by Mark Silva
The great public debate marches on:
Rep. Pete Stark, the California Democrat who stands to become chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was holding one of those infamous town-hall meetings.
A man rose to talk about President Barack Obama's health-care plan - also suggesting that he doesn't really have a plan, but if there is one, "it's all smoke and mirrors'' - and told the California congressman about the many failures of the federal government: "You've mucked up everything you get your hands on...
"Mr. Congressman, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining,'' the man said to cheers from the audience.
"Thank you,'' Stark replied, "but I wouldn't dignify you by peeing on your leg. It wouldn't be worth wasting the urine.''
Jeers from the crowd.
No chairs were thrown, however. The town hall went on.
This is the congressman whose name has been invoked during the recent debate over Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst on the floor of the House as President Barack Obama delivered an address to a joint session of Congress. "You lie,'' Wilson called out -- the House this week formally voted to admonish him for that.
"You don't have money to fund the war or children,'' Stark said then, in October 2007. "But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."
Stark returned to the floor days later with an apology:
""I want to apologize to, first of all, my colleagues, many of whom I've offended; the president, his family, to the troops ... and I do apologize," the 18-term congressman said then. ""I think that we have a serious issue before us - the issue of providing medical care for children, the issue of what we do about a war that we're divided about how to end. "I hope that with this apology I will become as insignificant as I should be and that we can return to the issues that do divide us but that we can resolve in a better fashion."
Wilson had apologized to the White House, but refused to repeat that apology to the House. Stark isn't likely to be apologizing to his angry constituent anytime soon.
Comments
Isn't it a sad sight to see these Republican-Libertarian representatives, try to fool America with their nonsense and nonsensical agenda. If it weren't doing our nation, and President Obama, so much harm, it would be laughable. In stead, it is deplorable, but that is the price we pay to allow detractors masquerade as dissenters, when in fact, they are nothing but disrupters !! Be that as it may, the Republican-Libertarians are cutting their own throats !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | September 16, 2009 9:43 AM
I call racism.
Unlike some people who need new kidney’s and cannot urinate, he can urinate on someone's legs and chooses not to. Does he know how many people would LOVE to urinate on his leg?
Stay classy, democrats.
Posted by: Chris | September 16, 2009 10:09 AM
I wonder if the main-stream-media and especially MSNBC will play and replay this tape?
I doubt it because Stark is a democrat and they are held to a different standard than republicans are!
Posted by: Pat H | September 16, 2009 10:10 AM
Hey, is there anyone being embarrassed and demeaned by having a tax-cheat'en, a non-disclosure of income (some questionable), a purveyor of sleazily personal enrichment, along with misuse of his Congressional privileges still being chairman of the House Ways and Means committee and proposing all these new taxes on us Americans? Now that is a problem the Dems. and Nancy should address, don't ya think? Oh my, Rangle is AF! I must be a racists!!!
Posted by: bubba Porter | September 16, 2009 10:39 AM
Come on Donny boy.
Your insistant hate-Republican rants are just plain ignorant. Blaming all things bad on Republicans only is as childish as your bringn them home now stupidity. You know for a fact that president Obama lied during the campaign to you, yet you continue the rant as if....
"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining" is an old saying. You're supposedly an old guy so you should have heard that before and I'll bet you've used it too!
What's the murder-death-kill count today in Obama's wars Don? You never seem to shout out those numbers or blame president Obama for his lies about bringing the troops home safe and whole do you. Hypocrite is the word for folks like you Don, all you do is spew hate for all things republican and ignore the lies and hypocracy from your side of the fence.
Yes, I support our troops but I'm not stupid enough to have ever believed campaigning Obama was ever telling the truth, then or now.
Posted by: springfield | September 16, 2009 10:51 AM
Isn't it a sad sight to see these Republican-Libertarian representatives, try to fool America with their nonsense and nonsensical agenda. If it weren't doing our nation, and President Obama, so much harm, it would be laughable. In stead, it is deplorable, but that is the price we pay to allow detractors masquerade as dissenters, when in fact, they are nothing but disrupters !! Be that as it may, the Republican-Libertarians are cutting their own throats !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | September 16, 2009 9:43 AM
Don- hellooooo... what are you talking about?
