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Send Joe Wilson Home
Mary Ann Chastain / AP Photo
Former Bush and McCain strategist Mark McKinnon wants the congressman who shouted at Obama out of office and out of his party—and he's donating $1,000 to his opponent.
Make Joe Wilson pay.
And by pay, I mean beat his sorry ass at the polls and send him to the private sector. That is the only way to change the political discourse in America today. Because as long as louts like Joe Wilson can spout off and call the president a liar and get rewarded with reelection, then louts will continue to spout off. And we will continue to claw our way to the very bottom of the political swamp.
It’s unclear yet what the reaction is in South Carolina. There is a newspaper poll that suggests broadly South Carolinians think the incident could have a negative impact on the state.
On the other hand, anecdotally there appears to be plenty of evidence that many of Wilson’s constituents in the 2nd Congressional District actually support his odious behavior.
I’m a Republican, but I’d rather have a Democrat in Congress who I may disagree with but who has some fundamental character that Wilson lacks.
Wilson’s aides say his office is receiving thousands of calls running three-to-one in favor of his outburst—and he's running an ad on the Drudge Report using his victimhood.
Joe Scarborough had a conversation with Joe Klein on his Morning Joe program Friday during which he asked the question, “How do we stop the cycle of vicious partisanship?”
My answer is we start by getting rid of the partisans like Joe Wilson.
Even pit bull Pat Buchanan—who once called on the citizens of New Hampshire to take up pitchforks—is decrying the poisonous nature of our politics today: “We seem not only to disagree with each other more than ever, but to have come almost to detest one another. Politically, culturally, racially, we seem ever ready to go for each others' throats.”
• Mark McKinnon: Scarborough for President
• Max Blumenthal: Joe Wilson’s Strange Friends Whether Wilson was right or wrong in his tempestuous charge, it was wrong to interrupt the president during a speech in the House of Representatives. But, the fact is, he was also wrong in his assertion. Legislation, as currently proposed, does not allow illegal immigrants to get the proposed government health-care subsidies. But, lest there be any ambiguity, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday Obama would go further, barring illegal immigrants from buying private health insurance through a proposed government-regulated marketplace, even if they could afford the coverage on their own.
Of course that hasn’t stopped Wilson supporters like Rush Limbaugh from saying, “You know a lot of people in that room... know [Obama’s] lying through his teeth and wanted to say it. And Joe Wilson finally did.”
Wilson couldn’t even apologize with any class. He made it clear he was saying “sorry” only because he’d been forced to by the Republican House leadership: “Well, I, uh, last night I heard from the leadership that they wanted me to contact the White House and, uh, say that, uh, my statements, uh, were inappropriate. I did."
Apologies should extract some moral or material cost.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Justice Clinton?
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
Justice Clinton?
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
Myra Adams is a media producer, writer and political observer. Her media clients have included national associations, political interest groups and corporations. She was on the creative team with Mark McKinnon that created the now infamous John Kerry "Windsurfing" ad for the Bush 2004 presidential campaign and served on the McCain Ad Council during the 2008 McCain campaign. Myra's web site www.TheJesusStore.com contributes all profits to Christian charity.
Grill Him Again!
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
Not a Game-Changer
As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
CountRaoul
Again, the reasoning of a rational man. Thanks, Mark. For me, Wilson's test is still ahead. Hard right folks will try and make him a hero and certain media will give them air play. If Wilson is a man, he will publically denounce that effort and continue to apologize right up to his concession speech.
