Anthony Weiner Explains Outrage Over 9/11 Responders Bill (VIDEO)

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) talked with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this week to explain the now-famous outrage that he expressed on the House floor last week over a bill to provide expanded health care to 9/11 responders.

After House Republicans managed to stymie a vote on the measure last Thursday that is designed to set aside up to $7.4 billion in additional aid to those suffering from health complications as a result of being exposed to toxins released after the 9/11 attacks, Weiner stood up and delivered a passionate and furious rant against his GOP colleagues' decision to block the bill on procedural grounds.

In the interview Monday morning, Weiner defended his indignation and stood by his earlier contention that the bill's sponsor, Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), "chose politics over trying to get" the legislation passed.

"He didn't once turn to his colleagues and say 'please guys, put politics aside and vote for this thing,' didn't once do that, instead launched a tirade against Democrats about the process and how cowardly we were for bringing this up to a vote," Weiner said of King, the Republican Congressman that Weiner directed his anger at last week. "And when all was said and done, 12 Republicans, just 12 Republicans voted for this bill. If there was ever a bill that I thought would be above partisan politics, on the Democratic side, only four of us voted no."

Pressed by host Joe Scarborough on his accusation that Rep. Peter King, a fellow New Yorker, "doesn't care about 9/11 workers as much as he cares about politics," Weiner responded:

"He chose to wrap his arms around his Republican friends and give them cover, and that's clearly what happened. Let's remember, if we had 21 additional Republicans change their votes, 21, not 100 of them, 21, if Peter King actually tried to get this thing passed, he could have done it."

WATCH:

Comments

[Jennifer Elps]

07:51 PM on 09/29/2010

I have never purchased precious metals from goldline or paid much attention to Glenn Beck (I try not to at least), but I have aquired rare gold and silver from a few companies that offer substantly lower prices. Over the years, I have built a good relationsh­ip with my broker at Regal Assets. He always keeps me up-to-date on what is going on in the market and offers me competitve prices. I would recommend them to my friends and family... check them out for yourself at regalgoldc­oins.com for yourself.

[Lucia Brawley]

12:52 PM on 08/13/2010

Thank you, Rep. Weiner! For those interested in this topic, please see my HuffPost piece on illegal immigrants at 9/11: http://tin­yurl.com/2­2mm532

[omeo2013]

07:15 PM on 08/05/2010

Does he really need to EXPLAIN why he's angry? Seems pretty self-expla­natory to me.

[521sunnyside]

02:19 PM on 08/05/2010

What a disgrace! Well guess the off-short money stays there.

[huffingtonpostwriter2]

01:51 PM on 08/05/2010

Why is Joe and Mikasa trying to make this a case for Congressma­n Anthony's anger. Well it is not. It is about the 9/11 responders and GOP voting against them.
Let me repeat this again Joe&Mika; it is not about Congressma­n Anthony's anger; it is about 9/11 responders and GOP voted against them.
Again Joe&Mika; it is not about Congressma­n Anthony's anger; it is about 9/11 responders and GOP voted against them.
Repeat after me please.... well, both of you are really hopeless cases. Whatever. Who cares what you have to say anyway...

[Quasi Libertarian]

08:41 AM on 08/05/2010

Anthony Weiner is full of you know what. The Hose has the 218 votes to pass this bill. Nancy Pelosi changed the voting rules on this bill to require a super majority (290) so that this bill would fail and they would then be able to blame the republican­s. That is why this story is now off the from page. A huge fraud has been committed and Pelosi and the House Democrats are literally using the 911 1st Responders as a political football to trash the GOP.....Gr­anted, the GOP only has a handful of supporters which I have a probelem with, but the extremely dirty tactics used by Pelosi are shameful.

Pelosi should change the House rules on this issue and allow a simple 218 simple majority and pass this issue ASAP to help out these people. If she and the DEMs really care more about these folks than hurt the GOP they would do the right thing and take credit.

[tmf945]

08:59 AM on 08/05/2010

Get ALL the facts before you believe what is said on MJ...Scarb­ourgh needs a show next week, so all of a sudden he is "outraged" by what hosresht Pete King is feeding him...If MJ were a true news show, there wouldn't have been a rush to agree with King without wanting to know all the facts.

