Rep. Grayson on CNN -- A Democrat With a Backbone!
My new media hero: Fla. Rep. Alan Grayson. His bravura performance on CNN's usually tepid "Situation Room" this week was one of the highlights of the year in media - and a rare compelling moment on all-too-often lackluster CNN.
"Not many politicians who say things like this would have the guts to walk right in to "The Situation Room," CNN commentator James Carville congratulated Grayson during the Congressman's no-nonsense appearance this week on the cable show.
"You make for some great television,"smiled Carville as Grayson chuckled.
Why is it such a surprise these days when a Democrat, like Grayson did both on CNN and on the House floor, actually shows some spine? "Democrats have to have guts," the poised Grayson told CNN's audience and his quavering co-panelists.
Straight talk...from a Democrat. Sounds vaguely familiar.
When the gutsy Grayson then called Republicans "foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals" on Wolf Blitzer's usually insipid chatfest, you could almost hear millions of viewers shout, "Yessss!"
Panelist Gloria Borger asked Grayson what his provocative comments on the House floor - about the GOP's plan being "Don't Get Sick" and if you do, "Die Quickly," did to help get health care passed, he quickly replied:
It gets us back on track. We're waiting and waiting while people are dying.
Why is this one of the first times we're hearing straight talk from a Democrat on cable news channels about people dying while Congress dithers - blunt talk that also addresses and demolishes Republican-spread vicious lies and nonsense like "death panels"?
It's not a bad thing, being a vertebrate. More Democrats should follow Grayson's example and try it, especially considering the vicious lies the far right wing (i.e., the Republican Party) is constantly throwing at the President.
One hand-wringing CNN panelist asked Grayson what the difference was between his floor comments and the insults directed at President Obama by "Old Yeller," aka Cong. Joe Wilson.
New Jersey Democratic Cong. Frank Pallone, on Air America's "Stephanie Miller Show" Thursday, had the best answer: "Grayson's comments were aimed at all Republicans. Wilson's attacked an individual, which is against Congressional rules."
Blitzer, almost in shock, asked Grayson if calling Republicans "Neanderthals" wasn't "a huge insult."
Not as much an insult as the GOP consistently saying "No" to every health-care proposal while people are dying, replied Grayson cooly.
Blitzer, asking the kind of deeply probing question one normally only hears from Larry "The Radio Artifact" King on CNN, then asked Grayson to "walk us through" the process as he carried his "Don't Get Sick" and "Die Quickly" signs onto the house floor.
Funny -- I don't recall Blitzer asking Sen. Charles "Snake In The" Grassley his thought process after Grassley fashioned signs with cartoon dragons for one recent Senate health-care stemwinder, signs openly mocked that same evening by Jon Stewart.
CNN Republican-in-residence Alex Castellanos then claimed that the GOP did have a health plan -- one that included, of course, tort reform. Grayson smiled and waved him off dismissively.
If today's Republicans had been around when the Black Plague was killing millions -- and maybe a few were -- they would have suggested tort reform as the solution.
Thanks again, Rep. Grayson. It's heartening to see a Democrat finally acting like the Democrats (e.g., Tip O'Neill, Lyndon Johnson) many of us remember -- guys who actually got things done.
Follow Bill Mann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/newsmann
Cenk Uygur: How Alan Grayson and Michael Moore Changed the Conversation
Now the conversation we're having is whether the health care system leads to killing people for profit. This is an old trick of lobbyists. You change the conversation to a battle you can win.
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Hear, hear!, I meant, of course.
Here, here! I second everything you said, Mr. Mann. I especially like the understated, "It's not a bad thing, being a vertebrate."
I understand that being a politician, especially these days, means worrying first about your campaign finances and then about your election/reelection. When you've come off of the last twenty years of national politics, Reagans, two Bushies vs. one Clinton, one stolen election, and one election with some dubious sides to it (Kerry and Ohio), you can understand why the Democrats are having almost as hard a time believing in their own majority as the Rushpublicans have a hard time believing in it. I get that.
But not even being able to face the lies, distortions, and misrepresentations and just matter-of-factly (using the phrase deliberately) and simply call them what they are is WAY beyond just being protective of your chances at election -- it's the worst kind of cowardice. It doesn't even seem to be good political practice, any more than it does to try to be bipartisan with people who will never be bipartisan.
Thank goodness for Rep. Grayson. Let's hope MANY more democrats follow his example.
Wolfie on CNN NEVER holds Republicans responsible for what they say but he will go after Democrats and interupt them so they can't answer his questions all the time. I don't think Wolfie even listens to what the Democrats are saying, he just has to score his political points against them.
Hurting feelings should not even be a concern for the Democrats right now the country can't afford trying to make peace with a political party that is so bitter about not being in power. This country needs to move forward and i hope soon the Obama Administration can realize this. If the Republicans want to drag there feet for the American people and do nothing then it's time to pass them by!
