Republican Rep. Joe Wilson's heckling of Obama sparks fundraising flood to his Democratic opponent

In eight years of George W. Bush's presidency -- despite huge differences on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and contentious debates over torture policy, No Child Left Behind and immigration reform -- no elected official ever heckled the president of the United States when he addressed a joint session of Congress.

But last night, as President Obama was making the case for his healthcare reform initiative, 62-year-old South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson called the president a liar. To his face.

It happened when Obama was rebutting the myths about healthcare reform, including the shibboleth that the package will allow benefits for illegal immigrants. Obama assured the viewing audience that the rumors were false.

"You lie!" shouted Wilson.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi looked stunned. First Lady Michelle Obama, watching from the gallery, shook her head back and forth. And Republicans like Arizona's John McCain, calling the heckling "totally disrespectful," immediately called on Wilson to apologize.

Wilson did call the White House to apologize. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, reportedly livid over the breach of civility, took the call. Then Wilson put out a statement saying, "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 health care 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."

But the apology did not stop a flood of donations to Wilson's likely Democratic opponent in 2010: Rob Miller, a Marine Corps and Iraq war veteran who lost to Wilson by 8 points last year and is eager for a rematch. Miller quickly put out a statement saying Wilson's behavior "exemplifies everything that is wrong in Washington. Instead of engaging in childish name-calling and disrespecting our commander-in-chief, Joe Wilson should be working towards a bipartisan solution."

"Joe Wilson" quickly became the most searched term on Google. Ditto Twitter. And soon enough, the money started pouring in. ActBlue, which bills itself as the clearinghouse for Democratic action, says it has raised more than $100,000 for Miller, and counting.

Of course, some conservatives are hailing Wilson as a great hero. Red State is urging backers to pony up to Wilson's campaign. They're also flogging Utah Republican Robert F. Bennett for applauding when the president bashed politicians (former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's name was not mentioned but you could kind of hear it in the air) who inspire fear over mythical Obama death panels.

And throughout the speech, House GOP leader Eric Cantor texted on his BlackBerry, and several Republicans waved sheets of paper at the president, offering reform suggestions.

Meanwhile, Wilson's official House website has been overwhelmed. "Due to exceptionally high traffic, this site is temporarily unavailable," says a notice. "Please come back shortly."

-- Johanna Neuman

Top photo: Rep. Joe Wilson. Credit: Reuters. Bottom photo: Republicans wave ideas. Credit: Getty Images.

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Comments

[Delaware Bob]

Time for bickering is over, obama. Get rid of the illegal aliens! They are destroying our health care system! Get rid of all waste in medicare and medicaid! In the census, find out exactly how many don't have health insurance. Figure out the cost. See where we stand on the budget. If that is in good shape, pass some healthcare for those who don't have coverage until they get a job. Any problem with that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSe3C5vMafM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ZnX9JRo5M&NR=1

Want more links to the costs of illegal aliens? Let me know. I got hundreds!!!

Wilson did say he was sorry. I think it was sincere.

[Jean]

I guess it depends on which web report you read but it has been reported that the Democrats in fact did "boo" President Bush often during his speeches. I do believe that it was disrespectful for Rep Wilson to heckle President Obama, but there is clearly a double standard here.

I think emotions are running rampant in Washington. Obama will not sit down and talk to the Republicans and yet he expects their respect. Can't have it all ways!!!

The speech was too long and nothing was specific, same ole stuff. Too bad he had to take a swipe at Sarah Palin too. If President Obama would make it clear exactly what he wants in the Health Care Bill rather than giving vague remarks, perhaps the public wouldn't be drawing their own conclusions. I think he and the Democrats have been caught off guard by the length the public has gone to learning exactly what is in the bill. It is difficult to keep up with what they have in the bill and what they say is in the bill.

[WasaDem]

Wrong! Democrats booed President Bush during the 2005 State of the Union Address.

It was worth seeing that ridiculous fake look on Pelosi's face!

[paus]

This just shows the class and character of the modern day GOP clown. They have turned into a bunch, of bible-thumping, facist thugs. Barry Goldwater must be spinning in his grave. Whatever happened to my grand old party of yesteryear?

