Joe Wilson Fund Raising Since 'You Lie' Comment Nets Over $200,000

Will Forcing Wilson to Apologize Again or Risk Punishment Backfire on Democrats?

Carly Hart
Carly Hart, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 11, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
In the past few days since Joe Wilson's infamous "You lie" remarks directed at the President during the prime-time health care speech on Wednesday night his opponent, Rob Miller, has seen his campaign coffers nicely padded with over $800,000 in campaign donations. This figure, obtained as of this writing, is still climbing. Joe Wilson has apologized twice already for his disrespectful remarks and the President has accepted Joe Wilson's apology. Perhaps alarmed by the sheer amount of money being donated to his opponent, Joe Wilson's fund raising took on a new urgency as he released a video asking for donations to his campaign. Since the release of Joe Wilson's fund raising video, he has taken in $200,000, according to CNN.

Democrats reverse course: Joe Wilson now expected to apologize publicly in Congress as well

Fox News reported that Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, would not punish the offender; however, this was before she was aware of their identity. Since Joe Wilson has been outed as the one who yelled 'You lie' during Obama's speech, the Democrats have changed course and are now demanding that Joe Wilson apologize yet again or face punishment. While most would agree that his outburst was, at the very least, disrespectful in nature, it is form to keep forcing him to apologize after the President himself accepted Wilson's apology.

Who benefits from keeping the controversy alive?

Surely, keeping the pot stirred is benefiting Joe Wilson's opponent, Rob Miller. While over $800,000 in campaign donations to Rob Miller by over 21,000 individuals overshadows Joe Wilson's paltry $200,000 in new donations, both men are benefiting from the 'You lie' comment controversy. However, even the President wants to move past this unfortunate episode and one wonders if Democratic leaders in Congress are keeping the controversy alive simply to help pad Rob Miller's campaign funds with money from outraged Americans. Forcing Joe Wilson to eat humble pie for a third time could backfire in the sense that conservatives who were previously incensed at Joe Wilson's 'You lie' remarks could instead dig deep into their own pockets and donate to him because they felt that Democrats were going too far with punishing Wilson considering he's already apologized to the President.

Considering that there are members of Congress accused of far worse flagrant violations of House rules for things such as financial improprieties, such as Charlie Rangel, who still retains his Chairmanship, one wonders if the punishment meted out to Joe Wilson will fit the crime.

Sources:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/11/defiant-wilson-raises-more-than-200000-after-outburst/
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/19079
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/11/democrats-wilson-ultimatum-apology-punishment/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/09/congressman-yells-lie-obama-speech/

Published by Carly Hart

One of AC's Top 1000 Content Producers, Carly Hart's interests include news, politics, parenting, frugal living and consumer related issues. A Featured Contributor in the Shopping and Fashion category, she...  View profile

13 Comments

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  • BravojoePatriot9/17/2009

    Bravo JOE, awesome, a real American, finally who has guts!
    Very good move, now all the attention is to cut goodies for illegals. finally.
    With 1M funding this will be the most rewarding speech ever (500K per word)

  • Dean9/15/2009

    The hypocrisy of Obama and of the Dems on this is sickening. I wish Joe Wilson or someone would post Obama's speech and show all the times he, The President, either lied or told half-truths to the whole nation. Also highlight the number of times the President called large numbers of American who have raised concerns liars and insincere. Yes Mr. President, I think you're the one who needs to make some apologies.

  • Nolan O'Brian9/14/2009

    We will not allow to become a debate over immigration. This is about health care. No federal payments will be made for illegal aliens. That is in the bill. This health care reform should not be used to fix the failings of the Department of Homeland Security. Health care workers are not immigration enforcement agents.

  • Agnes Farside9/13/2009

    Great article. Ads did not load on this page however.

  • Darrell Holmes9/13/2009

    Democrats have blocked all attempts to add making people verify thier legal statis before recieving health care.Common sense(which democrats seem to hate,even made fun of)says if illegal alien ask,illegal alien gets.Another part of the bill states that if one member of the household is legal,then everyone that resides there is able to recieve.This means 10 illegals living in a house with a baby that was born here for example can get free health care.

  • Nolan O'Brian9/12/2009

    Wilson needs to issue a true apoloogy. That would include the admission that he was wrong. However, he continues to say he differs from the president over health care for illegal aliens. Mr. Wilson needs to read HR 3200 Section 246 "No Federal Payments for Illegal Aliens".

  • Shanika9/12/2009

    I suppose I should watch the video first, but ... did he really need to apologize? Rumor has it, O did lie.

  • freakmamma9/12/2009

    Great write up on what is and what will be a heated subject.

  • Dave Pearce9/12/2009

    just what I have said from the start of
    him sticking his warped head up to run.
    He is still running ...running America
    into financial ruin . .with the help of
    his thugs who are no strangers to him.

  • robert9/12/2009

    I wish Wilson all the luck he was correct to speak his mind, just not at that occxasion.

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