Democrat Congressman Assaults Student

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:02pm

Interesting way for Democrats to get votes. Assault people on the street in broad daylight.

We all know that nothing will happen to this Congressman, and it's futile to even say "If this was a Republican..."
Link

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:07pm

I know, Republicans never get away with anything! That's why Mark Sanford is still governor!
Updated On: 6/14/10 at 01:07 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:11pm

Why is the "student"'s face blurred? Where does he go to "school"?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:16pm

He obviously felt threatened. Are these TMZ reporters or students?

Why is it that any a-hole with a camera thinks he can assault people on the street and not have any reaction from the person they are chasing?

It’s a crazy world out there. Who knows what he thought these people were pointing at him.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:19pm

That Congressman looks REALLY hungover. I can't wait for the remix to "Who are You?" by The Who.

And for the record, assault is never okay, no matter who's committing it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:19pm

Hopefully they aren't journalism students. "Do you fully support the Obama agdena?" isn't really a great question.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:20pm

There's no reason for his response, and he has issued an apology:

"I have seen the video posted on several blogs. I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved. Throughout my many years of service to the people of North Carolina, I have always tried to treat people from all viewpoints with respect. No matter how intrusive and partisan our politics can become, this does not justify a poor response. I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:25pm

I agree that there's no excuse for his response. I just can't help but feel there's more than meets the eye here. Why wouldn't he tell him what kind of "student" he was? Why is his face blurred out?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:25pm

But Goth didn't bother to post the apology.

Just the video.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:27pm

I'm sure that was just an oversight. Goth prides himself on his fair and balanced presenation of information.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:27pm

Kind of similar to what Rep King did, no?

Notice he also attacks the camera and restrains the person asking the question.

Not defending what Ethridge did, but always amused by Goth's situational outrage.

King Assults the Press Updated On: 6/14/10 at 01:27 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:28pm

I know, "The Obama Agenda" is just such an obviously loaded Foxian phrase. Still, even Ralph Wiggum knows "words not fists."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:33pm

Totally agreed. I still just wonder if we're missing something. Maybe it will be like ACORN and we'll find out months later after all the damage has been done.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:37pm

Goth, how hard is it to write DemocratIC?

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:38pm

With respect to ACORN, there is more than enough blame to go around. Sure, the far right instigated it, but the Dems, all the way up to and including the White House, rolled over. Last week, Rachel Maddow had an interesting piece comparing the response to BP to how ACORN was handled.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:43pm

Goth, how hard is it to write DemocratIC?

It was deliberate.
Democrat Party

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:51pm

It's OK - I refer to the GOP as the Pubic party.

[romantico]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:07pm

I love how Goth posts and runs.Never counters any arguments or has any excuses for his bias. Just posts and runs as fast as he can. Funny that Goth has nothing to say about the Bachman being Chummy with ministry that wants to execute gays thread. Guess a Democrat who assaults is far worse than a Republican who is in favor of the execution of gays.

Updated On: 6/14/10 at 02:07 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:18pm

The Congressman reacted wrongly and the students were obviously provoking him. If he were a Republican, I would probably react by saying, "The Congressman reacted wrongly and the students were obviously provoking him." The blurred faces indicate to me that the students believe only in their own right to privacy. But aggressively shoving that camera within inches of the Congressman's face came pretty close to assault. Regardless, he shouldn't have touched them.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:26pm

That seemed highly suspicious. Those so-called students just jumped on him and expected him to respond without any credentials? And this "Obama-agenda" terminilogy has an inherently insidious sound.

The 'crat could have responded a lot better but obviously he was high.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:43pm

I've long thought that, to counter this, the Democrats should change the name of the Democratic Party to the "Democracy Party" and make their slogan "We uphold Democracy."

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 2:47pm

And the sexier candidates can say, "We put the racy in Democracy."

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:06pm

I live in NC and this is ALL OVER the news. Incredible.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:15pm

While I don't condone the congressman's reaction, this is an example of the stalker journalism that Fox has pioneered, and many others, of all political persuasions, have adopted. Our elected officials are public servants, but that doesn't mean they should give up all expectations of privacy, or that we should have 24/7 access to them.

[romantico]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 3:32pm

The 'interviewer' was a Breitbart plant. Stupid of the Congressman to respond by touching the kid and freaking out when he could clearly see a camera in his face recording it all I am not in any way defending him. I personally think he was drunk.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0610/Breitbart_strikes_again_Catches_lawmaker_assault_on_cameraman.html