Blogs on both sides of the political aisle exploded last night, as first reports rolled in about a union event breaking out at a fight. That’s an exaggeration, of course. However, here are the facts, as far as we’re able to tell.
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) scheduled a last-minute town hall meeting for yesterday evening, essentially tagging along on Florida State Rep. Betty Reed’s (D) already-scheduled town hall meeting. This meeting was also officially hosted by the Service Employees international Union, a highly politically active union that is a reliable ally of liberal Democratic politicians. Between RedState.com and conservative talk-radio king Rush Limbaugh, local conservative activists found out about this meeting and decided to crash the party.
The first reports came in through the Tampa Bay local media, depicting a rowdy town hall meeting interrupted by conservative activists demanding to be heard. This was a fairly straightforward story which contained simple quotes and facts, written by one William March. There was one quote which was particularly intriguing:
Asked earlier today about possible disruption at the event, Kim Diehl of SEIU said, "We're prepared. We have strategies to deal with it if it should come up."How Orwellian.
This quote did not appear in the updated version of the story. That’s important, and for this reason:
One of those involved in a scuffle, Randy Arthur, of Oldsmar said he was injured by those manning the doors and said he would file a police report.A conservative activist got roughed up by organizers of the town meeting – either Betty Reed (unlikely) or...SEIU goons. One wonders if the strategy Diehl spoke of was to systematically and forcibly deny people entry to the event.
He and his wife, Kathy, were outside the meeting room when organizers tried to close the doors. Randy Arthur and others tried to stop them "and he didn't give up,'' Kathy Arthur said.
Randy Arthur, who owns an air conditioning service company, later talked to police officers, his knit shirt ripped and a few scratches visible on his chest. "They slammed him into the wall,'' Kathy Arthur said.
Last, but not least in the bias department, is this picture by Chris Zuppa for St. Petersburg Times.
The caption identifies the woman as Karen Miracle, who is caught shoving one Barry Osteen. Osteen was apparently debating Miracle’s husband, Garry, on the issue of health care. The caption does not identify Karen and Garry as the treasurer and political director, respectively, of the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club. An additional photograph of this incident is currently at the top of the Drudge Report.
As you can see, Osteen is wearing neither uniform nor swastika-adorned armband.
For videos of this and other town hall protests, visit Eyeblast.tv’s channel devoted to the Recess Town Halls.
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Good Thing He Doesn't Have That Civilian Militia Yet!
August 7, 2009 - 12:16 ET by Reaganite RepublicanNow the DNC is deploying union grunts while dismissing Obamacare opponents as paid shills -even running disengenuous TV ads to slander them- while SanFranNan is halucinating and seeing imaginary Swastikas- this should make clear to anyone just what these far-left elitists think of your opinion._____Note that whenever Obama, Emanuel, or Gibbs are asked about why polls show SO many people oppose their misguided Cap-n-Trade and Obamacare proposals, they ALWAYS segue-right-into “we need to educate the public…”.LOL- save your breath- Constitutionally-aware patriots don’t take lectures from Marxists._____http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
This is exactly what Obama
August 7, 2009 - 12:35 ET by kgThis is exactly what Obama wanted when he called his henchmen to arms yesterday.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
'Blue Shirts' coming to a townhall near you?
August 10, 2009 - 08:41 ET by Sergeant ROCKWell, I can imagine some people showing up wearing blue shirts and Obama 'O' armbands.
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
False arguments
August 7, 2009 - 12:22 ET by BKeyserSo here's what I keep hearing and reading about these "spirited" town hall meetings:
Of course we've all heard these- there's no news in my prelude. But here's what I'm not hearing:
If anyone here can answer any of these bullet-points, I'm all ears...
The fact that Kathy Castor
August 7, 2009 - 12:43 ET by dscottThe fact that Kathy Castor (D) did not invite the general public to the town hall meeting using the ploy of a last minute announcement, invited selected groups to attend this meeting who only support ObamaCare and then refused to address the general public when the meeting turned out to be more balanced with both sides of the debate demonstrates she does NOT represent ALL the people of her district.
The reason why people get angry and shout is that they aren't being heard and clearly Kathy Castor does not want to hear what anyone with a contrary opinion has to say. So much for being a Representative of the People, she represents only her ideological world view. I think it is a foregone conclusion that she will vote for the ObamaCare bill no matter how badly it is flawed and no matter how many people in her district voice their concerns about those flaws. Her only purpose in having any meeting is to convince the rest of us that she knows better.
The fact she had to walk out on the public at this meeting shows her lack of leadership on the issue. Her and the rest of Pelosi's flunkies need to go. 2010 can't come soon enough!
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
>>>dscott
August 7, 2009 - 12:49 ET by BKeyserI wonder what questions are asked during a town hall meeting where only supporters are in the audiance...
Really, what's the point?
Not Town Halls, Goon Halls
August 7, 2009 - 14:25 ET by SickofLibsIf the public is not invited or denied access, then these cretins should not be allowed to get away with calling them "town halls".