Thank you Bill Mann. We also need to see some columnists with backbone too. I believe they used to call those "journalists". Maybe soon we'll see a display in the Smithsonian on journalists. They can dig up artifacts portraying their integrity.
They can put Jon Stewart behind glass as the last living representative of the species.
I hope our President starts to deal with Republicans the same way as Grayson. No more Mr. Nice Guy. They care more about attacking him than what is best for this Country. Tell them to just get out of the way so serious people that want problems to be dealt with can get the job done.
They can all sit and listen to Rush, beck and Hannity and whine because the American people voted them out after 8 yrs of their governance.Heck of a job!
I am impressed with Congressman Anthony Weiner, too. THERE's a Democrat who's been speaking the truth all along. I watched him on some show one evening (Countdown? The Ed Show?) and he said (I'm paraphrasing here), "The only thing that insurance companies do is take your money. They don't provide a service. They just add one more layer to the health care that you're already paying for, and they profit from their clients without providing a service." That stunned me into thinking about his statement seriously. Why DO we need insurance companies at all? I've seen him on many shows and he's always serious, sticks to the point ("we need a single payer system -- Medicare for everyone"), and never strays from the question he's asked. I think Rep. Weiner is a hero, alongside Rep. Grayson and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (who, bless his heart, seems to be working as hard as he can to represent the people of his state). I intend to do like another person said here -- give $10 to every Democrat who stands up and shows a backbone! And then, if we DON'T get meaningful health care reform (taxing me for the privilege of actually having health insurance -- which goes to a health insurer -- is NOT my idea of reform), I'm with Michael Moore. I'll actively look for progressive Democrats to run against current "Democratic" Congresspeople who aren't willing to work for their constituents. (Yes, Sen. Landrieu -- that includes you....)
Those three - - Grayson, Rockefeller, and Weiner -- are the ones who stand out, the individuals in Congress who have spines. I'd hoped to hear more from the eloquent Sen. Russ Feingold, too.
Umm yeah, I like this guy a LOT !! Way to go Grayson !
If you go to the link for the Situation Room spot, scroll down on the YouTube page to the video "Grayson Laughs in Bernanke's Face." Always fun to watch Ben squirm.
I love Grayson! What he did was totally appropriate. He told the truth!
Great piece Bill.
"GOP's plan being "Don't Get Sick" and if you do, "Die Quickly,""
Priceless.
For a humorous look at the GOP, see Will Ferrell in "funny or die"
http://pol.moveon.org/insurance_execs/?id=17291-8599887-473pGAx&t=2
I think there should be digital counters everywhere (tv and websites) showing how many Americans have died this year alone, adding an unfortunate new one every twelve minutes(like when y2k was coming). Maybe people could be shocked and shamed into action, before more Americans are sacrificed in the name of politics as usual ...
I am sending that man a campaign donation! As well as I am going to send ten bucks to every congressman who stands up and kicks the GOP in the teeth!!
Obstructionalist Republicans are fighting each other to get on TV and cry about Grayson's truthful statements. Maybe they prefer lies?
What is interesting is that he was wearing a tie that had monopoly money on it when he made those statements. That is a good analog to how he perceives U.S. tax payer money-- as play money that he can spend as recklessly as he chooses. By the way, the validity of the Harvard study that he cited has been called into question concerning the weak causality established (supposedly) in its argument. To link 40,000+ thousand deaths to a lack of health care insurance is a very weak argument because there are hundreds of other intervening variables and antecedent conditions that could have contributed to these deaths--just a weak analytic argument. Despite its origin, it is not something I would necessarily place much validity in, but as propaganda it is a great tool for disinformation.
Yeah intervening factors like docor negligence which accounts for nearly 190,000 every year. But somehow tort reform will automatically make doctors competent. Jeeeeze
Ah, yes....you demand exact numbers, a tricky thing to measure....the deaths caused by lack of access to health care....as you say, there are many variables. It's harder still to measure the costs of LIVING without access to affordable care.....what 'ruler' do you use to measure....the panic attacks in the middle of the night, when the rent is due, but you're out of your high blood pressure pills? On what 'scale' can you measure the pain of an impacted tooth, when faced with the choice of paying $350.00 ( 75% of a week's take-home pay) to pull it ...or $2600.00 (2 month's takehome pay) to clear the infection & crown it. Is their a different measure when the tooth is in your beautiful daughter's mouth.... the black hole in her smile leaving a much larger hole in your heart? I see families dealing with this every day. How do you measure the pain of choices like these?
Continue on Mr. Grayson, about time the GOP's tactics used against them. They are already crying foul, heheheehehe.
I'm sending Rep. Grayson a desk plaque that say: "Lie Stop Here" and a honey bowl that says "Lie Trap."
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