Get over yourself. We need more representatives in Congress to speak out repeatedly and often to end the occupation of Iraq before it destroys both countries.

Well just because there's a very vocal minority who's offended doesn't mean they get to control the agenda and discourse, does it? It seems as if you're saying that we should all be Politically Correct, simply because some made something a very divisive issue for the rest of us.

To "just me":

That moment was not a shining one for democrats.

At least we didn't authorize war crimes at the highest levels of this government, fight a preemptive war against a country that didn't threaten us and complete f*ck up an occupation which has killed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and is going to cost about 3-4 trillion dollars.

But hey, booing the GOP is serious stuff.

I watched the whole thing from beginning to end, and thought it was appalling. It essentially turned a funeral into a political rally. GOP representatives were booed.

That moment was not a shining one for democrats.

it would certainly help bolster the central claim of your criticism of Speier if you could provide a shred of evidence that the American people are bitterly divided regarding Iraq.

It's controversial that the American people are divided in a bitter fashion? I'm not claiming that they're evenly divided but that they're bitterly divided.

The issue was divisive during the run-up, Bush ultimately built a bipartisan consensus in Congress, and the war was quite popular when it was going well. It has slowly gotten less popular -- with a handful of spikes during good news -- and has been quite unpopular in the last couple of years. At each of those points, though, the dispute was incredibly bitter.

Perhaps other issues are more divisive. Abortion and immigration come to mind. But they tend to be privately held positions rather than those that provoke outbursts in bars and restaurants.

Whaaaaat???

When Trent Lott and Rod Grams were shown on a screen at the memorial service they were booed. AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE. Rick Kahn told the crowd "we are begging you to win this senate election for Paul Wellstone". Kahn asked the Republicans to withdrawal their candidate.

The polling trends are quite clear, and provide you with absolutely no evidence that Iraq is "the most divisive issue in American politics." Indeed, the polling data we have shows precisely the opposite - i.e. that the American people have come to a commonly held conclusion regarding Iraq. Rather than being horribly divided on the issue, the evidence clearly shows the America is united in their opinion of Iraq.

Considering your wife is in the business, it would certainly help bolster the central claim of your criticism of Speier if you could provide a shred of evidence that the American people are bitterly divided regarding Iraq. Again, all the evidence points to precisely the opposite conclusion.

a friendly welcoming ceremony into a platform for speaking out on the most divisive issue in American politics. It’s her right, even her duty, to express her views — and those of her constituents — on the war. This wasn’t the time or the place.

"Not the time or place"...

Ya know James, I remember an evening about five years ago, I was sitting in a pizza joint with about 40 friends, and "W" appeared on the TV screen to say we had just begun bombing Iraq. It got very quiet.

Than somebody said, "God bless America!"

My initial impulse was to say "Allah Akbar!!"... but instead I said, "F*** Bush." Immediately, somebody on the other side of the bar jumped up and said, "WHO SAID THAT??? I'M GONNA KICK THEIR ASS!!!"

At which point I jumped up and said, "I did! I have 2 sons who could end up there! What do you have?"

He turned and walked out the door.

Afterwards, I heard many comments, but the one that stuck in my craw the most was, "Tom, this is neither the time nor the place." and I wanted to scream, "WHEN IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE????"

My answer is, the time and the place is when you will be heard, which is not the same as when you will be listened to. I spoke out loudly and oftly before the invasion, and neither my democratic nor republican senator listened to me. Neither did anyone else. (big surprise, eh?)(it was going to be a cake walk and Iraqi oil was going to pay for it all, ritght?)

My point is this: If I can deal with almost getting my assed kick (he was a whole lot bigger than I) than Jackie Speier can deal with a few "boos". We are all big boys and girls.

Now IS the time and the place. Speak.

tom

If you want to debate about something, then don't do it when the other side is supposed to be compelled not to respond.

I recall the non-partisan funeral during the election which was turned into a Democratic campaign rally.

I watched the footage of the Wellstone funeral and it was not as you characterize it. Did you see anything other than snippets pulled out of context and right wing spin?

I recall the non-partisan funeral during the election which was turned into a Democratic campaign rally.

Then their was the recent memorial to Tom Lantos where the Dem leadership tried to conduct business while the memorial was in progress.

Yet we have commentators complaining about the Republicans booing the Congressman.

Personally I think she was firing a shot over the bow of Pelosi, who has stubbornly refused to even approach the subject of ending the war, despite representing a San Francisco congressional district which is utterly opposed to that war. Speier's district is neighboring to Pelosi's.

They booed her at her freakin' swearing-in ceremony.

Exactly.

This wasn't a debate on a bill. It was supposed to be a friendly gathering where colleagues welcomed her in a spirit of bipartisan comity.
She turned it into an uncomfortable, partisan event. That was unseemly.

I agree that booing isn't sporting, either, but it was out of disgust for the inappropriateness of her actions.