While we are talking about
August 7, 2009 - 12:50 ET by dscottWhile we are talking about violent extremists, is the DHS revising it's report on Right Wing Extremists to include anyone who dissents against ObamaCare? You know very well they won't be fingering the Leftist for actual violence.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
photo?
August 7, 2009 - 12:50 ET by lbcdawnObama goons throw Tampa Tantrum
August 7, 2009 - 12:54 ET by acumenDidn't see this in the establishment media:
Sen Tom Coburn's (R - Ok) ammendment that US Senators must drop their current coverage and sign on to the proposed public plan should it become law defeated.
Not good for the goose, not good for the gander.
acumen... I hope this
August 7, 2009 - 13:57 ET by bigtimeracumen...
I hope this makes it all the way through, but I fear it won't.
That is if any of this OCare BS gets through.
I saw this yesterday....Reid and Schumer may only be smart by half.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
BT
August 7, 2009 - 14:08 ET by acumenYour fears are justified - Coburn's ammendment was voted down.
Ted Kennedy voted for the ammendment - what's he got to lose, right?
acumen... LMAO! That
August 7, 2009 - 14:11 ET by bigtimeracumen...
LMAO!
That was funny about Kennedy.
Did you catch that link I put below about O-Care Bill and the Senate tactics?
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
He's the "The People's
August 7, 2009 - 14:26 ET by SickofLibsHe's the "The People's Murderer"
BT - Just read the link
August 7, 2009 - 14:34 ET by acumenMy how politicians can wiggle and squirm. Sounds like the compromise to overcome the Byrd Rule is turning Government Run Healthcare into some sort of Government Entity.
Yeah, because Fannie And Freddie worked out so well.
Coincidence??
August 7, 2009 - 13:45 ET by sam12663Loud, cantankerous, vibrant, respectful (for the most part) townhalls; White House issues 'hit them twice as hard' edict, we get union thugs and violence. What do you expect from a president who has never been challenged, never been criticized, never been told no. This is, without a doubt, the most underqualified, unprepared, ill equipped egotistical ideologue to have been elevated to the highest office in this land. This man will not allow his minions use terms like 'war on terror', but he has the gall to, for all intents and purposes, declare war on those that disagree with him. Once a community organizer, always a community organizer.
President Obama is nothing more than a lying empty suit; a Hollywood
style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to
be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
Rush had a couple on his
August 7, 2009 - 13:54 ET by bigtimerRush had a couple on his radio show that was at Castor's Thug TH Meeting, I hope others heard them as well...they are mad as hell...as I would be too.
If anybody watched the video her husband was the man in the green shirt they pushed out.
I hope they sue....I only say that after everything they communicated that happened there.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Ugly
August 7, 2009 - 19:37 ET by justbob223It's going to get ugly before this mess is over with.
Mr. Arthur
August 7, 2009 - 19:48 ET by MickeyMooseMUI just spoke to Mr. Arthur over the phone for an interview for a healthcare website I write for. He told me was not an activist - this is the first time he had been to a protest like this. From what he could tell the people there were not plants, they were strictly people who cared about what was going on. He said he is doing fine, a little sore, but said he'll live. He was nice man and very sincere about what happened.
Unfortunately
August 7, 2009 - 19:54 ET by ACWit ugly on both sides already. I can believe that those on the right or the left promoting this bad behavior feel they are actually doing good for the nation. Sad to see how bitter and hateful so many citizens are against their fellow Americans. No cause, nor the nation is served by hate for one another.
We are not hateful Troll,
August 8, 2009 - 04:09 ET by Dan The Man 2We are not hateful Troll, we want the nonesense to stop. It is Duh One and his thugs who are violent.
Troll on dude.
Protest
August 7, 2009 - 23:44 ET by km2002At the rate things are going, the socialists running the federal government will bring upon themselves the veracity and ferocity of a statement attributed to, of all the shockers, that vaunted liberal icon John Fitzgerald Kennedy; to wit:
Those who make peaceful protest impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.
Perhaps they'll post members
August 8, 2009 - 07:50 ET by ex buff e-dubPerhaps they'll post members of the New Black Panther Party at the doors to, you know, "monitor"?
If you can't stand the heat...
August 8, 2009 - 14:28 ET by Jack 59I followed the link to the easthillsborough dems site and this is what is listed today;
DUE TO THE LEVEL OF THREATENING EMAILS WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST 2 DAYS,
WE ARE REMOVING ALL CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THIS CLUB.
Huh... I sincerely hope they
August 10, 2009 - 08:33 ET by Mike SargentHuh...
I sincerely hope they weren't from you guys...I mean, despite their uncouth behavior (shoving and possibly hitting protestors), the picture we have shows a seventysomething grandmother hitting a large, well-built fortysomething year old man.
It's not like they were anarchists hitting him with a chair :D