[Carol Hegarty]

You are a prefect example of the problem in this country. Even if you disagree with Obama your actions last night were OUTRAGEOUS!! I think it is questionable that you can handle being in public office. You should consider stepping down. You are an embrassment to the country....

[Judy McNamara]

I am so disappointed and saddened by Rep. Joe Wilson's behavior, as well as some of his Republican peers around him, behavior. I cannot believe that anyone would be that disrespectful to our President as he addresses the Houses and our country! Rep. Wilson should immediately give his notice, and return to private life. There is no place in our society for people who have absolutely no respet or manners for the highest office in our country.
What has happened to us? People have no manners and no clue anymore as to how to act in public! Guns out in the open around other citizens, and the President? A man leading opposition who profited for years and years from the Health Industry and now he claims he knows the fix and appears on CNN where he finally gets a good beat down questioning by Rick Sanchez! What is happening?
I am so saddened by this and embarassed that we are, as a country, moving into an arrogant time that will surely defeat any good that may come from anyone trying to put country above their personal choices! I hope he either resigns or losses the election coming up. He does not deserve to represent anyone!!

[SDman]

We have spent near a trillion dollars in Iraqi, no problem, we continue to spend 300 million dollars a day there killing men, women and children over a lie. We invaded that country for no reason err.. oil? Every ones a hero though. Not a word about debt or deficits! And we are still spending like mad for killing!
But for our citizens to have some health care opponents say no, it adds to the debit?
All of the other top industrialized countries of the world offer their citizens free health care. Many of their health care systems are better than what we have here.
Were in the good old USA people go to the emergency room for health care at $800.00 a visit verses $100.00 if they went to the doctor. The government picks that tab up, you. Plus if you need to go to the emergency room you are going to be less well cared for because of overcrowding and tired staff.
Now we are slaves to the boss, the company, for if we leave we can not afford any health care. My company keeps saying how lucky I am to have them keeping health insurance costs down but they offer smaller raises and more out of pocket expenses, and higher deductibles which is a cut in my paycheck.
Unemployment benefits is a government run program, I suppose we should do away with that also. How about farm subsidies, tobacco subsidies, defense (offence) subsidies like to Grumman and Locked Martin and Boeing Aircraft and the list of corporate subsides goes on and on and on?

[Almost Angeleno]

The right has truly become the party of The Unhinged.

Could it be coincidental that Joe Wilson's biggest campaign contributors come from the health insurance industry?

[Sarita]

This was disgraceful. My parents were devout Republicans who would be horrified at this type of behavior if they were still living. They acted respectfully even when they were in disagreement and taught me the golden rule. Perhaps this was because my dad was a Marine and they had both lived through the Depression and WWII. While I do not share their political idealology, I do share their sense of fair play and respect for others. Perhaps Joe needs to re-evaluate his understand of Family Values and Christianity!

[Ken McGee]

" (former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's name was not mentioned but you could kind of hear it in the air)"

"You could kind of hear it in the air"? I must've missed the class in j-school where it's okay to report things you kind of heard in the hair.

[Jason]

Hey Johanna Neuman, how long have you been writing for The LA Times? Everywhere I turn this morning I read and hear about hecklers during one of President Bush's SOTU speeches. I mean, are you seriously that much in the tank for Obama you choose not to see the truth? Stop acting like this is a first and PLEASE stop acting like Obama is the choosen one and should never be called out when he is blattenly misleading the public. I hope you edit or pull the bias article, thank you

[Gary Swingle]

You clowns should do a fact check before making the statements in your opening paragraph that the Democrats never heckled George Bush. They were the first and they were ten times worse than a single Republican Congressman. Multiple Democrats were heard at consecutive State of the Union speeches heckling Bush. By the way, I am a registered Democrat.

[snider]

Oh how quickly you forget, when it serves the liberals. State of the Union Address 2005 Dems booed Bush!!!!!!!!!

