the Politico article. Huh. Why if I didn't know better I'd say all of this is coordinated! ;-)
Oh man, the hate would be incredible. I'm sure the MSM would already be talking about how the democrat should resign because of his/her outburst.
Just basing my opinion on reactions we've seen from these hacks in the past on even smaller matters. I mean, heck, democrats disagreed with Bush on some things and were branded traitors, sympathetic to terrorists, and wanting the terrorists to win.
I also never remember democratic members of Congress holding up protest signs during Bush's speeches, ever. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.
When Speaker Pelosi said that the CIA lied to her (not even the President, but just the CIA), the news cycle was dominated not by the fact that she was correct (she had in fact been lied to), but by media pundits calling for her resignation.
Protesters at town hall meetings shouting and disrupting any civil discourse on health coverage reform? Patriotic.
Protesters at an anti-war rally shouting and engaging in civil disobedience? Traitors, communists, terrorist sympathizers, et cetera ad nauseum.
The media is clearly not liberal, nor yet centrist, it is primarily a voice of the conservatives. I have a feeling that pendulum may begin to swing back, and I hope it does and soon. Until then, MMfA, keep calling 'em like you see 'em!
I'm sorry, but the Dixie Chicks making a comment at a concert in London is not the same as a State Representative yelling at the President during a live, televised, national address! Are you kidding me?
And let's examine Rep. Joe Wilson's claim that the President "lied". The President stated that the healthcare bill will not provide for illegal aliens. This is, in fact, the truth. The bill clearly states this will not happen. However, if individual states or even doctors themselves continue to treat illegal aliens, then that is a decision being made by those individuals. Hence, the President did not lie.
Rep. Wilson is entitled to his opinion, like any other American citizen. However, he does not have the right to disrespect our nation's leader the way he did. I for one, as a citizen of the state of SC, have never been more embarrassed than I was Tuesday night....even after the Gov. Mark Sanford scandal!
Yes, sir, this IS a wise sentiment.
I also say "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity."
But Republicans, BOTH often apply rather aptly...
Hence my mantra that "Conservtaives only come in two flavours: Evil and Stupid. One lies, the other buys."
BTW, here is a FANTASTIC paper about HUMAN STUPIDITY. Definitelly worth a read. Hilarious, and FULL of wisdom!
http://wwwcsif.cs.ucdavis.edu/~leeey/stupidity/basic.htm
I think I'm going to have to agree with your mantra, and I think the lines are blurry (see Beck and Palin).
Beck and Palin are PERFECT EXAMPLES! Those two, especially Palin, I think are WAAAY to stupid to really be considered evil! Beck is stupid, but I think he's also clinically insane.
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