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Lawrence O'Donnell blasts guest Rep. Culberson (R-TX): "You lie to America about the evil of government health care"

August 14, 2009 6:49 pm ET

From the August 14 edition of MSNBC's Hardball:

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    • Author by jgibson349687 (August 14, 2009 6:59 pm ET)
      9 1
      Much better host for Hardball than Tweety Matthews.

      Keep hosting and slamming the Jacka/ss Repubs., Mr. O'Donnell.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by lede39571545 (August 14, 2009 8:59 pm ET)
        4 1
        You are absolutely correct or would love to see him replace Morning Joe & Mika.
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    • Author by MickD (August 14, 2009 7:04 pm ET)
      11 1
      The congressman knows the ratings of MSNBC but not Medicare details.
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    • Author by hisroyalmattness (August 14, 2009 7:08 pm ET)
      6 1
      Lawrence O’Donnell took him to town. Rep. Culberson tries to dodge the questions and O’Donnell was on him like a pit bull. It was great to see a liberal stick to his gun and not back down.
      Culberson just kept on trying to stick with his talking points. He even got in we do not want anyone between me and my doctors and the best one we got the best health care system in the world.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by foghornleghorn (August 14, 2009 7:13 pm ET)
      7 1
      Bravo!! Lawrence should have asked the congressman about medicare part D.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by lede39571545 (August 14, 2009 7:30 pm ET)
      6 1
      Why did the Congressman have such a hard time answering the questions with a simple yes or no? He represents his district with Honor & Integrity....yeh with a lot of spin and no answers.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by foghornleghorn (August 14, 2009 7:39 pm ET)
        4 1
        Did he really describe himself as a "Jeffersonian Democrat"? What in the heck does that mean?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by foghornleghorn (August 14, 2009 7:39 pm ET)
          2 1
          check that - "Jeffersonian Republican".
          Report Abuse
        • Author by DAWUSS (August 14, 2009 8:02 pm ET)
          2  
          Same thing as Reagan Democrat?
          Report Abuse
        • Author by blk-in-alabam (August 15, 2009 12:18 am ET)
          4 1
          A time when everybody knew their place
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        • Author by WhatImlost (August 15, 2009 4:24 am ET)
          2  
          I think he was trying to make a failed reference to Thomas Jefferson's political party, the Democratic Republicans, which Jeffersons Democratic Republican party was opposed by the Federalist party, after the federalist party vanished soon after Jefferson's term the Democratic Republican party split in half with one half becoming the modern day Democratic Party and the other half evenually came to be known as the Whigs. The Whigs disappeared in the 1840's and 50's just prior to the Civil War, which was only a short 20 years after the party offically split from the Democratic party. Evenually the whigs were replaced by the modern day Republican's.

          In other words a if the Congressman claims to be a Jeffersonian Republican, means he is either claiming to be a member of the modern day Democractic party or is a memeber of a party that was very Liberal (although divided on and destroyed by the slavery issue) and ceased to exist over 150 years ago.

          I hope his voters pay to this interview, their supposedly Republican congressman just admitted he is actually a member of the other party, or the other idealogy from the conservatism he claims.....Or thats just another fact he got wrong....glad to see his level of education...
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    • Author by Vincenzo (August 14, 2009 7:32 pm ET)
      4 1
      It is with a little guilt that I have to say this altercation was great. Expose these cretins who feel they can lie and then turn right around and say they are the responsible ones in Washington. Oh and Mr.Culberson the fact that your father grew up during the Depression gets you NOWHERE.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by frannie (August 14, 2009 7:43 pm ET)
      6  
      These people lose it when they are confronted with a listener with a brain. You can't be against government-run health care and be for medicare. You can't praise social security in the '30's because it saved lives and condemn the health care revisions that would save lives now. And you can't natter on about the intent of the founding fathers and ignore :"provide for the general welfare" Is that the communist manifesto? No. It's the Constitution!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by inam (August 14, 2009 7:52 pm ET)
      3  
      Is the entire Republican party in the pockets of big insurance companies? Can anyone from that party stand-up and tell these "protesters" a few simple truths? Can people from the republican party recognize the lack of conscience these congress people display when they are asked not to turn away from a simple question. Can the "independents" recognize simple spin? Medicare is socialized medicine, "social"-security has a reason to be called "social-security," because it is socially based. This congress man did not get it enough. He should not have been let off unless he gave a yea or a nay to whether medicare and social security is a socialized program or not.
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      • Author by MickD (August 14, 2009 11:26 pm ET)
        4  
        I think they are promised money, money for their coffers, money for re-election campaigns, money to stuff into goddam pieholes as long as they keep spewing, spewing, spewing the corporate line. THEY are the ones that want to kill grandma, especially if she has no money to give them.
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    • Author by dpavlak8235 (August 14, 2009 8:05 pm ET)
      5  
      I'm hoping that Rep. Culberson walks away from this interview feelling a little bit of the frustrations his democratic colleagues felt during their town hall meetings, when they were shouted down, interupted and overtalked, the same way that O'Donnell just did with him...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by cmiller442 (August 14, 2009 9:35 pm ET)
        5  
        Ya know, I kind of got that feeling too. Larry O went OFF on that slimy weasel, big time. He was sputtering and spitting and spinning away.

