A relatively private conversation has been overheard by tens of thousands of people.
Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey lost his temper when he was ambushed by anti-war activists.
In the exchange, Obey decried "idiot liberals" who don't understand his legislation. He said a supplemental spending bill that he is sponsoring would end the war, adding: "If that isn't good enough for you, you're smoking something illegal. You got your facts screwed up."
...[Military mom Tina] Richards approached Obey by asking him if he had seen a poem by her son. She went on to say that her son had to wait six months for an appointment with the Department of Veterans Affairs, then 10 minutes into the appointment was told that it sounded like he had "childhood issues."
...Richards, reached Friday, said she understands that Obey was frustrated, but "it just seems to me that it was not necessary to be talking about those 'idiot liberals.' . . . It seems really inappropriate."
Richards said she had not spoken to Obey since the meeting, which she said was taped by anti-war activists who wanted to document her lobbying efforts.
It's somewhat amusing to hear Obey using the term "idiot liberals," the pot calling the kettle black.
After his exchange with the activists became very public, Obey was pressed into issuing a formal apology.
"Monday, a group of people, not my constituents, approached me as I was rushing to a meeting and we wound up having an argument.
"I am sorry that I yelled at them. I respect their passion on the issue; I wish they would respect mine. We are both frustrated, and that led us to have an argument that we never should have had because we both want to see an end to U.S. involvement in that war. What divided us was the question of how.
"When they were arguing that I should vote against the legislation that I am sponsoring, they did not know that the proposal would in fact give the House its first opportunity in the four years of this misguided war to vote on a timeline for bringing it to a close...."
Although I completely disagree with Obey's tactics to end the war in Iraq, I can understand why he's frustrated.
The activists seemed clueless as to the legislative process.
Bills need support in order to pass. Without the votes, bills die. Compromises are necessary.
I suppose Obey apologized to appease the fringe Left, the anti-war zealots. He doesn't want to alienate the base, AKA the "idiot liberals."
Is it embarrassing for Obey?
I don't think so.
The video reveals that even liberals lose it when trying to reason with liberals.
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