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Video: Town Hall Tactics at President's Speech: Obama Heckled by GOP Congressman During Speech: "You Lie!"

In an unprecedented example of incivility, a Republican congressman heckled President Obama during his address to a joint session of Congress.
September 9, 2009  |  
 
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Gotta say, despite the rancor and insanity of August -- thuggery, lies, shout-downs and guns at town halls -- my jaw dropped tonight when a Republican congressman shouted at President Obama during his address to a joint session of Congress. When Obama sought to assure his audience that his health-care plan would not grant benefits to illegal immigrants, shout came from the Republican side: "You lie!" (I actually thought he said, "It's a lie!")

The Associated Press has identified the culprit:

South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" after Obama had talked about illegal immigrants.

[...]

Wilson's outburst caused Obama to pause briefly before he went on with his speech. Overhead in the visitors' gallery, First Lady Michelle Obama shook her head from side to side.

On MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann is reporting that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is calling on the congressman to apologize.

UPDATE: Here's the story as reported on the September 10 edition of NBC's Today.

Adele M. Stan is AlterNet's Washington bureau chief.

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