Not America's Proudest Moment

Forget Bipartisanship, Comity or Civility - Schieffer Says Mindless Meanness Has Invaded the Public Commons

(CBS)  That was not a State of the Union speech we heard the other night, but it had all the trappings - and when that Congressman hollered "You lie!" at the President, we did get a snapshot of the nation's state.

It was not a pretty picture.

The country is in an angry mood - people are frustrated, tempers are short, congressmen are being shouted down at town hall meetings (where constituents sometimes show up with guns), and at rallies like the one yesterday in Washington where people carried signs such as "Bury Health Care with Kennedy."

The irony of a congressman trying to heckle a president in the midst of a speech that was, among other things, about the need for civility is just one ugly sign of the mindless meanness that has settled over our politics.

How different it was in the aftermath of a far more difficult time, those days after 9/11, whose anniversary we marked on Friday.

I remember watching then, not far from where that congressman hurled his insult, as Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott put his hand on the shoulder of his Democratic counterpart Tom Daschle to announce the Senate had passed a $40 billion emergency appropriations bill, and passed it unanimously.

That day the country came together as it had not done since World War II. It made us proud to know what we could do when we had to. It brought out our best.

Put aside for the moment who is right and who is wrong in the current debate, and ask yourself: Can anyone really be proud of the side of America this argument is bringing out?

[airjackie]

Yes we've seen how low the Republicans have taken us as Joe Wilson makes a complete fool of himself and our country. But what's even low is convicted Felon Scooter Libby is given an award for committing treason against the USA as Republicans cheer proudly. What's next will Mark Foley be awarded for abusing kids?

[psoupy]

So hmmm when the congress booed President Bush at his state of union speach the country was civil? What goes around comes around you clown.

[edmo12]

Obama is an idiot. I hope he fails and will pray every night that he and all of his policies fail. Long Live the true Americans - Republicans!!!!!

[nikflorida]

Apparently, many posters have missed Mr. Shieffer's point, which is not at all surprising in this day and age. You'll notice that nowhere does the article address CONTENT, merely BEHAVIOR. And I am not going to suggest that such uncivil behavior is limited to one major political party or the other. Mr. Shieffer rightly observes that there has been an alarming change in public DEMEANOR of late, and it is neither productive nor admirable. The sky has not fallen in any of the other several dozen nations that provide universal health care to their citizenry, much like public schools for youngsters, and there are a variety of demonstrated ways of doing so. To suggest that the US, who these same people claim is "the Greatest nation on earth," not to do at least as much as, say, Cuba, a destitute little island with no natural resources, is at best shameful. The question is HOW, not whether. The duly elected POTUS has made that very clear. If you don't like it, then do something CIVIL about it. Yelling does not help.

[USA_GUY]

Joe Wilson, USA Hero, The lone voice to speak up for a captive audience. We will be subjected to more rhetoric on the boob tube this week and probably until a vote is taken on health care. I have good health care and dont want to lose it. The last time the Dems tried this crap I lost health care for 4years. Thank You Joe for being brave, and saying what 75% of the citizens in the USA have been saying for months.

[Nouniversalhealthcare]

Hey Caddilalac, this still is the USA where we can speak our mind. The office that BO holds has lost it's shine a long time ago-say during the Clinton time. Ever since, there has been no respect for the president. And, the country is split in half. I don't repect BO, & would not shake his hand even if extended. I don't shake hands with anyone I don't respect. Joe Wilson is brave beyond words. BO keeps on lying, so what can I say?

[caddillackid1]

I think the stupid jerk should be jailed...how dare he talk to The President of The United States that way. If not jail, he should resign.

[Heychip]

The democrats have elected an idiot as president. So now they want point a finger at Wilson and say, " See what he's doing ". Maybe they should look in a mirror and yell " see what your you?ve done. " What a bunch of losers.

[ShotgunReynolds]

I have always respected my President. Repub or Dem. If I disagreed with his view, it was might right to do so. BUT, it is not my right to make a spectacle of myself for person publicity. How the Repubs have gotten is what causes me to vote Democratic more and more. I just hope and pray that the Dem's have enough spine to stand up to the mean spirited, rude people that have a failed policies and won't adapt to changing times.

