Rob Miller, Wilson's Opponent, Raises Over $1 Million Off "You Lie"

UPDATE 9/11, 9:50 PM
The Washington Post reports that Wilson's Democratic opponent for Congress, Rob Miller, has now raised more than $1 million since Wilson's "You lie!" outburst Wednesday. Wilson, who made a plea for money in a video Thursday night, is also having success raising cash off the controversy--he has taken in $750,000 so far and is expected to reach the $1 million mark by Monday.

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UPDATE 9/11: Since Joe Wilson's outburst on the House floor his Democratic opponent, former Marine Rob Miller, has received over 20,000 individual contributions totaling more than $750,000.

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Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-S.C.) untoward outburst Wednesday night has had a positive effect for at least one person. Rob Miller, a Democrat planning to run against Wilson in 2010, has taken in more than $350,000 from over 5,000 people through the website ActBlue.com since his opponent heckled the president.

A sizable chunk of the money has come from Daily Kos readers through a group called "Defeating the man who yelled 'liar' at Obama."

Miller ran against Wilson in 2008; National Journal called it the congressman's "first serious challenge." A retired Marine and an Iraq veteran, Miller ran without any help from national Democrats as a social conservative and critic of the Bush administration. During that campaign, he blogged for the Huffington Post about his reasons for running:

I never thought I would run for Congress -- or feel like I had to. I have always thought of myself as a Marine. I started thinking that way not long after my father died when I was 14 years old. Since I enlisted at the age of 20, the Marine Corps has been my extended family and I couldn't imagine that would ever change.

But it did after my second tour of duty in Iraq -- where I fought to maintain the peace, but also to enable Iraqis to build better schools, improved hospitals, to help create jobs and, where possible, a stable economy and civil society.

When I returned home to my wife and six year old son, I saw that the politicians in Washington were not fighting for these same things at home. Worse, the congressman who represented the second district where I live -- Rep. Joe Wilson -- was part of that elite circle of George Bush loyalists who chose to enact a radical agenda, never mind the lives and wellbeing of the constituents he was pledged to represent.

Miller lost 46 percent to 54 percent.

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Comments

[CTtransplant]

11:50 PM on 09/12/2009

Never ever ever give up!!!

NO trigger!!! NO co-ops!!! NO mandates!!! And NO waiting four years !!!

Folks, do not forget the marches tomorrow, September 13th!!!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/letsgetitdonehealthinsurancereformnowevents/gpkj8l
If not now, when? If not us, who?

Kennedy was one of our greatest champions of health care reform. He carried the torch for a long time...and now it is up to us to continue to carry it!

Our elected officials in Congress receive health care mostly paid for by us tax payers, yet many are trying to make it impossible for us to purchase an affordable plan of our own :

While many of us are struggling to afford medical insurance/medical bills.
While Congress people try to stop healthcare reform.
While Congress people accept large contributions from lobbyists to prevent health care reform.

Please sign these petitions - and by all means, spread the word! Thank you!

http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html
http://www.democrats.com/honor-ted-kennedy?cid=ZGVtczQ0MTA5OGRlbXM=
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5649/t/4922/content.jsp?content_KEY=2763&tag=hk1_typ-e1

[smithonpolitics-com]

12:26 AM on 09/13/2009

Agreed. Also, http://www.stopbackingdown.com

[CTtransplant]

01:35 AM on 09/13/2009

Done, smith! Keep up the good work! :)

[devin7]

08:17 AM on 09/16/2009

You're going down Rob! Don't quit your day job, 'cause you're still going to need it in 2011.

[CTtransplant]

02:23 PM on 09/16/2009

Wishful thinking!

[Tuckerndfw]

10:24 PM on 09/12/2009

Here is what Wilson's campaign ads will say before the next election:

"Do South Carolinians want to be represented by a guy whose supporters live in MASSACHUSETTS and CALIFORNIA???"

That will be a fatal blow to his campaign.

[Tuckerndfw]

10:34 PM on 09/12/2009

Clarification to previous comment:

"His campaign" in the last line was referring to Miller's campaign.

