Liveblog: Majority Whip James Clyburn: "It was Cantor's member who yelled Baby killer"

By GottaLaff

Andrea Mitchell is discussing Eric Cantor's comments with James Clyburn on MSNBC right now, specifically Cantor's accusing Democrats of politicizing threats to Congress members:

James Clyburn [some minor paraphrasing]:

The whole world saw what happened Saturday [slurs being shouted to Congress members], and on CSPAN, they saw members of the chamber rise to their feet and cheer those who were disrupting the proceedings in the House of Representatives. And they saw members leaning out the window at the balcony, which I think is illegal. None of those people were Democrats.

Repkublican leaders should join Democratic leaders to do things not superficially, but get serious about tamping this stuff down.

Re: The You Lie incident: I said back then it would grow into something more serious, and it looks like it has.

Fire burning on Fire Pelosi site: If you play with fire you're bound to get burned. If they don't tamp this down, they will feel the heat for it.

Re: Cantor saying it was reckless to use incidents for political gain, accusing Van Hollen and DNC chair Tim Kaine of fanning the flames:

Democrats haven't overplayed this at all. It was his member who yelled Baby killer to Stupak, who next day sent out a fundraising letter using that. Fundraising was done using the You Lie incident. I challenge him to show me a Democrat doing the same thing.

We have learned the message of history, and have done what we can to maintain a civil discussion, make our children proud. That's how Democrats conduct themselves.

All this is poppycock compared to what we faced in the sixties, so none of this is a concern to me at all.

And that's the way it is.

VIDEO: Tea Party protesters mob Reps. Lewis, Carson, Cummings, shout slurs

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: Apologies if the title is misleading. It was meant to mean that there is a video, and more. The TEXT talks about the slurs. The video shows the protesters only, not the specific slurs mentioned in the text.



At today's rally, things got ugly... even uglier than usual:

A staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) had been spat on by a protestor. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a hero of the civil rights movement, was called a 'ni--er.' And Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was called a "faggot," as protestors shouted at him with deliberately lisp-y screams. Frank, approached in the halls after the president's speech, shrugged off the incident.

But Clyburn was downright incredulous, saying he had not witnessed such treatment since he was leading civil rights protests in South Carolina in the 1960s.

Be proud, Tea Baggers. Family values, patriotism, compassion: all missing.

Bigotry, racism, hatred: all present and accounted for.

House Backers of Public Option May Yield

I'm genuinely torn as to whether to be relieved or pissed that it will pass without a PO.

WASHINGTON – Two House Democrats who favor a government insurance plan, a central element of health care legislation passed in their chamber, acknowledged Sunday it might have to be sacrificed as negotiators work out a final agreement with the Senate.

Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House and one who had appealed to President Barack Obama not to yield on the public plan, set out conditions for yielding himself.

Asked during rounds on the Sunday news shows whether he could vote for a final bill that does not embrace a public plan, Clyburn said: "Yes, sir, I can."

(snip)

While insisting "it's not dead," Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said he recognizes realities in the Senate, where Democrats had to scrape up every vote from their side even to pass a bill without a government plan to compete in the private insurance marketplace.

Joe "You Lie!" Wilson "Lies!" to Roll Call

By GottaLaff

This is all I could get (subscription only):

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) voted against the daughter of House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) for a spot on the state Public Service Commission in 1998 when Wilson was a state Senator, contrary to a statement he made to Roll Call Wednesday.

Now to be fair, maybe there's more to this story, but since I can't access it, and based on what I know about Joe the Mouther, all I can say is...

.... He lied!

Dem whip challenges GOP to invite Obama to retreat

Mmmm, smells like triangulation.... Too bad they're such a bunch of well, you know.

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is challenging House Republicans to invite President Obama to their annual winter retreat in Hot Springs, Va. next week.

During an interview on C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” program that aired on Sunday, the majority whip noted that that House Democrats invited then President Bush to their retreat eight years ago.

Democrats reached out, invited [Bush] to our annual retreat, which he came to. We didn’t beat up on him at all. We laid out how we saw things,” Clyburn said. “And we, in large measure, went along with his program because that’s what the American people voted for. Now the tables are turned. Eight years later, people voted for us. I would love to see the Republicans to bring this president to their retreat.”

Matt Lloyd, a spokesman for the House Republican Conference, said, "We appreciate Mr. Clyburn's genuine concern for our retreat, President Obama will be speaking to the full House Republican Conference on Tuesday before we leave for the retreat." Obama and House Republicans will be discussing the economic stimulus package.