DemsDeBreaks
I'm from MN, but I contributed to Wilson's opponent. Rob Miller, an Iraqi vet and retired Marine captain, sounds like a wonderful replacement for this idiot. Miller -almost- beat Wilson in the last election - he got 46% of the vote with very little funding. Let's hope the funds rolling into Miller's campaign will make the final difference. Here is a link to read more about Miller. I hope others will contribute, too:
http://blog.reidreport.com/2009/09/get-to-know-rob-miller-the-adult-candida te-in-south-carolinas-second-district-race/
rjw6844
Dear Mark -
Why don't you turn in your GOP card? You're too much like the other side of the aisle - carrying on your internal disagreements in the public forum - perhaps for personal gain? If you had an opponent I would gladly support him. Please leave the GOP so we gain move forward.
reardongalt
Amen!
easton
A few years ago Steven Colbert bombed at press roasting of George Bush simply because people felt his humor was disrespectful. I love Colbert, and hate Bush, but I felt uncomfortable at some of his barbs. Now Colbert did learn his lesson and admitted as much, and Bush has forgiven him, being so gracious as to be part of a Colbert show in Iraq. Now should I turn in my Democratic party card because I think Colbert went too far at that luncheon? The ability to self criticize is essential (and the only place to do so is in the public forum since I doubt Colbert will answer my calls). Mark seems to understand this and Republicans need more of him and less of the likes of you.
This user is no longer registered.
n--Y--Portmanteausippewissett
Speaking of personal gain, when his Website finally went up after the bruhaha, it consists of a donor page only -- No presentation of views, programs, track record in Congress, just "vote for me". Good luck with that, Joe the Heckler. You are forever tarnished, especially by your own recalcitrance that no doubt the GOP is advising you on.
McKinnon said it best: you are a "lout". Look it up.
Maezeppa
"carrying on your internal disagreements in the public forum
You must come from one of those families that looks so together on the outside -- except when Mommy shows up at church on Sunday morning with a big, fat, shiner.
Sorry, Pookie, but GOP party bidness is America's business. You're swirling the drain now, thanks to the sickos and racists, and it's a sight to behold.
jimbobuddy
For Easton: Colbert is a COMEDIAN and was TELLING JOKES at a ROAST. Wilson is a U S CONGRESSMAN and was SHOUTING INSULTS during a JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS. Notice a difference? There is a phoney meme in this country that," oh well the other side does it too"! Sir, you've bought it.
RetiredNavy
This guy is on the Armed Services Committee. I am a recently retired military officer (USN) and a uniformed service member would get prosecuted for the little outburst that Mr. Wilson just had. We all bit our tongues when our former Commander and Chief irresponsibly threw us into hell (and in my opinion should be on trial in the Hague) because of the posts we held. We need to hold Mr. Wilson to the same standard.
Ankhorite
@RetiredNavy, you're absolutely right and I hope that Section 88 proceedings are brought against him. Wilson shamefully pitched his tantrum to get his fifteen minutes of fame -- without any thought to how it damages America's image in the world to see our House degraded and our President insulted on international television.
Icehouse
Speaking of 'at each other's throats,' how about those people who take to internet comments sections to lambast others anonymously.
frontman9000
Sorry to say this Mark, but you are an endangered species among the current GOP. The party does not have any capacity for thoughtful, intelligent members. If they do, they are vastly overshadowed by the Beck's, Limbaugh's, Wilson's, and Hannity's of the world. They have commandeered the GOP and seem to revel in their roles as purveyors of hate & fear. It is the job of responsible, sane Republicans to purge their party of this growing cancer. The lunatics are truly running the asylum.
MinervaJameson
Excellent article, Mark. I tire of feeling like an outsider because I think the office of president should be treated with respect, and that politicians should be held to the same behavior standards that we ask of professional atheletes. So often I hear about sports figures "they're paid so much, they should be able to control their behavior." What about politics, people? Instead of chastising all this counterproductive (and embarrassing!) behavior, lots of people are encouraging it, and acting that way themselves.
HughMunn
McKinnon writes:
"Make Joe Wilson pay.
"And by pay, I mean beat his sorry ass at the polls and send him to the private sector."
Yes, you've really raised the level of discourse here.
