Denver Post Mocks Lawmaker For Denying He Compared Obama To Terrorists

The following article was produced by the Raw Story and written by David Edwards and Muriel Kane.

Colorado Republican State Senator Dave Schultheis had the dubious honor of being named "Worst Person in the World" on Thursday by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann for his unfortunate use of Twitter.

"Don't for a second, think Obama wants what is best for U.S.," Schultheis tweeted. "He is flying the U.S. plane right into the ground at full speed. Let's roll."

"'Let's roll," Olbermann repeated. "The rallying cry from Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, PA on 9/11."

Schultheis has denied that the 911 reference was intentional, telling the Denver Post, "It's a comment people use all the time any more. 'Let's get going. Let's move on. Let's make major changes,' I can see it now. But you're busy doing jillions of things during the day. You sometimes don't analyze every single word."

Schultheis also suggested that his own reputation for controversial statements may have given people the wrong idea. Last winter, he aroused outrage when he was the only member of the Colorado state senate to vote against a bill requiring HIV testing for pregnant women, objecting that it would "remove the negative consequences that take place from poor behavior and unacceptable behavior."

Nobody in Colorado, however, seems to be accepting Schultheis's excuses. The Democratic president of the state senate called his remark "appalling" and even the minority leader agreed that "Dave shouldn't have gone there."

The Denver Post mocked Schultheis by responding with some tweets of its own.

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"DenverPost_EdBoard @Sen_Schultheis: Don't think we buy your claim you didn't mean to equate the president with terrorists. No one is buying it."

"DenverPost_EdBoard @Sen_Schultheis: To believe that the American people elected a president intent on destroying the U.S. is hateful and absurd. Such debate is debasing."

"DenverPost_EdBoard @Colorado_GOP: Demand that Sen. Schultheis apologize. Insist that your party keep its criticisms meaningful. The president isn't a Manchurian destructor."

"Apologize, resign, get impeached," Olbermann exhorted Schultheis in conclusion. "Do something to make us forget that you just mocked the dead of 9/11!"

Video from MSNBC's Countdown can be watched HERE.

Comments

[jlgrounds]

I sent the good senator from Colorado an email: senatorsch­ultheis@gm­ail.com and told him he should be ashamed....at the end I added a two word, universal FU. It was hilarious - he wrote back and I quote here: " You talk about disgust. It is sad to see a gal have to use such foul language. Does your mother know you talk like that? You should be ashamed...." Then went on to justify his vote of "no" to HIV testing of pregnant women - telling me that he does't believe that the government should get between a patient and doctor. However, what he said on the floor when he voted no was that there was 'too much promicuity" and that women should have consequences for their behavior.

Given his calling me a 'gal' and then asking about my mother shows what a condensding pr**k he is. He then tried to tell me that he wasn't referring to flight 93 when he said that in twitter. I replied that he was just like so many other phony Christians in the GOP and telling a complete lie to me.

[Sloane7]

It's amazing seeing Republicans pull the mask away and show people what's behind it.

[cnart]

what a complete horses behind!

[LeftLeanWing]

This type of behavior will be the Republicans undoing....

They smell blood in the water and are feeling an adrenaline rush.

The hyperbole will increase over the next 12 months and they will start saying more and more over the top statements in an orgiastic crescendo until something --- something will be said --- so appalling -- that they all will be smeared in its wake.

The last example of this was when Rush Limbaugh mocked Michael J Fox before the Missouri Senatorial Election -- which just turned everyone off.

[embarc]

Where is the cesspool where they breed, hatch, and incubate these Republicans?

[ItsTooLate]

Colorado Springs, a scenic right wing cesspool.

[1differentdrummer]

Come on cowboy, you said it, be a man instead of a smarmy politician. Man up or shut up. Don't weasel.

[donnabella]

hope the good folks of Colorado vote this Knut out of office ...

[rflctammt]

Thankfully the good "christian" (with a small c and in quotes) senator won't be seeking re-election:

State Sen. Schultheis Will Not Seek Second Term
By John Tomasic 11/3/09 5:12 PM
Colorado Springs Republican Sen. Dave Schultheis has announced he will not seek re-election in 2010. The staunch conservative posted a blog with the news at his website Monday night and emailed a statement to the Colorado Springs Gazette. He made no apologies for his often controversial positions and rigid approach to policy.

"During my years in the Legislature, I have purposely never sought a leadership position, as I believed my role was to stand firmly against every temptation to moderate my conservative views for greater acceptance by the caucus,” he wrote. “As a result, I felt free and unencumbered, to hold high the banner of each and every conservative principle that Republicans say they believe in … and to do so without compromise."

http://coloradoindependent.com/41426/state-sen-schultheis-will-not-seek-second-term

[Buffyboy]

What a stupendous *ss_h*le this person is.

[Jesster]

If the good people in Schulthesis's district have even a modicum of shame and residual common sense they will vote this boob out. He is an embarrassment to Congress, the GOP and his constitutents.

[Hemmingplay]

Each voter in the good congressman's district should feel personally responsible for this guy. He's their hirling, he's their representative, and they picked him.

It's only fair.

Step up to the responsibility, folks. We have met the enemy, and they are us. Time we faced the inconvenient truth.

[cooperone]

He is a state senator from Colorado Springs (about as right as you can get...both the senator and the city)

[NeoLiberal]

The true colors of republicans are coming out every day, and have since the election.

Their primary modus operandi is accuse something of being the opposite enough times and ignoramuses will believe it.

We all know education (i.e. removal of ignorance) is the only way we can succeed and progress as a nation and dig ourselves out of our messes.

Unfortunately, the GOP will thwart all attempts at this. The ignorance of the electorate is the only thing that keeps them and their candidates viable.

GOP = dark ages
Everyone else = enlightenment

[Tommygun264]

This is the same man who opposed providing anti-retroviral therapy for pregnant women with HIV that would allow their babies to be born without HIV because he said it would encourage promiscuity and he in fact hoped more babies would be born with AIDS so their mothers could bear the shame of their sins. He's your typical false-Christian, pub hater, and being shamed and voted out of power is the least of what he deserves.

[werlsnpa]

Treason! Treason! I hate a Republican that disrespects the Presidency of the United States. I hate a Republican that says He did not mean it. i hate a Republican that is cowering and a coward. I think Republicans you should find a replacement.

[Scentedflower]

clue less REstu pids

[Master-T]

A Republican hate-monger, exploiting the 9/11 victims to attack a Democrat? Who woulda thunk it?

[beckpod1]

You can give these guys money...you can give these guys power...but you can't give them any class!

[liberalbug]

ain't that the truth!

[isaidit]

Whoever devises a machine that will test politicians, something like a blood-pressure rig, that will give a read out saying "Jerk" or "Not a Jerk" so voters will be able to vote more effectively. That's gonna make the inventor a bundle of money.

[jan4insight]

Sounds like a good idea - but it seems to me we wouldn't need if the voters out there would just open their eyes & ears, and pay attention!

[isaidit]

You expect people to think. That's not gonna happen. Give it up. You will feel so much better. Consumerism and a thinking marketplace go ill together. And our version of capitalism needs mindless consumerism or it will hit a wall.

So, all of our culture is geared up to make mindless consumers, but then 'mindless' became the default disposition of most of us. It was such a succesful indoctrination. It even worked on the uneducated.

So now, most of us want a world in which we are like small trusting children guided by benevolent parents, and even if that's a far cry from reality, we are nonetheless determined to live 'as if' it's not so.

So, taking that as a given, the next hope for us is the invention I'm suggesting. It exposes the jerks and saves us from thinking all in one fell swoop. Yesssss!!!