[TheaBard]

P.T. Barnum once said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." The more we hear about this health care takeover, the less we like it because it falls to the working stiffs to pay the bill. The First Amendment insures us the right to gather. There were no reported incedents of violence, and the crowd estimates are between 60,000 and 2.3 million - a pretty remarkable thing for such a "hateful" crowd. This isn't about Obama, it is about crime and corruption in our government. It's about our watchdogs becoming lapdogs. If the media of today had covered Nixon, he never would have had to step down - nobody would ever have found out about Watergate. The "free press" has abdicated its duty.

[CliffMcC]

Kinda like throwing a shoe at the president, IMHO.

[Nouniversalhealthcare]

sjc: The damage BO is doing will be felt into my grandchildren & great-grandchildren's lives. I have 6 grandchildren, so that means a lot to me. Conservatives don't believe in democracy? What crazy world are you living in? BO will have us all on the ground, with no freedoms. I didn't like a lot of things Bush did, like he tried to get along with the left, which is impossible. The left is ruthless. I wish the right was as mean as the left, we might have a chance. It's probably useless to try to talk to anyone on the other side. It's like talking to someone from another planet. I try to not get too angry with you by picturing you blind & deaf & it's not nice to be unkind to the infirmed & handicapped. Isn't it crazy to repudiate Joe Wilson, while there are actual criminals in congress? Rome ended in corruption. The fall of Rome should be required reading. Good-bye old Bob, I never watch CBS anyway, so you've lost nothing. Well, maybe respect.

[Nouniversalhealthcare]

I called Charlie Gibson Gibbs. I'm not sure which is which, since I never watch ABC. He's the intelligent guy who interviewed Sarah Palin, yet knows nothing about ACORN. I understand none of the networks mentioned the shame of ACORN. Interesting. There are outright lies, as in the case of BO, & lies by omission as in the case of the networks.

[Nouniversalhealthcare]

Warwax: That was certainly civil discourse to roselew. Old Bob needs to check out comments here by his side (libs) & see how pleasant they are when someone disagrees with them. Aw, the civil discourse. We have the right to gather, protest, carry signs, speak our mind. There was not one arrest on Sat. at that protest. Wow, those sure were some unruly people! You should check out protests on the left & compare which is violent. Just because a person is elected does not mean he has to be bowed down to. I didn't notice any civil discourse for the 8 years Bush was president. I've noticed that calling a conservative dumb or stupid is the best you can come up with. Let me tell you about a really stupid liberal (or another liar). Charlie Gibbs was interviewed & he was asked the question about what he thought about the ACORN crooks. He laughed (a sure sign of dicomfort or deceit) & said he knew nothing about it. Now is he stupid, as the lead newman on ABC, for not knowing about something so major? Yes, he is stupid or lying. I think it's the later. He is in BO's back pocket, like old Bob, & doesn't want to open a can of worms that may lead to an illegal election at worst. I know that here in Ohio, ACORN did a number of things that were uncovered before the elction. How much was done that wasn't uncovered? Also, ACORN is BO's baby. Can't talk about his baby, Charlie, can we?

[steven_felton]

Bob,
Retire now while you can without embarrassing yourself again.
You where not there you did not see the thousands.
You only saw what you wanted to see.
You are 7/8s dead and taunting the only audience you have, 'The Greatest Generation'
Bury health care, and yourself.
Go in peace.

[derekcranex]

It is good to see that Bob Schieffer found the religion. For eight years Democrats, both in Congress and elsewhere bashed Bush unmercifully and with little subtlety or civility. "Bush sucks," "Bush is a chimp," "Assassinate Bush" and, of course, "Bush lied, people died" are only a few of the regular shibboleths regularly cast in his direction. Was Schieffer so proud of his fellow Democrats during the Bush years that he withheld criticism regardless of how vile their behavior? derekcrane

[kagiso3741]

Bob Schieffer STATED: Put aside for the moment who is right and who is wrong in the current debate, and ask yourself: Can anyone really be proud of the side of America this argument is bringing out?

