The President may have accepted South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson’s apology for his outburst the other night, not because he believes the apology to be sincere, but more as a means to put the ugly incident aside and move on with health care.
Not so, however, for MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann.
Last night on “Countdown,” in a “Special Comment” lasting a little over 10 minutes, Olbermann didn’t buy Representative Wilson’s excuse that he was emotional when he shouted “You lie!” during Obama’s address to both houses of Congress. Olbermann accused Wilson of “stupidity” and, worse, “racism.”
Citing Wilson’s involvement with the “Sons of Confederate Veterans” who, Olbermann says, are guilty of “harboring white supremacists,” he blamed Wilson’s disrespect on racism.
Olbermann also vented at the “rank willful stupidity” of Wilson and others who are, it appears now, becoming the voice of the Republican Party.
Olbermann is impressive and makes his point. Even though the segment is long, it is worth watching (see link below).
One big point that Olbermann makes is showing where Wilson was wrong when he accused the President of lying about health care reform not covering illegal aliens. Olberman cites Section 246 of the health care reform bill (HR 3200) which specifically outlaws any coverage to people who are not in the United States lawfully.
Checking this out for myself, Section 246 is on Page 143 and reads as follows:
SEC. 246. NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS.
Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”
There it is – clearly written and stated. The authors of this section even put the title in all caps and bolded for emphasis.
Wilson, being a member of the House of Representatives, the body which is working on HR 3200, should have known better, and probably did. Olbermann accounts Wilson’s supposed lack of knowledge on Section 246 more to greed – he says that Wilson is indebted to health care special interests to the tune of “$435,296,” according to Olbermann.
“Of course you let your emotions get the best of you,” Olbermann said, “at a figure of $435,296 in campaign donations from the health sector to you,” referring to Wilson, “and your PAC. Of course your emotions would take over when your gravytrain was threatenened.”
The next time Wilson feels compelled to shout out “You lie!” he should find a mirror!
