President Obama gave a brilliant and historic State of the Union Speech to both Houses of Congress and the American People last night. Afterward, right wing heads exploded, some of them right there on TV.
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"It is time to do away with policies that belong in a Mad Men episode."
Update: Rachel Maddow did a whole segment mocking this tweet
by Randy Weber R-Texas
"Kommandant-In-Chef"
Louie Gohmert R-Texas posts pic that resembles
Nosferatu the Vampire in the Haunted Castle
Tim Huelskamp R-Kansas was in a class by himself:
Heartfelt Standing Ovation for Hero Cory Remsburg
Equals "Politicizing" for Huelskamp
Rachel Maddow of MSNBC Called Huelskamp Out on his Tweets
Making His Head Asplode
(My Transcript)
Maddow: Sgt. Remsford was grievously wounded - President Obama said "Like the military he loved, like the country he served, Sgt. Cory Remsford never gives up and he does not quit."
That was punctuated with a standing ovation that went on for more than a minute and 40 seconds. It was absolutely the emotional high point of the address tonight. There was not a single person in the room that was not standing up. At which point Congressman Heulskamp tweeted: "Obama politicizes the Military to end his speech. Totally expected, Mr. President."
Joining us now is Tim Huelskamp of Kansas... Mr. Huelskamp, I have to ask you if that was tongue-in-cheek. Do you really believe that was politicizing the Military?
Huelskamp: We actually invited our own veteran. One that's served bravely as well, some tremendous heroes out there. And we received word from the Administration when we put a press release out that perhaps we were politicizing that fact. Very brave man. Lots of brave heroes. Very interesting - the President very clearly ran against the military and continues to highlight them when it helps him politically. But at the end of the day, more of the same in the speech, Rachel--
Maddow: How did the President run against the military?
Huelskamp: Well, it's pretty clear! He wanted to bring the troops home, he wants to close Gitmo, he wants to do all kinds of things. But at the end of the day, the focus of the speech should have been 'how are things working out?'
Maddow: Is bringing the troops home your definition of being against the military?”
Huelskamp: No - what the President talked about when he first ran obviously is very different. There's this NSA issue. Whether and how much the President should have in terms of authority. He ran against Bush on all these things, Rachel, it's very clear. And all of a sudden he's all for Presidential power now. He's all for the NSA now. He's all for the military now, during his speech. But at the end of the day, his policies are failing and that's why we have 24 million Americans still looking for a full time job.
Maddow: Congressman Huelskamp, I still don't understand how he ran against the military. I still don't understand if you mean he was politicizing the military by praising that Sergeant.
. . . 3 minutes later you tweeted "Was there a diplomat in Benghazi that gave his life for his country, Mr. President?"
Huelskamp: Yeah.
Maddow: Are you denying that an American diplomat died in Benghazi?
Huelskamp: (laughs) Yes, Do you know what happened in Benghazi? The President refuses to come clean. Your Hillary Clinton refuses to come clean. They won't tell us what happened. And a diplomat died, we believe, the initial evidence still is, that the President or someone in the White House failed to provide support to defend that diplomat and our Marines on the ground. That's ir - irreprehensible (sic) and I have no answer for that and that's what we're talking about. We need answers.
Maddow: Are you questioning whether Ambassador Stevens gave his life for his country? What are you--?
Huelskamp: You know this President and Hillary Clinton are hiding the truth on Benghazi. We’re looking for them to come forward, let those folks testify who were on the ground. That's a Congressional responsibility.
It’s also the responsibility of Hillary Clinton. Just a few months ago she said what difference does it make? Two days ago she says it was the biggest regret in her life, the failure in Benghazi. We're lookin' for some answers there. 'Cause that should not happen again.
The Republicans have passed bills - we put stuff in the budget that would help protect our embassies and diplomats.
Maddow: Did you just vote for the spending bill that would cut security funding for American diplomatic facilities abroad? There was a significant cut . . .
Huelskamp: No, I did not vote for that bill.
Maddow: Did you vote for the cut to diplomatic security facilities before Benghazi?
Huelskamp: No, we had passed significant security measures as requested by the Administration. But don't forget - Hillary Clinton did not request security enhancements. And we do believe this Administration let our troops down there.
Huelskamp: This administration promised to be the most transparent in history, Rachel. And if you would stop being a cheerleader and be a journalist, you’d recognize that we’re not getting those answers.
Maddow: Did you just call me a cheerleader?
Huelskamp: (laughs) I don’t know, maybe you have that history.
Maddow: No, wait wait, - Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on.
Huelskamp: You're being a cheerleader for the Administration.
Maddow: So I'm a cheerleader?
Huelskamp: You can't be a journalist when you're not willing to look at the facts. If it was [George W.] Bush, you would be jumping and screaming.
Maddow: You’re amazing!
Huelskamp: If it's Hillary Clinton, you don't want the answers. Rachel, face the facts. We don't know the answers there.
~~~
Maddow: When you tweeted that Obama was "Hail to the King" and "Obama to Unleash the Imperial Presidency" are you making the case that this President is acting in an unlawful manner by proposing the things he proposed in his State of the Union Address?
Huelskamp: The President acted in numerous unlawful manners. Particularly in his willingness to suspend parts of Obamacare. He went out and said big businesses don't have to use Obamacare --
Maddow: Sir, I’m just trying to focus on the case that you’re making which is that his speech--
Huelskamp: A speech makes no law! The President makes good speeches…
Maddow (quoting Huelskamp’s tweet): … “reads like dictates from a King hashtag LawLess”; What did he say in the speech that was lawless tonight?
Huelskamp: …Fourteen different points where the President said, ‘I don’t like the American people, who they elected…’ That’s what the President was saying! He said, ‘I don’t like Congress! I don’t like the American people that sent these people up here, and so he listed fourteen different dictates, executive orders…
Maddow: Dictates? Are executive orders lawless?
Huelskamp: An executive action without authority is lawlessness.
Maddow: Executive orders by presidents are lawless?
Huelskamp: If there is no authority! …
Maddow: ( laughter) We’ve squared the circle. If there’s no authority, it has no authority … Congressman Huelskamp, your tweet stream tonight and and your arguments here…
Huelskamp: Enjoy ‘em!
Maddow: …are from two totally different universes.
Huelskamp: The universe of reality, Rachel. The universe of outside this beltway. The President's speech fell flat out in the real world. Washington - they're still a-twitter. But recognize Americans want some answers, they want some solutions.