        I'd like to see Shuster and O'Donnell do a show together. Talk about sharks in the water...And maybe let Big Ed do an Op-Ed with the 3 of them.

        Republicans would feel a different kind of tingle down their legs if they had to face down those three guys.

        I also found it amusing how often Tex Culberson brought up MSNBC's ratings. I guess he'll be looking for a Fox and Freaks interview to whine about the liberal media in the morning...and a nicely dumbed-down crowd already brainwashed into to agreeing with him.
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    • Author by dmhack (August 14, 2009 8:16 pm ET)
      5 1
      Gee, the Republican sure don't like it when people talk over them. Pity.

      O'Donnell has nailed a great point I'd like to hear every Republican try to answer. Somehow, I think their answers won't be much more cogent than Culberson's.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by geosayre (August 14, 2009 9:19 pm ET)
      3  
      It is about time conservatives get asked such questions.

      A few other questions I would like to hear asked:
      "Since you oppose gun control would you roll back all restrictions on private ownership of arms (2nd adm. term), including fully automatic weapons & mortors?"
      "Since you support rights would you support a states sovereign decision to allow same sex marriage?"
      "Since you oppose socialist education, would you vote to eliminate Student loans and research grants to state Universities?"

      Perhaps if they had to address why they support some socialism, federal intervention, some gun control, etc. we could move on to rational discussions re. the complex realities facing our democracy.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by mnclone (August 15, 2009 12:02 am ET)
      1  
      gee, what a surprise that this idiot is from Texas.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by The_Cat (August 15, 2009 10:51 am ET)
      5  
      You can see the fear in Culberson's eyes, when he realizes that sticking to his 'no socialism!' guns means alienating a huge segment of Americans. I'd like to see the Republicans live up to their rhetoric and try to repeal Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, not to mention a whole other host of government programs. They would cease to be a regional party. They would cease to be a party at all.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by foghornleghorn (August 15, 2009 11:05 am ET)
      5  
      I love how this idiot brought out the Jerry Springer line "you don't know me"

      How do people like this get elected in the first place?

      Report Abuse
    • Author by ronhohn (August 15, 2009 12:05 pm ET)
        1
      What Lawrence failed to interject when Culbertson was ranting about "we don't want any government or anyone else between me and my doctor ...".
      Does he want some data entry clerk at an insurance company to interject himself?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by New Frontier (August 15, 2009 4:10 pm ET)
      1 1
      It's all very clear: Culberson won't let government stand in the way of you and your doctor and--as a government representative--he will do this by standing in the way of you and better health care.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by AmericaInDenial (August 16, 2009 10:43 am ET)
        1
      Everyone knows republicans never answer simple yes or no, nice try Lawrence, Chris would be proud of you.

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    • Author by canaanxing9025 (August 16, 2009 11:40 am ET)
      3 1
      Memo To: Representative Culberson

      If you can't stand the heat, go to Fox News.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by canaanxing9025 (August 16, 2009 11:40 am ET)
         
      Memo To: Representative Culberson

      If you can't stand the heat, go to Fox News.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bintx (August 17, 2009 10:24 am ET)
        1
      This was GREAT! Culberson looked like a blubbering idiot and his "well, you . . . " junior high comebacks made him look even worse. O'Donnell asked him questions and he tried to spin the answers. I was glad O'Donnell held his feet to the fire.
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