In a clear sign that Republicans intend to turn the disapproval vote against Joe Wilson into a rallying cry for their own base, far more Republicans than Democrats have been speaking during the floor debate on the resolution.
The subject of their talk: That the American people are done with this and don’t want to talk about it anymore. The message here is that the Dems are wasting time with the proceeding, and abusing their power to persecute Wilson.
“There is definitely a sense that House Republicans aren’t dealing with the same hot potato they were dealing with on Thursday morning after the president’s speech,” a GOP leadership aide just told me. “The president’s acceptance of Joe Wilson’s apology has left the Democrats looking petty and possibly on the verge of overreach. The fact that White House has now adopted some of Wilson’s policy proposals is evidence that this is no longer the political loser Democrats once thought it would be just a few days ago.”
The only Democrats who spoke during the debate were House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC). They spoke about the breach of decorum that Wilson committed, and that the House has to set an example to the country.
By contrast, a steady stream of Republicans spoke:
⢠House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said that if Wilson were to be admonished, then Congress should be doing it every day to multiple members — including Democrats.
⢠House Minority Whip Eric Cantor held up a copy of the health care bill, seeking to demonstrate that Wilson was right on the substance of illegal immigration — that illegals would not be prevented from receiving federal aid, due to a lack of enforcement capability.
⢠Other members who spoke included Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) and Mike Pence (R-IN). The theme was the same in all cases: That Joe Wilson is a good man who made a mistake, apologized to the person he injured, and now the Democrats are piling on in a partisan move.
