September 11, 2009 May We Never Forget
There are many aspects of the recent outburst by Rep. Joe Wilson at the Joint Session of Congress and I would like to cite a few:
First. Was the outburst extraordinary. No, despite all of the breast beating it has happened before. In 2005 the Democrats booed President Bush during the State of the Union address (For many a more sacred assembly than a Joint Secession)
Second. Should it have happened. No.
Third. How should the President have responded? He could have just continued, which he did. He could have stopped dead in his speech and vehemently denied it, which he didn't.
Fourth. Does what happened have anything to do with the accuracy of the charge No, neither the Wilson charge nor the President's response has anything to do with the correctness of the charge.
Finally, only time will tell. When the bill is released for review and argument in the Congress, the truth will out.
It will be ironic if the outburst results in the provision not being included the final bill in order to protect the President's reputation for truthfulness and transparency