House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters today that Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) has done enough to apologize for his “baby killer” outburst during the health care reform vote Sunday, though Hoyer cautioned Republicans that it was actions like Neugebauer’s that helped lead to some of the darker moments during the final 48 hours of debate on the bill this weekend.
Asked about Neugebauer during his weekly briefing with reporters, Hoyer read Neugebauer’s apology letter for the outburst, in which Neugebauer said he had not meant to single out Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) — as it appeared to most listeners — but instead was referring to the entire health care bill when he shouted during Stupak’s explanation of his es vote. Hoyer said he accepted the explanation, and Neugebauer’s apology, though he said he and most Democrats didn’t hear the remark the way Neugebauer said he said it.
“He said he said ‘it’s’, and I take him at his word,” Hoyer said, adding, “I don’t think we need to carry it any further.”
But Hoyer also called out Republicans like Neugebauer for rhetoric he said was “inflammatory.” Hoyer said that Republicans were partly responsible for the epithets thrown at minority Democrats by anti-reform protesters over the weekend. Hoyer also suggested that Republicans were at least tacitly egged on protesters hell-bent on disrupting the vote.
“The rhetoric was polarizing,” he said. “It led not only to some of harsh behavior directed at members here, but also clearly to some of out of order behavior by members in the gallery.”
Hoyer said that scenes from the weekend where Republican posted signs in their Capitol windows reading “kill the bill” and reportedly cheered when protesters were pulled out of the House viewing gallery by security led to an atmosphere conducive to the worst of the democratic process.
“We have seen violent acts committed in this country based on differences of opinion,” Hoyer said, “and we should all be careful as leaders [about what we say.]”
