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Cynthia Tucker

Before Joe Wilson, there was Preston Brooks

4:08 pm September 10, 2009, by ctucker

Since my mother tried very hard to teach me some manners, I tend to take a dim view of the rudeness displayed last night, not just by Joe Wilson but also by other Republicans, who jeered and laughed (inappropriately) at various points in the president’s speech.

Nevertheless, like the blogger Ta-Nehisi Coates, I try never to say “this is the worst ever” about anything because it almost certainly is not. There is nothing new under the sun. And I appreciated Coates’ historical retrospective featuring Preston Brooks, a South Carolinian who beat another Senator (fatally, if I recall my history correctly) with a cane.

As some conservatives are treating Wilson as a hero, so was Brooks treated as a hero by his constituents. From Wikipedia:

Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner with his wood walking cane in the Senate chamber because of a speech Sumner had made three days earlier. . . . Senator Stephen Douglas   of Illinois, who was also a subject of abuse during the speech, suggested to a colleague while Sumner was orating that “this damn fool [Sumner] is going to get himself shot by some other damn fool.”
At first intending to challenge Sumner to a duel,Brooks  consulted with fellow South Carolina Rep. Laurence M. Keitt   on dueling etiquette. Keitt instructed him that dueling was for gentlemen of equal social standing, and suggested that Sumner occupied a lower social status comparable to a drunkard  due to the supposedly coarse language he had used during his speech. Brooks thus decided to attack Sumner with a cane.

Wow. That’s incivility. I think it was also assault.

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88 comments Add your comment

Peadawg

September 10th, 2009
4:20 pm

“who jeered and laughed (inappropriately) at various points in the president’s speech.”

Like Democrats have NEVER done that before during a speech by a Republican president. LOLLOLLOLLOL!!! I didn’t think you could be any more biased…but I guess you can.

Scott

September 10th, 2009
4:22 pm

There was also the occasion, on July 11, 1804, when Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

I think that’s also murder.

But Ms. Tucker is to be commended, in this post, for the ability to put calling someone a “liar” into perspective. (Credit where credit is due.)

Pat Phelps

September 10th, 2009
4:30 pm

OMG, are you serious. I’m sick of this crap. Where was the indignation and outrage when a movie was made about assassinating President Bush. Or when Robert “KKK” Byrd went off on the President on the Senate floor. Or when the Democrats booed President Bush during the 2005 State of the Union. You liberals have no conscious or morals.

Where is your outrage towards Charlie Rangel. This guy is a bigot, a liar, and a tax evader. He should be in prison, yet he holds one of the most powerful positions in the congress. You liberals are koolaid drinkers and would say or do anything to have absolute power. God help us all.

Joey

September 10th, 2009
4:31 pm

Brooks was a pro-slavery Democrat and Sumner, who did recover from the beating, was a Republican.

Joey

September 10th, 2009
4:39 pm

May I add to Pat Phelps comment, Cynthia was:
Cheering the assassination movie;
Looking the other way and supporting Byrd;
Standing with with Cynthia McKinney while booing Bush;
Openly defending Rangel;
And doing all of these as a proud and Progressive Democrat.

Grumpy

September 10th, 2009
4:49 pm

Hey, Joey. I don’t recall Cynthia Tucker ever defending Cynthia McKinney.

Mike Palmer

September 10th, 2009
4:49 pm

Being a good Massachusetts native liberal I am very familiar with the incident you mention. Massachusetts’s Senator Charles Sumner did not die from the caning by South Carolina’s Senator Brooks. He was incapacitated for several years, eventually returning to claim his senate seat. His caning was reprehensible, criminal, and without merit, but Senator Sumner had an ass whupping coming from somebody. He repeatedly and on the Senate floor belittled and personally insulted Senator Brooks and two other Confederate supporters even making fun of a man’s stutter.

Manners

September 10th, 2009
4:51 pm

Ms. Tucker does not say that Democrats have never done anything inappropriate. Just that the behavior last night was inappropriate.

And it was.

The disrespect that was shown last night is inexcusable. Whatever happened to the notion of respectfully disagreeing? I think that we need to remember that we are all Americans first, and Democrats/Republicans second. Let’s practice a few manners when we deal with one another. Don’t be a hater.

The most biased remarks on this page came from Peadawg. I find that ironic.

Shameful State of American Politics

September 10th, 2009
5:16 pm

It is shameful, disgraceful and anti-American what Joe Wilson did last night during the President’s important address. He needs to formally and publicly apologize to President Obama and the Congress for his rudeness and lack of self control. I hope that his actions are not reflective of South Carlina’s view and he be voted out of office. There is a way to debate ones differences with respect for your fellow man and that is what’s lacking in America’s debate today. Let’s discuss things with civility and facts as opposed to fear and dis-information. We are facing some serious issues today and we need to unite as a country and take an objective look at resolutions as opposed to fear mongering and hate rhetoric! It is truly a sad day in America.