I doubt S. Carolinians are going to be impressed with a candidate who relies on "liberals" for his campaign fund. Might as well claim he is receiving money from Castro in Cuba or Chavez in Venezuela.

[LiberalDemIda]

02:37 AM on 09/13/2009

Here's another: Wilson voted for funding FOR the health care of illegal immigrants in 2003 under a REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED CONGRESS.

He's playing you SC like the f00/s you are.

How's that sound, Tucker?

[take10]

10:21 AM on 09/13/2009

Makes one wonder why the media hasn't had a single discussion about his hypocrisy. They'll wait until they need another issue to create sensationalism as always. The INTERNET runs circles around the party line media and the pundits they pay to give them a facsimile of relevance. I guarantee you that this is news to everyone else, just like it is news to me. Thanks!

[Tuckerndfw]

10:51 AM on 09/13/2009

That will be irrelevant in the 2010 campaign when his primary opponent took money from "liberals."

ALL politicians play their supporters like cheap fiddles.

President Obama is a prime example of playing supporters like cheap fiddles.

[dems08]

07:24 PM on 09/12/2009

hey joe,

where ya goin' with that stupid in your hand?

[dems08]

07:20 PM on 09/12/2009

$883,343 raised

[loria]

07:26 PM on 09/12/2009

Rob Miller has passed $1million. He did that last night even though ActBlue has him at about $830,000 at the time. That's the amount from ActBlue.

[dems08]

07:29 PM on 09/12/2009

thanks!

[QUO-VADIS]

07:36 PM on 09/12/2009

Wilson has raised over a million

[rdiaz921]

07:20 PM on 09/12/2009

lmao. Oh, Joe. I wonder how much you're regretting that show of ego and arrogance.

[kid5rivers2]

07:12 PM on 09/12/2009

14 things you NEED to know about Senator Joe Wilson:
http://www.alternet.org/politics/142563/14_things_you_need_to_know_about_obama_heckler%2C_rep._joe_wilson

[DnDCfromChi-town]

06:51 PM on 09/12/2009

keep it classy America!!

[loria]

07:01 PM on 09/12/2009

I'm sorry. Classy is gone in this country. All you have to do is look at the Right turning Joe Wilson into a hero and then a look at the teabagging rally pictures and it is clear we have sunk into an abyss of hate. I'm just wondering what President Obama did to make these people hate him so much. I am at a loss to figure it out.

[TheNuff]

07:49 PM on 09/12/2009

Yes klassy!

[BlueTexasWoman]

10:58 PM on 09/12/2009

Loria, the answer is kkklassy.

[Jessica T]

06:33 PM on 09/12/2009

If they can raise that much money in such a short time for themselves, why don't they raise more money to help the American people?

If they spent less time, effort & money creating hype & pointing fingers at each other, and put more effort and funds into solving the issues, then maybe real progress could begin.

Perhaps instead of fighting, they should consider more productive options, like perhaps higher taxes on low quality junk foods, & lower taxes on fresh high quality natural health foods for both health & budget improvements?

What about ensuring that professionals providing health care are actually qualified professionals & using their skills to HEAL, not just line their own pockets at the expense of hurting others. There was a suggestion for a Database of ALL Doctors noting who are guilty of malpractice, loss of license, & other significant complaints inclusive of patients conditions being exacerbated, or new problems emerging, as a result of their treatment, or lack of.

There also is great need for better availability, especially to those not 'wealthy', on obtaining this information so people will know HOW to locate quality care physicians & tell the difference between doctors that want to HEAL & one that is just going through the motions.

In addition to many other heartbreaking articles & blogs, one I’ve been following recently
http://enoughdangit.blogspot.com
clearly demonstrates how much our society needs our Politicians to stop helping themselves & focus more on helping our citizens.

[ralph10]

06:23 PM on 09/12/2009

Well, Reps. know all you have to do is say something loony and your loons will send you a bunch of money for being loony.

