YouTube strikes again

Posted: Friday, March 09, 2007 12:04 PM by Elizabeth Wilner
Filed Under: Congress, Security

By NBC's Mike Viqueira
The powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the chief sponsor of the bill that would require a US troop withdrawal from Iraq by fall of 2008 has been caught on camera losing his temper with anti-war activists who confronted him outside his Capitol Hill office. In the video, Rep. David Obey (D) rails against "idiot liberals" who are "jumping around" demanding an immediate de-funding of the war. He says the votes aren't there, and angrily opens his coat and asks if they see "a magic wand" in there that would enable him to do that. (Obey doesn't appear to know that he's on camera.)

The veteran Wisconsin Democrat who came to Congress in 1969 is known for getting a bit hot under the collar. The whole encounter begins with a woman stopping him outside his office and telling him about problems she has had with veteran's benefits for her son. Obey, an institutional pragmatist, reminds her that he voted against the war to begin with and adds, "I hate the war." Obey was also among the first on the Hill, if not the very first, to call for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign or be fired.

The conversation gets more heated as Obey displays his frustration with the left for not understanding that his bill calls for the eventual withdrawal of all troops, and for their ignorance of the political reality of what is possible and what isn't. He is clearly speaking about outside liberal groups, not specifically about Democrats in the House who share the goal of an immediate withdrawal.

The conversation escalates until finally Obey slams his office door in the activists' faces.

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Comments

It's about time someone jumps down the throats of "scared of their own shadow" Democrats, and maybe wake them up. I'm a democrat, But when any politician put votes over the good of our country I start getting pist. Excuse my French.

Scott, MO. (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:27 PM)

I can't say that I blame him for being frustrated. Why is everyone expecting the Democrats to turn things around instantaniously what the Republicans took 6 years to mess up. Put the pressure back on the Republicans to work with the Democrats to fix the problems they created.

Hopeless in Washington (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:30 PM)

Good for David Obey. Of all the Dem Congressmen, he has been a powerful player in the Dems bid to control the excesses of the GOP Congress of the last 12 years. He knows how things work on the Hill and he has little time for those who are looking for magic solutions where none exist. Give 'em hell, Congressman!

Jim Dwyer, Bisbee, AZ (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:30 PM)

Got a link? Stay in touch with my insanity really is the only way Its a jungle out there kiddies Have a very fruitful day - Jimmy Buffet

Dave, Tn (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:32 PM)

How about a link? I can't find the video.

Mark, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:37 PM)

Frankly, understand both sides in this arguement. Cong. Obey is frustrated by not having enough Democrats to stop the war and the protester is frustrated because Congress is not ending the war. It's too bad for those Congressional proponents of the war don't have family in the war. There are so few. It's so easy to stand for continuing the war wehn it is other people's kids dying in it. Congressmen and Senators should be reminded that the military is taking recruits as old as 42, the last time I saw.

Dan Conner (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 12:43 PM)

He's sort of got a point, but it's "Good night, Dave," because he's all done.

Lee Steele MV (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 1:13 PM)

Nothing happens instantly or if it does it usually isn't worthwhile. Some of the fine folks in our party remind me of the soviets after the overthrow, they seemed to think they would suddenly own two cars just like the Americans. When it didn't happen some of them wanted to go back to communism. Be patient and keep voting democratic. I will look for all you great responders on the new "first read".

Rufus Gibbons, Kennett, Mo. (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:03 PM)

"Pist" isn't French. It isn't even English.

English Speaker (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:04 PM)

Until the Frustration level of many more Elected officials get to this point, nothing will get accomplished with this "Stay the course to Destruction". GETERDONE

rick,ky (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:06 PM)

There is a native american sayin "the tortouse may be slow but the earth is patient" so eveyone just step back and take a deep breath and realize all things take time to accomplish.

mikeeg,abdn,wa (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:09 PM)

Unfortunately this will probably cause him votes. There is a vast majority of the country that understands his frustration and people need to realize that the dem don't have the numbers to do whatever they want. (Unlike what the rep had for the last 6 years..you know kid in the candy store with no adult supervision.)

MM (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:19 PM)

Just to let all of you know (since we are talking about protesters bothering the politicians). There will be a protest at the pentagon on the 17th of March. (4th anniversary of the start of the war). There are over 150 cities organizing transportation to Washington DC for the event. If Obey thought that the few anti-war protesters steamed him under the collar, what will he think about tens of thousands?? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for him, and agree with his side of it. MarchOnPentagon.org for more info.

MM (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 2:57 PM)

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/19392

Dave, Tn (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 3:12 PM)

I watched Pelosi, Obey and Murtha last night on C-SPAN presenting the finer points of their bill setting out benchmarks, which the President will be required to "certify". At one point, Rep. Obey became so muddled in explaining/conflating these finer points, the Speaker had to take the microphone from him (virtually) and straighten out the confusion he was creating. SHe then turned to Murtha to speak to the journalists. As much as I have enjoyed and appreciated seeing Mr. Obey address his colleagues on the floor of the House - it just may be time for Minnesota to find a new representative. I'm not certain whether this presser was before of *after* Obey was confronted by the protesters. Just sayin'.

Donald, Signal Hill (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 7:17 PM)

wow, thanks for the link Dave. I got tears in my eyes watching this. The frustration, anger and sadness in this short scenerio certainly mirrors what people feel across the country about this war. thanks again.

Amy B Portand, Maine (Sent Friday, March 09, 2007 9:18 PM)

MM, if they have green beer in Washington, I will go. Otherwise, I'm gonna stay home on March 17. I agree with those who are preaching patience. Although I lost my patience with the current administration on January 22, 2001, I understand the difficulties the Democrats are gonna have undoing the damage which has been done to this country. Besides only having a slim majority in the Senate (even with Joe Israel, I mean Lieberman), they have to contend with a public who does not want to be in Iraq but doesn't want to appear to be losing there. I have news for those folks: we lost the moment we decided to disband the Iraqi army and ban any Baathist party member from holding a civil service job. Rumsfeld's policies are what started and fueled this insurgency; not al-Quaida. So, anti-war folks, be patient, pulling out to soon can lead to electile dysfunction and, to tell you the truth, four more years of a Republican president might just push us past the point of no return.

Robert Catalano, Salem, OR (Sent Saturday, March 10, 2007 1:55 PM)

Pist" isn't French. It isn't even English. English Speaker; Study your French! We usually leave off the"e". Main Entry: piste Pronunciation: \ˈpēst\ Function: noun Etymology: French, from Middle French, from Old Italian pista, from pistare to trample down,

Scott MO. (Sent Sunday, March 11, 2007 4:03 PM)

Scott - who is it that's afraid of their own shadows? I submit it's the wet-pants republicans who started a war over - well, we still don't really know what it's over, but according to them we were moments away from a "Mushroom cloud over Houston," but that was just the air-headed, chicken little chief of the National Security Counsel. "Ths sky is rising! The sky is rising!"

Lee Steele MV CA (Sent Monday, March 12, 2007 4:24 PM)

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