The hollerer was Wilson, a four-term Republican from South Carolina and former aide to the late Sen. Strom Thurmond. A lawyer with four sons who have served in the military, two in Iraq, Wilson has long aspired to statewide office. "I think Joe's very confrontational," said House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn. Wilson held his first health-care town hall forum last month in Clyburn's district, three blocks from his home.
It was a perfect storm of hot buttons that evoked an utterance of such negativity that it turned heads. President Barack Obama was giving a speech to Congress and he started talking about healthcare and illegal immigrants and money, and unexpectedly, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina spoke up.
"You lie!" the Republican congressman blurted out on the floor of the House immediately after the president said: "the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."
It was Rep. Wilson who had been reinforcing the belief that the healthcare reform would include the so-called Death Panels. He called it an "end-of-life counseling program, which has been correctly highlighted by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a program which could lead to seniors being encouraged to seek less care in order to protect the government´s bottom line."
Minutes before Wilson's wail, the president had debunked the theory that grandma's plug would be pulled in order to save federal dollars. "It's a lie, plain and simple," he said, which brought most of the attendees to their feet.
After the speech, the criticism for Wilson was bipartisan. "I've never seen anything like that before," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) "We do not invite the president of the United States into the House of Representatives and hurl insults."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the outburst was "totally disrespectful" and demanded that Rep. Wilson apologize to the president. "No place for it in that setting or any other, and he should apologize for it immediately," McCain told Larry King on CNN.
Wilson apologized shortly after the speech for how he acted out: “This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the healthcare bill. While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”
Stepping into a fray that still threatens to kill plans for national health care overhaul, President Barack Obama declared Wednesday that "the time for bickering is over" and outlined principles for Congress to follow in the debate:
• People who have coverage through their employers should be able to keep it; at least, there's nothing in his proposal that would force that to change.
• People who don't have coverage would have to get it, and they'd have the option of buying through an exchange set up to increase competition and hold down rates.
• Insurers couldn't cap benefits, throw people off rolls once they get ill or exclude them for preexisting conditions.
• Plan would not insure illegal immigrants
• Federal funds would not pay for abortions
•Would not cause Death Panel where end of life counseling program will encourage old folks to seek less care to protect government bottom line.Will encourage "Grandma plug" to be pulled to save Federal money.
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