[Michael Ambrose]

Joe Wilson, you gotta love em'. If Republicans keep handing us gifts like this we need to throw them a party. A going away party. For soon we will not simply have a majority, we will OWN Capitol Hill. He and Cheney should hook up and have their own little pity party. Sorry guys, you are on your way to being an embarrassing footnote in the proud history of this great nation.

[M A in LA]

Rep. Wilson has revealed himself as a catalyst in the uncivil discourse of the important national discussion on health care. He really could be cited as inciting much of the disruptions at townhall meetings. He has proven himself to be childish, out-of-control, and a cog in the wheel of this important discussion.

I don't care what his problems are, I don't care about his emotions, and I certainly don't care what else he has to say. He doesn't care about me or any other American. He is a liability to every American needing a sound resolution to health care reform.

We can disagree and still be respectful. This is not the British House of Commons. This man must go now.

[jUNE]

While Joe Wilson is right, he needed to use another venue to say what he thinks. This administration is going headlong into giving our most precious birthright - citizenshp- to millions of criminals. As soon as we are shoved into government health care, the immigration debate will begin. I don't know if the politicians care at all about Americans losing jobs to illegals, children being molested by illegals, illegals driving drunk and killing innocent people, commiting felonies, etc. but if gets their supporter's votes or payoffs somewhere, they're all for it.
This matter could be stopped immediately, but there is no will to do it.

[Xoro]

"In eight years of George W. Bush's presidency -- despite huge differences on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and contentious debates over torture policy, No Child Left Behind and immigration reform -- no elected official ever heckled the president of the United States when he addressed a joint session of Congress."

...But don't you wish they would have?

Hey, we may not have stopped the wasting of hundreds of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars turning the US into an international laughingstock, but *at least we didn't heckle the President*. Leave it to the Democrats to make a virtue of their impotence.

Wilson may be a buffoon and his move may backfire, but I'll bet his constituents didn't send him there to be a stage prop for an Obama victory lap. I salute him for doing his job. I hope the Democrats are taking notes for the next time they find themselves the opposition party.

[swf]

Van Jones was right about the current crop of Republicans. Wilson and the idiots waving paper continue to prove his assessment correct.

[Young Atheat]

Who is actually lying, is a simple thing to check - which I expect our news media to do, since I don't have time to read thousand page bills. But absent that, I believe the President.

[Molly]

Why do you want YOUR 10 commandments on my tax paid buildings when you can't stop the lying. I am talking about these two lies: death panels (no there are no death panels)
health care for illegal immigrants (we already pay with higher premiums because they are flooding emergency rooms)

So if the tea er I mean douchebaggers please embrace your own command and stop spreading lies or face an eternity in hell.

[Harry]

I believe that while the remark by South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson was inappropriate at the time I also believe that he is right about Obama wanting to include the illegals in this health care scheme.

As for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi she is no angel herself shouldn't be sitting there with her mouth hanging open pretending to be stunned.

[Debbie]

The outburst was NOT acceptable. The Sgt at Arms should have called Wilson out of the chamber!

The apology was weak at best.

If the legislator cannot control his emotions during a speech then he is not in control of his emotions at all. It begs the question if the legislator is fit to serve in Congress.

I also noted that Cantor was sitting there on his blackberry the whole time. Again this was disrespect. Not as bad but this type of behavior has got to stop!

[Ron K]

LA Times, YOU LIE! The Democrats booed and heckled Bush during his 2005 State of the Union address. Now it's off to find out where I can donate to Joe Wilson.

[steve]

He apologized. Its over.

[FLOYD MARTIN]

Like "Joe Wilson" is the only Heckler to have ever have heckled A president?
And since Wislson is from SC and the President is Black that had to be racism, no doubt about it!

I suggest you go back in time and see all of the heckeling that went on when Bush addressed Congress!
NO APOLOGY EVEN MENTIONED THEN?

"JOE WILSON" did make a mistake, he should have THROWN A SHOE at the President then the Democrats
would have rallied around him! They sure rallied around the last guy to throw a shoe at the President!!

This Obama Care plan does cover all illegal aliens! There is nothing in the plan that says
they are not covered! (READ IT!)

Floyd in Florida