CrAIG

September 10th, 2009
5:20 pm

NO!!! end of story not acceptable Joe Wilson must leave office, apology not excepted.

Tradd Rutledge

September 10th, 2009
5:24 pm

Preston Brooks was a Democrat, Charles Sumner did not die from the attack, and you are a biased idiot.

Joe

September 10th, 2009
5:28 pm

Good for him. Finally, somebody had the balls to call him a liar to his face.

Scott

September 10th, 2009
5:30 pm

As Cynthia said, there is nothing new under the sun. Politicians,both Democrat and Republican, have done this and much worse from the beginning. I confess I don’t understand the outrage about this, when they are far greater things to be outraged about. And Joe Wilson did apologize directly to Obama, and Obama has said he has accepted the apology.

As far as “hate rhetoric” goes, if you want to see hate rhetoric, look at the posts on Media Matters or Daily Kos. The word “liar” is mild in comparison.

Scott

September 10th, 2009
5:30 pm

correction … should read “…when THERE are far greater things … “

RJS

September 10th, 2009
5:34 pm

I pointed out to Wilson’s office that he was following in Brooks’ footsteps. Right on, sister.

Ourania

September 10th, 2009
5:46 pm

Bravo Joe Wilson!!! You are my hero. Finally, someone had the courage to tell the President that he c is a liar, and we know it. He can not fool us anymore!!

The REAL GodHatesTrash, Superstar

September 10th, 2009
5:46 pm

Wilson is proof than South Carolina still continues to elect bottom-feeding trash, even in the 21st century.

Sad that this oafish thug is a congressman, sadder still the scum that voted him in.

Jarrod

September 10th, 2009
6:05 pm

Pat Phelts/Peadowg,
You both clearly have no idea how journalism (or even bloggy internet pseudojournalism) work: They comment on specific events. Do you know how unwieldy and impractical it would be if every story about “Democrats did this,” had to be prefaced by the full history of “but Republicans did this too on this instance, the Whigs did this as well at this point, the Federalists did this after Jefferson took the Presidency, and the Bull Moose Party did this on this date”? For the sake of being unbiased, of course. Hell, I read a news article about a black guy shooting a white guy not long ago–maybe you should accuse that reporter of bias for not going out of his way to mention, “It should be noted that whites have been known to shoot blacks as well.”

If Cynthia had used this as some platform to bash Republicans in general, or to push the view the Democrats are somehow better, then your comments, as poorly composed and unsophisticated as they may be, would certainly be warranted. Outside such a context, they just make conservatives look bad.

Incidentally Phelps, I find it amusing that you talk about bigotry and “KKK” Byrd, considering your language and reasoning (lumping people together and making vast, absolute judgments and stereotypes) reflect the same ideological foundations of most racists and bigots.

Pat Phelps

September 10th, 2009
6:17 pm

Jarrod – was Cynthia a bigot when she made a blanket statement on Chris Matthews show that most of the opponents of Obamacare were racist and opposed it becuase he was black? She had no proof but she made that statement.

Was Charlie Rangel a bigot when he said all people that oppose Obamacare are white racist? He too has no proof, but made the statement.

Was or was not Robert Byrd in the Klu Klux Klan? Yes, he was.

Did Charlie Rangel lie on his tax return and evade taxes. Yes, I believe he did.

So you can talk about me all you want but in reality the only bigots in this country are on the left. I voted for Dylan Glenn in my congressional district. Last time I checked he was a black man.

Mark

September 10th, 2009
6:28 pm

beat another Senator (fatally, if I recall my history correctly) with a cane.

The attack was NOT fatal. It must also be pointed out that Sen. Sumner was a Republican. The man who beat him with a cane was a Democrat…

Jettie

September 10th, 2009
6:44 pm

Yes, Ms Tucker, Congressman Wilson’s two words were disrespectful albeit true. You have skewed your article to suggest that Liberals have never been disrespectul, to which I would also say “you lie”.
And how disrespectful of the president to make jibes against opponents of his healthcare plan while addressing the joint house. He should apologize, too.
How interesting that the Liberal machine has used this incident to pull in money for Wilson’s opponent, Miller.

Brucer

September 10th, 2009
6:51 pm

Joe Wilson may have gotten carried away with expressing his opinion, but it was certainly something that many in the audience (and at home) were thinking. More appropriate might have been that when Obama told us with a straight face that his plan would not cost the country “anything” to enact, the room could have broken out into the song: “Fairy tails . . . can come true . . .they can happen to you . . . “

TBS -- The Best Shows Channel

September 10th, 2009
7:07 pm

Pat Phelps: Can you prove your above statements ^^ or did you just hear it from Fox News and automatically took it as the gospel truth? if you can prove it, LINK to it — that way we can all see it!

