Anthony Weiner Represents
Who says C-SPAN is boring? Congressman Anthony Weiner, Democratic representative from New York, let loose in July as the House was about to vote down a bill that would provide health care to 9/11 first responders and others affected by Ground Zero's toxic dust and debris. Fingers were pointed, voices were raised and the podium microphone took a hit as Weiner expressed outrage at his Republican colleagues. He was particularly upset by their making an issue of the special procedure the Dems had chosen for passing the seemingly uncontroversial bill — a method that blocked the addition of amendments and necessitated a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority. In his outburst, Weiner attempted to balance ire with congressional decorum by employing such choice phrases as "The gentleman will sit! The gentleman is correct in sitting!" A few days later, Weiner put forth his cooler side, writing a New York Times op-ed, "Why I Was Angry."