JohnnyCakes
Sorry, but Mark is right. When all we have left is this low level acrimony you are left without much in the way of a proper response. The "opposition" (that's how they see themselves), are no longer interested in actual debate on any level and whose whole approach is obfuscation and simply "defining" their opponent as "dangerous" and "scary", and thus have taken themselves out of any kind of reasoned discussion. It is not worth anyone's time to attempt any.
HughMunn
I see.
You're just taking random words out of a dictionary and putting quotation marks around them.
Good luck in that remedial something.
OffenbachStutz
HughMunn:
How 'bout some remedial reading for you? Or are you dyslexic?
reardongalt
Hey CupCakes, did you even listen to Obama's speech? The first thing he did was exactly what you're complaining about. As a matter of fact, that's all he ever does is "define his opponents as dangerous and scary." Hell, they invented that tactic.
robwriter
Yeah, he has in fact "raised the level of discourse." It's known as calling out the liars. Its called being held accountable in some real way for talking shit. It's way past time some of this accountability found its way into the public arena.
HughMunn
No, McKinnon has lowered the level of discourse.
The fact is he couldn't "beat" anyone's "sorry ass" because -- like the vast majority of these political hacks -- he's a physical coward and a wimp to boot.
He missed out on avoiding the draft with the likes of Cheney, Lee Atwater and Joe Wilson, but you can bet he'd have pulled the same student deferment strings they did.
He's an invertebrate whose flapping lips don't back up anything. It's like looking for a bone in a polyp.
robwriter
Hugh, God love ya, you're probably correct on each and every point. I'm no big fan of Mark. But the point he's making is that serial lying has to have a price. If lying doesn't extract a pound of flesh, there's every reason to keep doing it. The big wrench in the gears is that a very large number of Americans don't have enough grasp of basic fact to figure out they're being lied to. What scares me is not the liars, per se, but the old ladies who don't know their Medicare's a government run program. The liars and the braindead public that believes them are taking this country down the tubes.
Maezeppa
McKinnon is right on. Politics is warfare without the bloodshed. Instead of hunting down Wilson with a gun and blowing his brains out, I will be writing a check to his opponent, Rob Miller at https://services.myngp.com/ngponlineservices/contribution.aspx?X=6cwW216jAy SP3q7awYn0iL/IaW3f6QSVRI83JVdL8Dc=
rjw6844
Amen bro.
Maezeppa:
sorry buddy, momma doesn't do church, neither do I. Find another gross generalization.
rjw6844
easton:
unfortunately McKinnon has been doing this for months; using your analogy - he never learned his lesson. I could understand if he had an occassional difference with the GOP. If I were in constant disagreement - why not walk across the aisle like Specter did? Go to work for the Daily Kos. McKinno is like the guy who doesn't like his neighbors. OK then, move.
JohnnyAces
Some sanity still remains out there. Thanks Mark.
texdem
Oh Lord thank you Mark!
Listen, do you think it's possible that they put him up to this so that the next day Wilson's outburst would be the focus instead of Obama's message? I know you would never engineer such a thing but it would be a brilliantly terrible thing to do.
I think you'll probably say they are not that smart but it sure created a firestorm and distraction. Remember, these are the people who we found out told Sarah Palin to say "Palling around with terrorists".
Please respond.
RoryBellows
Let's keep taking mark mckinnon's advice. This is the same guy who helped bring the GOP the dreadful george bush and john mccain.
robtreasure
Mark McKinnon is a Registered Democrat , His does not work for the GOP. He is a Liberal from Austin Tx.