[carrie64]

06:10 PM on 09/12/2009

Hi everyone
thanks for all ur support for rob miller. If u dont know where to go to support this outstanding citizen of sc, u can go to the link ill provide. Rob is not only a great person, hes a marine vet.

http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19079

[ChampLessFuzzy]

06:38 PM on 09/12/2009

Just donated for the second time. Everything I read about Mr. Miller leaves me impressed with the gentleman. I believe he will help SC and do good things for this country.

[mootown]

07:18 PM on 09/12/2009

I have signed up at ActBlue to donate $20.10 each month until election day. Go Rob--I live in Illinois but I want SC to have some sane representation too. Maybe someday we can return the state to a better form of humanity (granted there are wonderful people there) I am talking about the bigots who are in charge.

[plaidsportcoat]

05:24 PM on 09/12/2009

Come on now. Let's get Miller up to 3 million. We all need to give a little. And if he doesn't use it all, he can give it to someone else who needs it.
The REPUBLICAN Supreme Court is about to ravage all CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS.
Joe Wilson and all the insane Repubs will be getting completely full campaign war chests -because the corporatocracy that owns all the media will be buying a BRAND NEW REPUBLICAN Congress next fall. So you better start giving till it hurts right now - while you still have a job.

[loria]

06:51 PM on 09/12/2009

Rob Miller is running and needs what we can give him, as do other Dems.

[mootown]

07:21 PM on 09/12/2009

ActBlue--it is so easy to give and you can sign up to give to other Progressives and Dems. Yu can even set up your own page and group to get $ for your candidates. It rocks as a user friendly site helping candidates push back the Re pukes.

[chascates]

05:22 PM on 09/12/2009

In 2003, Wilson voted to provide federal funds for illegal immigrants’ healthcare. The vote came on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which contained Sec. 1011 authorizing $250,000 annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals who provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrants. The program has been extended through 2009 and there is currently a bipartisan bill in Congress to make it permanent.

[loria]

07:02 PM on 09/12/2009

The next thing we'll find out is that Joe Wilson uses illegal immigrants to cut his grass and clean his house.

[toje]

04:50 PM on 09/12/2009

More importantly, Joe Wilson's outburst is the direct reason that specific language barring illegal immigrants from participating in the health exchange has now been inserted into the Baucus bill. So he has proven to be one of the most effective congressmen in history. Two words saved the taxpayers billions of dollars. That's a more powerful slogan than anything his opponent can muster. Go Joe!

[happysquared]

05:07 PM on 09/12/2009

Ha, Ha--so you guys are now for National ID--I love you guys because you've really backed yourselves in a corner on this one!!!


Will every citizaen be required to provide their "documents" before being treated for that heart attack?

Or will just every latino looking person be required to show papers? Give us some input ninnies.

[TokyoCalling]

05:36 PM on 09/12/2009

Great point, these BOZOS are actually ushering in the Fascism they claim to be against. You want treatment? Where's your papers!!!! Thanks republican lemmings.

[loria]

06:55 PM on 09/12/2009

How much will we be expanding the government to police this? I thought they were for smaller government yet they are ballistic over illegal immigrants getting healthcare. They might get free healthcare, yet they have found that there is little fraud in the existing programs. Illegal immigrants don't fraudulently get Medicare. But in there mind we need to set up another department in government to make sure there is no fraud and they don't care if cost billions more to do it.

I guess they aren't for lowering costs or small government when it comes to their own expansion.

[pmipIP]

05:33 PM on 09/12/2009

Uh...NO JOE! Wrong venue...immigrants, illegal or legal, have rights here. The ones who commit crimes? No. Most Illegals that try to do good, like pick veggies, dishes, whatever, are trying...most likely working today, vice ridiculous protesters on Capitol hill today. What a waste of progress.

[DavidDial]

04:50 PM on 09/12/2009

And he is going to get more just as soon as I figure out how to get it to him.

[happysquared]

04:41 PM on 09/12/2009

What's going on with the Act Blue page? Why is it going in reverse when I just gave!!!

[mootown]

07:28 PM on 09/12/2009

Give it time. Have to walk away and come back to refresh. I have been absorbed by miller's actblue page since Wed. night--it makes me feel good to keep refreshing and see more $.

http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19079. Rob millers ActBlue page.