The only thing that was"deplorable" about this exchange was the arrogant dismissing of a constituent.
Unbelievable that not only can the congressman - who I am pretty sure voted for the censure of Wilson - think its ok to talk like this to one of his constituents, but to have the arrogance to say it in front of a crowd with apparently no sense of how this makes him appear.
Wilson- while being rude, was arguably truthful in calling Obama's assertion about the health care bill a lie, this was just an ad hominem attack on a private citizen for no reason other then having the audacity to speak his mind.
What a tool- defending him - which it appears you are- makes you one too.
Posted by: heartburn | September 16, 2009 10:54 AM
With the bombardment of deliberate misinformation aimed at old folks, it's no wonder (if not criminal) this guy's concerned. However, Stark may taken better advantage of the situation by asking if he wants his (government funded and administered) Medicare and Social Security revoked. Help from the VA? Gone. FDA testing of those drugs you're getting ripped off on? History. Loans for your grandkid's education? Poof. Happy to comply with the needs of individuals in the district he represents....
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | September 16, 2009 11:23 AM
heartburn,
This "constituent" is not a Stark supporter, will never be a Start supporter so whatever Pete Stark had to say would not satisfy this "constituent" unless it was to announce the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House and His Cabinet are dead. Are you suggesting Stark should've held hands with the "constituent" and sang Kumbaya?
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 16, 2009 11:44 AM
I wonder if the main-stream-media and especially MSNBC will play and replay this tape?
I doubt it because Stark is a democrat and they are held to a different standard than republicans are!
Posted by: Pat H | September 16, 2009 10:10 AM
Especially ABC-
Posted by: Inky | September 16, 2009 11:48 AM
Separated at birth? (Triplets!)
Pete Stark/Ted Stevens/John Mclaughlin
(And all similar personalities)
Posted by: C.Morris | September 16, 2009 11:54 AM
heartburn,
This "constituent" is not a Stark supporter, will never be a Start supporter so whatever Pete Stark had to say would not satisfy this "constituent" unless it was to announce the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House and His Cabinet are dead. Are you suggesting Stark should've held hands with the "constituent" and sang Kumbaya?
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 16, 2009 11:44 AM
So- in your view, it is ok to publicly insult people as long as they are not his supporters? And then pretend that Wilson should apologies to the congress for his "lack of decorum"?
Posted by: heartburn | September 16, 2009 12:35 PM
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... Did it take even that long for people to start defending the indefinsible, simply because it was a liberal being a jerk?
Manners are manners, no matter who is exhibiting poor ones.
Posted by: beth | September 16, 2009 1:12 PM
So- in your view, it is ok to publicly insult people as long as they are not his supporters? And then pretend that Wilson should apologies to the congress for his "lack of decorum"?
Posted by: heartburn | September 16, 2009 12:35 PM
;
He said he wasn't going to pee on him. Are you saying that it would be a compliment to do so? You Republicans and your diaper wearing, toe tapping, water sport fetishes are creepy.
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 16, 2009 1:46 PM
Now we know where the term "stark raving mad" came from. This moron should be censured for dismissing a constituent. In fact, he dissed a room full of constituents. Typical Loony Lefty and one reason why this country is not the great country it was and can be.
Posted by: John D | September 16, 2009 2:09 PM
He said he wasn't going to pee on him. Are you saying that it would be a compliment to do so? You Republicans and your diaper wearing, toe tapping, water sport fetishes are creepy.
Posted by: Send 'em Yr Truck Nutz | September 16, 2009 1:46 PM
Your right- Stark said he wasn't going to urinate on him.
- You do understand that Stark also said that doing so would have "dignified" the guy making the comment- or in other words actually urinating on the guy was more than he deserved...
Interesting point of view you have though...it appears that your standard of civility is that your congressman doesn't urinate on you?
Sorry- clearly you cannot or won't comprehend that Stark insulted the guy ...