YOU CAN NEVER PUT ASIDE WHO IS RIGHT OR WRONG, BOB .. OUR GOVERNMENT TRILLIONS IN DOLLARS IN DEBT AND THAT FROM PORK BARREL POLITICS THAT WAS SIMPLY A BINGE BY THE LEFTISTS IN THIS COUNTRY. AND NOW A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT WAS SET UP HAVE ALL ABORTIONS PAID FOR PUBLICLY, AND PAY FOR ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS MEDICAL CARE, AND TAKE THE CHOICE OF WHO AMERICANS CAN CHOOSE AS THEIR DOCTORS, ALL WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL BASIS FOR HOW TO PAY FOR IT ALL.. THE PRESIDENT LIED MORE THAN ONCE ON THIS.. ON ALL THESE POINTS I JUST MADE ..OBAMA MADE RIDICULOUS STATEMENTS LIKE THE HEALTH CARE PLAN CAN BE PAID FOR SIMPLY BY FINDING THE WASTE IN OUR CURRENT MEDICARE! A FLAT OUT LIE .. WHY NOT FIX THE WASTE PROBLEM NOW? A TRILLION DOLLARS OF WASTE IN JUST MEDICARE IS IMPOSSIBLE ..OBAMA DOESNT CARE WHAT HE HAS TO LIE ABOUT TO GET HIS WAY TO MORE POWER. I CALL US CITIZENS PEACEFULLY PROTESTING LIES AND CORRUPTION .. GOOD PATRIOTS .. I AM ASHAMED OF AND ANGRY ABOUT OUR NEWS PROPAGANDA SPECIALISTS AT CBS, NBC, ABC, AND CNN. YOU, BOB AND YOUR COLLEAGUES, HAVE BETRAYED YOUR PROFESSION AND YOUR NATION WITH YOUR MARXIST CHEERLEADING AND CHEAP SHOTS AT ALL WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

[Thetruthhurts12]

Reading the comments here reminds me of how reliant some people are on main stream media. Bush is gone and did his fair share of screw ups but definitely kept our ***** safe, blaming him for todays deepening crisis borders on religion. Blaming him for the 800 Billion in future taxes and the daily killing of innocents in Pakistan is impossible. Look no further than the current squirrel in charge. The healthcare cure is far worse than the disease. If you're not satisfied with big insurance, only an idiot would try Mega Government Bureaucracy with no recourse. 90+% have legit healthcare now and yeah, we'd like it for free. Maybe someone else could pay for it - like the rich, yeah the rich. I hate those hard working successful people. At least we have choice with current system and we have some recourse. Reading this report, its small wonder independent thinkers are not buying the slack opinions sold with a smattering of facts from CBS. For that matter, evidence based reporting is 80% (100% politically) dead at CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC and NPR and people aren't buying their product either. And you folks think its the economy....LOL

[dap602]

Mr. Scheiffer, Joe Wilson spoke the truth. Report on it and stop being a hypocrite about 'conduct'. I've heard Bush heckled for years. Get over it.

[Sherman1864]

"The irony of a congressman trying to heckle a president in the midst of a speech that was, among other things, about the need for civility is just one ugly sign of the mindless meanness that has settled over our politics."

Schieffer, you are too smart to truly interpret matters the way you did in above excerpt and above article as a whole.

Logically then, you are pushing liberal propaganda. Sad, but the norm for you, it appears.

You should know better with your experience and you do. And you know exactly what kind of lies you are trying to foist off on the American people.

Shame on you! Now I take your excerpt above and insert some thoughts into it:

"The irony of a congressman trying to heckle a president[Wilson DID heckle him! He did not just try, Shieffer . . . .]

in the midst of a speech that was, among other things, about the need for civility

[The speech was wholly about lies and delivered by a smiling liar--REPULSIVE! The Obama was lying to America`s face . . . .]

is just one ugly sign of the mindless meanness that has settled over our politics."

[Wilson shouted YOU LIE because he firmly believes the Obama is a liar.

And many Americans believe that as well. We are just as angry as Wilson if not more so.

Where is the civility in an American president who LIES to us and even LECTURES U.S. as he is lying??

I salute Wilson for his justified expression of anger and I ony wish more had stood up with him.

And he need NOT have apologized.

But I forgive him for apologizing as he thought it the decent thing to do.

BUT you SHIEFFER and DEMS are the ones who are not civil. And you have not studied your civics.

For if you had you would know that Americans are NOT bound to support tyrants and in fact our Constitution was born of knowledge of the evil tyrants and an oppressive government represents. . . .]

YOU are the UNFORGIVEN . . . .