Promises, promises, promises...

So what's a lie (told over and over again) between "friends?"


Right now, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S. Dixie) must be feeling pretty righteous...


Count 'em - eight!

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Sourdough) says that "there has never been a more open process" in Congress. Riiiiiiight.




Add “open process”…not according to C-SPAN’s CEO.




Last add “open process”… “Rep. Joe Sestak (R-Steelers) blames Democratic leaders for the plunge in public support for overhauling the health care system, saying Wednesday they failed to defend proposals that helped carry the party to victories in 2008. ‘They said it would be transparent. Why isn't it?’ said Sestak, a Delaware County Democrat, in a meeting with Tribune-Review editors and reporters. ‘At times, I find the caucus is a real disappointment. We aren't transparent, not just to the public but at times to the members.’"

Add lack of transparency (when it comes to…the health insurance reform bill)…The Washington Examiner not only takes The Hold Trinity – President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Slot Machines) and Pelosi – but the Washington press corps as well. “To be sure, many of the reporters on the Hill gripe and complain to each other and to their editors about these closed-door meetings. And many of them stand keeping vigil outside the doors, waiting for Reid or Pelosi to come out and offer them a morsel of information. But that's not good enough. It's time for a sit-down protest by journalists whose first job is to uphold the public's right to know what its government is doing. Invite readers to come join them in demanding open meetings. The last thing Reid and Pelosi want is the spectacle of the Capitol Hill Police dragging protesting journalists away from the closed doors. It's time to show some cojones, people.”

U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Payoff) as quoted in a Nebraska newspaper: “I think it was a mistake to take health care on as opposed to continuing to spend the time on the economy.” Better late than never?

Add Nebraska: Could the “Cornhusker Kickback” actually kill the bill? Time, and the courts, will tell.

Lame Duck/Weak Rino: Apparently California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking at least one principled stand before he wraps-up his final year in office – he’s fighting the health insurance reform bill. “You’ve heard of the bridge to nowhere. This is health care to nowhere.” Now there’s a memorable line.

Another non-Nebraska politician unhappy with the deal Nelson wrangled: U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Walmart) “said she was disappointed about a provision in the Senate’s health care bill that will require the federal government to permanently pay the entire cost of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska, while only paying the costs of expansion in the other 49 states for three years.” I guess now that she knows how much other folks sold their votes for, she wants a bigger cut.

Add Blanche: It looks like she’s not the only person in Arkansas upset with the health insurance reform fiasco.

Hey all you married people out there who are excited about the health insurance reform bill: About now, you’re probably thinking, “I shoulda stayed single.”

Let me get my TV Guide: So the president wants to move the State of the Union speech back to Feb. 2 in hopes the Health Care Bill is passed by then. The downside to his strategy – he could alienate a very important voting bloc (fans of ABC’s “Lost,” which premieres that night).

Rudeness, Part Deux

Democratic assemblyman to Schwarzenegger: 'You lie!'

It wasn't all that long ago that the left side of the aisle and the media (often difficult to tell apart) took South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson to task for his outburst during a joint session of the Senate and the House. His now infamous, "You lie!," remark not only was rude and a serious breach of Congressional conduct, but it was considered by some a negative yardmarker for our society.

More than one pundit waxed endlessly how it was a clear sign that civility had taken a nosedive and the End of Times was surely upon our democracy. Needless to say, the story took just a couple turns of the 24/7 news cycle to fade away.

Now comes this: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made an unannounced stop at a San Francisco Democratic Party gala Wednesday night -- and wasn’t exactly greeted with open arms.
When the Republican governor took the podium and began to speak [invited by Democratic heavyweight Willie Brown], San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano shouted, "You lie!" It was a West Coast reprisal of GOP Rep. Joe Wilson’s now-infamous outburst during a congressional address by President Obama last month."

According to some sources, Ammiano also yelled "kiss my gay ass!"at the governor as he walked out of the room.

The San Francisco Chronicle's Carla Marinucci has a good account (including video here, more on what happened below).


California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (right): he yells...alot.


Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC): making the infamous 'You Lie!' remark.

Hat's off to Brown. Always a tough and outspoken leader, he's also respected for his straight talk.

From Marinucci's blog: "[The governor] and former President Bill Clinton -- at the Fairmont for the President's Cup golf tournament -- were invited to attend the Democrats' event "by the hosts...the fundraiser organizers," Brown told us. Clinton declined the invite; Schwarzenegger accepted.

"Ammiano conducted himself somewhat similar to Joe Wilson,'' Brown said, referring to the GOP congressman who incurred Democratic wrath when he shouted "You lie" to President Obama during a speech to Congress. It was inappropriate to invite anyone in and shout at them, I don't care who it is. It could be George Bush," said Brown. "You don't do that. If you don't wish to be in their presence, then don't invite them."

When it was all over, Brown added, "I went out and found the governor in the bar area...and spent another 45 minutes with him. We didn't even talk about that nonsense in the other room. And all I could think about is (state Sen. Mark Leno's) bill for Harvey Milk Day. Why would you think you're impressing him into signing that bill by insulting him? "You're talking about utter stupidity," Brown said. "I would have been trying my best to try to figure out how to get him to sign it."

We'll see if the media goes after Ammiano to any of the degree they went after Wilson.


Willie Brown, former California Assembly speaker and mayor of San Francisco.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: he had better days.