TBS -- The Best Shows Channel

September 10th, 2009
7:08 pm

Brucer: If you READ THE BILL YOURSELF, (instead of depending on others to read it for you) you’d know that it was the truth. If specifically states that illegals can not be served under the bill!! Duh.

Pat Phelps

September 10th, 2009
7:11 pm

Jettie – we should do the same. If everyone that believes Joe Wilson was right would donate to his campaign we could raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.

REB

September 10th, 2009
7:28 pm

Phelps and Company,

“You people” are as bigoted as they come. Mr. Obama IS the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. And HE IS A BLACK MAN. That’s what people like “you people” and that Wilson
jack-_ _ _ can’t stand. You showed your bigotry, Phelps, when you pulled out the old line “I voted for Dylan Glenn…(even though)… he was a black man.” So you saw Mr. Glenn’s race first, then considered his politics, just like “you people” see PRESIDENT OBAMA’s race first and disrespect him and thus his politics. If you don’t like the president’s healthcare reform proposal, lobby your representatives not to vote for it. But respect the man who won the job, no matter what his politics. Campaign (harder) against him in the next election. That’s the American way!

Jenna

September 10th, 2009
7:29 pm

Boos, hisses, etc. are commonplace and both sides are guilty of that. Everyone can go back and forth on this issue, “A Democrat did this, a republican did that, but what about . . .?” However, if anyone can point to an occasion when Bush was interrupted by being called a liar from the floor during a speech he was making, please post the name of the person who did this, the date, etc. My personal opinion is that this was definitely a new low. Instead of saying, “Well, they did it too,” how about we all try to raise the bar instead? Wouldn’t that be better?

Kat

September 10th, 2009
7:34 pm

wilson should be punished.maybe the calif. republican rep. guy could give him a spanking.

Pat Phelps

September 10th, 2009
7:41 pm

REB – why is the left always wants to play the race card. Not that its any of your damn business, but I voted for Dylan Glenn because of his politics. The man running against him, the current representative for my district, was Lynn Westmoreland. Mr. Westmoreland is a native of the district and white. I voted for the man I thought would do the best job and that was Dylan Glenn.

It’s funny the way you say “people like you”. When all else fails use the race card. That is all you got.

markus

September 10th, 2009
7:59 pm

As was mentioned, Sumner didn’t die, but he was beaten so severely it was 3 years before he could attend the Senate again- he continued to serve for the next 15 years, being a champion of emancipation and civil rights for black people.

@Mark- your point about party affiliation holds ZERO water. When the Democrats- led by JFK and LBJ- embraced Civil Rights and other causes in the early 60’s, most of the racist old guard (Strom Thurmond, George Wallace and MANY others) switched their party affiliation to Republican- The GOP used their “Southern Strategy” to win the White House in 1968, and the lines have been drawn clearly ever since. The Republican and Democratic Parties of 1856 are NOT the same parties of today.

As for Wilson, I highly doubt this good ol’ boy South Carolinian would’ve yelled that out if a white man had been giving the speech…sorry, truth hurts…Republicans HATe the charge of racism, but they let it bubble over so often, it’s unavoidable…

Charlie

September 10th, 2009
8:01 pm

How many times did Nancy Pelosi call Bush a liar? Why is it suddenly a story now? Actually, why is any criticism of a president a story. Traditionally there have never been boundries as to what we say/infer/ or characterize our president. Why should Obama be different?

Scott

September 10th, 2009
8:03 pm

I believe Nancy Pelosi also said that the CIA lied to her.

jt

September 10th, 2009
8:05 pm

Meanwhile, Obama has INCREASED the number of American personnel going to IRAQ.

Not to mention Afganistan.

And the 26 billion dollars given to GM is GONE.

Back in the 19th century, the above mentioned senators would be facing the gallows.

Kat

September 10th, 2009
8:07 pm

someone called bush a liar? why?

mike

September 10th, 2009
8:09 pm

Only utter idiots really believe that either side is any more civil than the other.

BTW: Sumner died 18 years after the cane attack. I guess Cynthia is just too lazy to bother to click the link in the Wikipedia that she is using as the source for her “column” to look at Sumner’s bio. No wonder the AJC is going down the toilet. They are staffed by run of the mill ignorant partisans who cut and paste from the Wikipedia and don”t even do that well. What a bunch of garbage.

mike

September 10th, 2009
8:12 pm

markus –

Do you really think it is any more civil to call someone a racist than it is to call them a liar?

Maybe if you learn how to behave civilly, you might be in a position to pontificate about the incivility of others. Until that time comes, you just look like a hypocrite. …sorry, truth hurts…

mike

September 10th, 2009
8:14 pm

Kat –

“someone called bush a liar? why?”

Probably because he made the same comments about Iraqi WMD as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry but was also a Republican.