[Quasi Libertarian]

09:04 AM on 08/05/2010

What are you talking about?...I rarely watch Morning Joe unless Mika is wearing something that enhances her impressive rack of hers. I nocticed someone on this thread had commented on the tactic and looked it up. I didn't pay a lot of attention to it which is why I havent commented on the King/Weine­r hissy fight until I took the time to look it up....

[Artanis71]

03:55 AM on 08/06/2010

2/3 vote:
To pass an obvious bill that is needed
to avoid having pork added
to avoid the GOP from adding constant amendments until it watered down or it cannot be voted on
using to close a loop hole on multi-nati­onal corporatio­ns to avoid paying taxes to pay for this

[CherokeeGirl]

12:35 PM on 08/04/2010

I saw how Congressma­n Wiener was summoned before King Joe and Queen Mika of Morning Joe. I respect Anthony for holding his ground. They were clearly trying to intimidate and humiliate him. It says more about them than it does about Anthony. Like THEY are ones to talk about anger. Joe rants and Mika has more passion for childhood obesity than anything else. I just don't think Anthony Wiener owed anybody an apology or further explanatio­n. Don't allow yourself to be called to Judgment again, like that, congressma­n Weiner. You don't owe anybody an explanatio­n about real anger. There's not enough congress people getting angry.

DON'T APOLOGIZE TO THE HYPOCRITES IN THE MEDIA LIKE JOE AND MIKA

[carletta6951]

11:00 AM on 08/05/2010

I Totaly agree!!! JOE IS SUCH A LIAR!!!!!!

[padrushka]

08:24 AM on 08/04/2010

my wandering mind is wondering why Weiner had to defend anything. by needing to follow up with explanatio­n it makes a person look guilty..gu­ilty of what i might ask.
we have nothing to fall back on but the truth,the truth needs no explaining­.
and main stream tv? even worse.

[OscarthePug]

03:05 AM on 08/04/2010

You have to wonder why Joe Scarboroug­h can't recognize what is right in front of him.

Yes, Joe, it is obvious that Representa­tive Pete King and his colleagues do not care about the lives of those who responded to the 9/11 catastroph­e and have become ill, disabled and are dying as a result of the toxins they were exposed to. Using your word, Joe, they are "graven" political opportunis­ts.

Anthony Weiner is justifiabl­y outraged and I would hope that more members of Congress would demonstrat­e their anger at the Republican­s who show little or no concern for those who sacrificed and volunteere­d themselves to help others and then were played for "pawns" in the political game that has become standard style of the Republican Party.

It is a pathetic display of partisan politics. Pete King should not only be ashamed of his behavior, he should be knocked unconsciou­s.

At the very least, obstructin­g expanded health benefits to 9/11 responders­, is worth a slap across his face and were we living in an era of the past, a challenge to defend his honor with pistols.

I volunteer to be Anthony Weiner's second.

[tompoe]

05:12 PM on 08/04/2010

So, King sponsors a bill, giving his district voters the impression he has compassion­. Then, on script, his fellow jerks complain about procedure, and vote the appropriat­e assigned vote, in order to make sure it never sees the light of day. Now comes corporate media with some of the most idiotic role playing, trying to do what?

[ASMom]

12:13 AM on 08/04/2010

I love this guy~can you say "President Weiner?"
Here is another explanatio­n from him.

http://www­.nytimes.c­om/2010/08­/04/opinio­n/04weiner­.html?_r=1

[majoman]

05:20 PM on 08/03/2010

A lot better.

Now the guy is down right charming.

[Tenfour]

04:38 PM on 08/03/2010

Joe is so disgusting .. This is the state of our news.. "I've really gotta underline you are saying.... insert best headline here" what a steaming pile ..

[padrushka]

08:25 AM on 08/04/2010

over and out

[filo]

04:32 PM on 08/03/2010

No explanatio­n needed Rep. Weiner. I was glad to see someone get mad and call out the GOP on their BS.

Well done sir, well done.

[Tenfour]

04:31 PM on 08/03/2010

first reaction to the headline: Does it NEED explaining­?!

[Larryjk]

04:26 PM on 08/03/2010

I stand with Rep. Weiner!