Picachu
Republicans have redefined what lying is. Even though, much like the ridiculous birther assertions, Wilson's claim is easily disproven, yet they still cling to their false notions. It boggles my mind to deal with people so incredibly stupid that they choose to believe what they want, even when the facts don't support it. To me the Republican right has become an intellectual wasteland populated only by demagogues, fools, idiots and liars.
ncc81701
What annoys me is that the Republicans DO have a legitimate point.. While the text in the health care reform does explicitly state that no health care funding can go to illegal immigrants, there is enough room to argue that there may not be enough protection from illegal immigrants from gaming the system without some kind of enforcement measure (i.e. checking IDs when signing up for health insurance). I do have a receptive ear (and I think the President does as well) to legitimate problems of the reform bill needs to be address. But with the immature outburst like what Rep. Joe Wilson did, their side and their concern looses all legitimacy.
muzicmanz144
Seems to me that all the hoopla about illegal immigrants getting free healthcare is a waste. They ALREADY get it. No hospital turns them down and it cost taxpayers millions per year. I agree that Mr. Wilson acted improperly, but no more so than the democrats during Bush's speech.
kateyras
The clear intent was to not allow illegals to join, in the legislation PASSED SO FAR Obama does not even have a plan put on paper yet, so how can le be lying? He said they would not be covered and I think this Joe guy could have waited until he saw a plan that Obama supported before spouting off. Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage started us down this path. Beck has taken it to a whole other level. If Joe apologizes again, they will turn on him too.
treetracker
The bill stated there would be no federal funding to help illegal immigrants buy insurance. There was nothing, however, to prevent them from purchasing their own insurance without government assistance, if they chose to do it and could afford it. Right now (with the bill Reagan signed) they can go to the ER right along with anyone else and get treatment. If they are uninsured, we pay for it with our tax dollars to reimburse hospitals about 50% of the cost of care. If we deny them the right to purchase their own insurance, we're still going to be paying for those who could have afforded their own coverage but were denied the ability to purchase it.
Gotta love the GOP - cut off your nose to spite your face. Looks like they're now going to get what they want. In the meantime, we'll still be paying for the uninsured care because that is the law and since the government mandated it, they bear the responsibility to pay for it --- with OUR tax dollars.
I sure hope we don't have a pandemic -- all those unable to get care will just keep spreading the disease around.
Why is stupid valued in this country these days? We used to appreciate people who were smart, like Einstein.
DeeAmbro
That is because they have their own set of facts, presented to them in simple, two word phrases day in and day out by the right wing media. They listen to right-wing talk radio and Fake News and believe that what they are hearing is the truth when it is only republican propaganda. But in the Beck Bubble, there is no-one to contradict, so up is down and right is left. Sadly, they are all starting to act and sound alike. It's alarming actually, to watch someone turn from a reasonable republican to a foaming at the mouth conspiracy theory believer, but I've seen it several times among friends, family and neighbors...after they started watching Fox News. They have their own reality and if you try to intrude upon it, watch out. It's becoming like a cult. You would think losing two elections in a row would have some in the leadership scratching their heads and coming up with the bright idea that they should change course. Instead they're just hunkering down and doing whatever their leaders Rush and Glenn and Sarah tell them to do.
Signer
Look, it's not all about the republican party. I used to believe that it was a good thing to have more then one party. Not just because you have a choice, but because I considered it to bring some balance. Now, people have gone wacko on all sides it seems. Enough to make me think the water we are drinking has some time of drug in it that makes people behave so outright unreasonable. Good, decient people have seemingly turned into nasty hyper idiots. All sides included, but the heavy end is not on the right, so now it's time to hear something less idiotic and more respectful.
BullMoose
Just go away you two bit prostitute McKinnon.
Sure your last sugar daddy Shrub has something for a bought and paid for gigolo like you to do.
Signer
BullMoose, you are a perfect example of what this article is about. Like we need more of that, eh? Stop the drumming in your head, because your march is out of sync.
robwriter
I'm not big fan of Mark, but the point he's making is valid. If we want to rescue the political process from whackjobs, we have to stop electing whackjobs. At the moment the national government of this country is a failed state. We've tried other ways, like term limits, to cull the political herd. We've also tried and failed dramatically to get corrupt politicians out of office by enacting laws on campaign contributions. This country's sailing into the Third World full speed ahead because our political process works just like some banana republic's.
scottcollins
Yes, contrbute $1,000 to Wilson's opponent...who lost by 8 points to Wilson in the wipeout of '06...in a district held for 44 years...that's a $1,000 that won't be going any competitive race...
graywolf
This jackoff just keeps RHINO'ing along.