Dorthell

September 10th, 2009
8:42 pm

I cannot believe how civility has been lost in our country. President Obama won in the largest electoral college landslide in history, and the FAUX news crowd keep trying to find something to disrespect him with. The birthers, calling him a liar, saying he is going to have a death panel……….I hope the Repugnican party gets their butts kicked in the next election, or they just choose to go off with Sarah, Rush, and Joe to the fantasty land they live in. President Bush broke so many laws and kept the Iraq War off the books, President Obama put it back in the budget where it belongs, and NOW they want to blame him for the deficit? Last night was TOTALLY inexcusable, the man is the leader of the FREE world. Haters need to go away on an island and feed on one another.

Question

September 10th, 2009
9:49 pm

So remind us Cynthia — did you express the same dim view of the rudeness when President George W. Bush was booed and heckled by Democrats at his 2005 State of the Union address?

My guess is “no”. If correct, thanks for reaffirming your double standard position!!!

BTW, my guess the “LIAR” comment is likely correct as PresBo will redefine “illegal” or give the 11-12 illegals amnesty….

Question

September 10th, 2009
9:54 pm

Dorthell at 8:42 pm — perhaps what is totally inexcusable is how PresBoO continues to re-define and increase what our “fair share” should be in order to support the irrresponsible generational government dependent leeches in our society!!!

Question

September 10th, 2009
9:55 pm

Apologies — my previous posting should read “…11-12 million illegals…”

Pat Phelps

September 10th, 2009
9:55 pm

Dorthell – do you plan to come up with any original thoughts of your own are do you plan to use “Bush lied” for the next twenty years?

By the way he didn’t lie. He said the same things President Clinton and the head of the CIA, who was appointed by Clinton, said about WMD’s. Do you consider President Clinton a liar? Probably not.

Sinthia's Baby Daddy

September 10th, 2009
10:09 pm

Nag, nag, nag! That’s all you do woman. Now go make me a damn sammich!

Sinthia's Baby Daddy

September 10th, 2009
10:11 pm

Quit hatin on us Dorthell or you be joining us on that island you be talkin bout!

Chris Salzmann

September 11th, 2009
12:14 am

Pat Phelps September 10th, 2009 9:55 pm SAID: By the way he didn’t lie. He said the same things President Clinton and the head of the CIA, who was appointed by Clinton, said about WMD’s. Do you consider President Clinton a liar? Probably not.

CHRIS SAYS: Clinton didn’t go to war over it and didn’t justify killing over 4000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives to justify it. Remember those lies about mushroom clouds over American cities, WMD trailers, etc. You ARE naive.

Public Option Now.

September 11th, 2009
12:45 am

Wilson’s Democratic opponent who got 47% of the vote last time around raised a half million bucks yesterday in about a half day yesterday.

He’s Rob Miller Democratic Iraq war vet.

Donation after donation has loaded Miller’s war chest, and he is poised to rake in one million dollars by the twenty-four hour anniversary of the moment his incumbent opponent Wilson rudely interrupted President Obama’s health care speech, shouting “You Lie” as the President pledged not to offer health benefits to illegal immigrants.

Actually while the details aren’t in place there are provisions in each of the 4 bills, and the crap bill from Senate Finance that BadMax Baucus first circulated to the insurance company lobbyists on K street stupidly leaving the MSFT Word notes in the margins written by the insurance companies who wrote the bill.

What Cynthia is trying to figure out to tell you at some point is that if there is no public option, there will be zero over zilch over nada to make a scintilla of difference in the insurance company premiums which have doubled in the past ten years and will double in the next ten if status quo is maintained.

Public Option Now.

September 11th, 2009
12:52 am

There are provisions in all the bills to have IRS check lists which would screen out illegal immigrants, and provisions for other lists to be implemented. Insurance companies now don’t screen for immigration violations if someone wants to pay their exponentially rising premiums and deductibles.

Public Option Now.

September 11th, 2009
12:53 am

None of the bills will provide any government money whatsoever to care for illegal immigrants unless it were in the form of indirect grants that go to many inner city hospitals like Grady–and they would be for general treatment. It ought to be clear now that the emergency room is no place whatsoever for chronic care to take place for a panoply of reasons, and if you’ve ever worked in one, you know it is no place to be verifying anyone’s citizenship. ER’s arent’ the Cobb or Gwinette sheriff’s department on an arrest–they are treating people with huge time pressures.

Public Option Now.

September 11th, 2009
12:54 am

Some of these AJC blogs have the whackiest filters immagnable. Cynthia’s blogs must be allergic to links. LOL

mike

September 11th, 2009
6:59 am

Dorthell –

“President Obama won in the largest electoral college landslide in history, ”

Nonsense. Not even close. Reagan was #1 and that never stopped liberals from being utterly disrespectful to him.

Spare us the whining.

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