Senator Offers Angry Tweet For Obama

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Health Care

(CBS)

The top Republican on a committee in charge of health care reform is angry at President Obama's leadership on the issue -- and over the weekend, he used his Twitter account to tell the president how he feels. While the message came across loud and clear, the criticism, which was limited by the format's 140 character limit, looked more like a teenager's text message than a traditional political pronouncement.

"Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us 'time to deliver' on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, declared on his Twitter account on Sunday morning.

Minutes later, he tweeted, "Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said 'time to delivr on healthcare' When you are a 'hammer' u think evrything is NAIL I'm no NAIL."

In his weekly address delivered on Saturday, President Obama said "it's time to deliver" health care reform. Over the weekend, he spent time seeing the sights in Paris following a trip to Europe and the Middle East.

Democrats and Republicans largely agree that health care should be reformed but have significant differences over how to achieve that reform. Mr. Obama's weekly address was one signal that the president intends to take a more active role in shaping the legislation.

The Finance Committee is one of two currently working on health care legislation and will have to answer the difficult question of how to pay for expanding coverage.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by babooph June 10, 2009 9:10 AM EDT: He must want to find 2 more lost wars to spend borrowed $ on & forget about US healthcare-it worked so well under little Bush-why change things now.Deeper tax cuts for the rich will ease the pain for the ones who count.; Reply to this comment


by eroosevelt08 June 9, 2009 11:28 PM EDT: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, regarding President Obama's leadership on the issue:

"Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us 'time to deliver' on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND," Grassley tweeted.

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley should be ashamed of himself.

As a Senator who has run on family values Senator Chuck Grassley should not begrudge a President who is working so hard for the people of this country some fun time with his family.

Did Senator Grassley miss all of the work our President did on the other parts of his trip? Does he honestly expect any of us to believe that President Obama is lazy?????

Maybe Grassley has been in the Senate too long. He has had his entire Senate career: since 1980 to fix the health care mess.

His twitter is disgusting.

He should resign and make way for somebody else with the stamina to do the job to sit in his place.; Reply to this comment


by briannorwood June 9, 2009 11:54 AM EDT: Chuck Grassley is a jackass!; Reply to this comment


by kdonkelly June 9, 2009 10:25 AM EDT: While the president was paying tribute to our heroes in Paris at the D Day celebration this idiot is calling his trip a sightseeing trip. This has become typical of the Republican party all they do now is criticise and criticise. How pathetic is that?? Fools like that will drive our country into the ditch.; Reply to this comment


by bessc2007 June 9, 2009 7:02 AM EDT: I guess this guy's in his second childhood. This is why we need young blood in Congress and get rid of the senile old fuddy duddies that are only hanging on for the good pay and nice perks that make their life nice and sweet while the public they care nothing about suffers.; Reply to this comment


by stn_sage June 8, 2009 7:43 PM EDT: Mr. Grassley's anger at President Obama is hypocritical at best for a couple of reasons:

First, as a long-time Senator from Iowa, he was around in the '90s when the Clinton's tried to get national health care for Americans and he conveniently helped to 'kill it', then!
Thanks, Senator Grassley!

Second, when Mr. Bush held office, Mr. Grassley played the proverbial role of "poodle"! Mr. Bush said, 'Jump'! And, Mr. Grassley said, 'bow, wow'! So, evidently, he only has or shows deference and respect for presidents of HIS OWN PARTY!

Finally, since the second point IS the case---maybe he's really NOT trying to work for a health care program as the president and/or his staff suggests?!! I think this is probably
the case!!; Reply to this comment


by honestindividual June 8, 2009 7:18 PM EDT: Extremely "funny" in a perverse way...more stupid stunts from politicians, none of whom could care less about real issues affecting the general public; after all, we're all just taxpayers, right?(AKA suckers). By the way, loved the headline on CBS about Obama's supposed plan on Obamacare, saying it was generally "favorably reported". Whoa! What's wrong with this picture? You aren't supposed to report ANYTHING favorably or negatively...you are JUST SUPPOSED TO REPORT IT! Why do you have an unstated yet obvious agenda???; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 June 8, 2009 5:45 PM EDT: This was actually an adult, a senator, who sent these messages?? Sounds like a petulant middle-schooler. I feel sorry for the state that this numb-skull represents in the senate.; Reply to this comment


by ToolMangler1 June 8, 2009 5:03 PM EDT: He didn't say it to Obamas face while standing in front of him so I say he is grandstanding.

"Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us 'time to deliver' on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, declared on his Twitter account on Sunday morning.

Minutes later, he tweeted, "Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said 'time to delivr on healthcare' When you are a 'hammer' u think evrything is NAIL I'm no NAIL."

Grassley! you guys have had your entire terms in office to act on health care!!!
But each one of you "Chicken Littles" have been hiding under your desks when it came time to "DO" something. then you slik off onn a 'LOOOOONNGG' summer break and fuss about how hard "yu bin wukkin" and rip some program to pieces as "Unworthy" of your time. Meanwhile you let your Oil Buddies rip the USA general population a 'new' one as they Pirate more money at the gas pump. (just to start with)
A thief is a thief and thats all you can call it. (THIEVERY); Reply to this comment


by mrzerato June 8, 2009 3:34 PM EDT: Poor Grassley !!!!! do you feel irrelevant?; Reply to this comment