LaRouchies, Assorted Right Wing Kooks and Obama with Hitler Moustache at David Wu Town Hall
photo by Sal Peralta
All the kooks are getting sucked into the teabagging vortex. Kathy J (via email):
The LaRouchies were out with Nazi materials including a large picture of Obama with a Hitler moustache added. Lots of "Don’t tread on me" folks, with flags. Also "Abortion is Homicide" signage being waved.
An escalating set of pre-town hall events was loosely planned, but the situation developed this way: A line formed about four hours before the event outside the meeting room, and most of the early arrivals were pro-reform people. From there, over four hours, the line and participation swelled to somewhere upwards of 700 people, certainly one of the larger political gatherings ever in Yamhill County. (A typical town hall by Senator Ron Wyden, by comparison, typically might draw 100 people, which under normal conditions is considered pretty good turnout.) The crowd appeared well split between sides, the pro-reform people probably in a majority but likely not by a lot.
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All this might have set up a contentious meeting. But the meeting room had space for about 120 people, so only the early arrivals (we were among them) actually got in. People got a ticket number as they signed in, and got to ask questions when the moderator pulled their number out of a box; the approach spread the questioning around and kept any questioner from dominating the proceedings.
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Wu might have handled some answers in more diplomatic ways, and once or twice (especially on the question of whether he will follow the wishes of the district or his own view on his health care votes) his replies were convoluted enough to deny easy comprehension, or summary. Mostly, he came across as plain and direct. He spoke in favor (generally) of the health care plan running through Congress, and supportive of the “public option,” though saying that he would not necessarily vote against a bill without it.
Wu takes his place in the "weasel words" category: he’s all for a public option as long as he doesn’t have to fight for one.
h/t Carla Axtman at Blue Oregon