Posted by: heartburn | September 16, 2009 2:12 PM
The startling fact is that Starke is an "18 term Congressman". That is 36 years in the House. That kind of attitude is what you get when the guy has a safe seat. He has been there way to long.
Rick
Posted by: Rick Caird | September 16, 2009 2:27 PM
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... Did it take even that long for people to start defending the indefinsible, simply because it was a liberal being a jerk?
Manners are manners, no matter who is exhibiting poor ones.
Posted by: beth | September 16, 2009 1:12 PM
Yes, because it really is the height of manners to talk about having your congressman pee on you while asking a question. I simply can't understand how anyone could possibly respond in a negative way to such a politley and gently asked question. We all know that "don't pee on my leg" is the kind of language which is proper at all ocassions.
Posted by: Emily Post | September 16, 2009 4:39 PM
"Stark isn't likely to be apologizing to his angry constituent anytime soon."
Censure him! What's good for the goose...
Posted by: Grumpy | September 16, 2009 4:49 PM
Hey heartburn, stop peeing on my leg!
That's a compliment, right?
Posted by: GOPER | September 16, 2009 5:06 PM
Congressman Stark reflects the standard of career congressional politicians.
His motto is:
" It helps when the little people understand you are simply better than they are."
He is a self serving dolt who will be drafting our nations tax laws after the tax dodger Charlie Rangel is dumped.
These two clowns are poster boys for term limits.
Posted by: Mike C | September 16, 2009 5:10 PM
Hey heartburn, stop peeing on my leg!
That's a compliment, right?
Posted by: GOPER | September 16, 2009 5:06 PM
This is ridiculous...Are you really trying to turn this against the guy asking Stark a question?
Posted by: heartburn | September 16, 2009 5:59 PM
Tell you what heartburn, go ask your boss if he's peeing on your leg and telling you it's rain. Or your Pastor. Or your Mom.
See what reaction you get. How about if one of your kids asked you that?
Posted by: GOPER | September 16, 2009 6:34 PM
Tell you what heartburn, go ask your boss if he's peeing on your leg and telling you it's rain. Or your Pastor. Or your Mom.
See what reaction you get. How about if one of your kids asked you that?
Posted by: GOPER | September 16, 2009 6:34 PM
If anyone was jerking me around like the DEM congress is right now they should expect much worse then what this guy said to Stark.
So, tell you what GOPER... I think you should find a way to get your skin a little thicker and grow up If you think a saying like that should get anyone so angry, especially a congressman to one of his constituents to rationalize the rude, overreacting response form the congressman.
Posted by: heartburn | September 17, 2009 9:46 AM
heartburn, perhaps you and the rude guy who brought up urination should get your skin a little thicker too. You are the one all worked up because the Congressman rudely replied to a rude question. Is civility for one side only?Are conservatives so inferior in their make up that they cannot be expected to meet the same standards of civility that you clearly expect from liberals?
Posted by: GOPER | September 17, 2009 11:50 AM
Posted by: GOPER | September 17, 2009 11:50 AM
really-? You equate the question that included an often used ( crude, but not personal) phrase ,with the response form the congressman? The same congressman that supported censure of Wilson's and his "you lie" statement...
Your delusional..
Posted by: heartburn | September 17, 2009 12:39 PM
Yes I do equate them. The questioner was rude and crude, and the comment was in fact personal. It was a clearly intended insult and attack on Stark's honesty. Why do you accept the crudeness for the questioner? If you go up to someone and accuse them of being dishonest in a crude way, would you expect them to be totally polite in return? The questioner has no right to expect to be treated with anymore respect than he himself showed. I guess he and you are just too thin skinned to take what you dish out.
Posted by: GOPER | September 17, 2009 2:19 PM
Goper is right. Same with the woman with the 'Nazi policy' question at the Barney TH meeting.
She got what she deserved; Major slap down. Ditto this guy.
He who lives by the stupid right wing posit dies by the tart logical retort.
Posted by: They Might Be Mimes! | September 17, 2009 8:59 PM