Demcong booing Bush was fine.
Calling out President Punk is baaaad.......oowwwww
genmanager
I guess I should blame myself for believing that people commenting on blogs, myself included, are open-minded and honest. When I hear cultists (those who really are not conservative and don't even know what the republican party stands for, but who are blindly led by Limbaugh and Beck, who are also not conservative or republican, but greedy - I cringe.
You call legitimate voices of your party like Mr. McKinnon a prostitute, and Former Secretary of State, Former Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff Colin Powell a rino in order to make a point that they are not towing the line of "death to all democrats, we will not negotiate on anything, and we will stoop to the lowest level of discourse to indoctrinate and pull more unthinking people into your fold".
You appear petty and scared. You have lost all common sense. You want to kick out those in your party who may agree with you 90% of the time, but who call a foul when a foul is committed.
The democrats are in a slighlty similar situation. But we are trying to accomodate those in our party who have differing viewpoints. We're not really trying to kick them out.
Difference is, we won the last two elections, you didn't.
webb04
"We seem not only to disagree with each other more than ever, but to have come almost to detest one another. Politically, culturally, racially, we seem ever ready to go for each others' throats."
Pat Buchanan is shocked by this? Really? Anyway, when was the last time you went to South Carolina, Mark? Wilson will win handily.
Jaibones
"Mark McKinnon is promising to donate to Wilson's opponent because, see, he just can't stand incivility. Exit question: Have he and Meghan McCain collectively uttered one unkind word about the torrent of "political terrorist"/angry mob rhetoric that's been pouring from the mouth of the Democratic river this past month?" Allahpundit, Hot Air
Besides having a blog that receives more readers and comments in a given hour than this pathetic mess receives in a month, Allah's intellect towers over McKinnon like a collossus. No wonder McCain's campaign was so pathetic.
Hey, Mark. You have the logic of liberal and the integrity of drug pusher.
Cymatic
Only in America is "Liberal" considered an insult. In Canada the Liberal Party has run the country for the majority of its history. I'm surprised you're not calling everyone "pinkos". Such extreme partisanship.
Signer
Republicans that refuse to fall to the level at which you are currently standing should make a stand. otherwise the party is in dire straights of surviving at all.
Signer
Jailbones, you very clearly missed the point. To behave like one who is reasonable and to denounce that type of behavior with in your own party is setting an example. Anyone who cannot keep theirselves in check in a situation such as Wilson was when he did his deed is out of line. It means he can't be trusted to handle and represent himself, so he cannot be trusted to represent the best interests of the people. Much like someone IS having a addiction problem.
morris1030
Thanks Mark. Wilson is a pustule on the hide of the GOP elephant. I disagreed with most of Bush's policies but never felt he didn't deserve respect as POTUS. Presidents speak to all of us, right,left,and center. And oh yes, to the whole world watching.
Wilson's behavior, planned or not was utterly vile. Our democracy thrives because we can respect the office of POTUS, and still disagree openly on matters of .
He's already in the dustbin. Did I think calling out or booing at Bush was fine? No.
But what Wilson did was to crassly interrupt and call Obama a liar before the world, and worse, to disrepect the presidency.
robwriter
No, actually, Morris, presidents don't "speak for all of us." Saint Ronnie's Central American wars funded by drug pushing and arms sales didn't "speak" for me, and Dubbya's WMD lies weren't "speaking" for me either. Colin Powell's litany of lies before the UN was one of the most utterly grotesque things I've ever seen. It basically ended his political career, BTW. The Right's absurd claim that soldiers dying by the thousands in countries that didn't attack us are defending our "freedom" is also a lie. The office may (or may not) deserve respect, but not the man who betrays it.
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