It sure looks like it based on this report:Protesters targeted Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), a first-term congressman whose Fairfax County district voted for Republican Robert F. McDonnell in this week's gubernatorial election. Connolly, up for reelection next year, said that he has not decided whether to vote for health-care reform but that the tea-party activists will not influence his vote.In fairness, there are also reports that Connolly Communications Director George Burke "pushed" one of the Michele Bachmann Tea Party people (note: I hear they were crowding the Metro - public transportation, by the way - yesterday, talking about "socialism" and various crazy conspiracy theories). If so, that's not in the least bit acceptable. However, the original source for this "report" is the wacko, right-wing loony "townhall.com," so take that one with a pillar of salt. Also, last I checked, assaulting a Congressman is also not in the least bit acceptable.
"You try to hear them out respectfully," Connolly said. "The problem is they're not here on a mission of dialogue. They're here on a mission to persuade and discourage."
Connolly said he had an unnerving confrontation in his office when a protester grabbed his arm and did not let up. "I told her, 'You really need to take your arms off me. I'm on my way to vote,' " Connolly said. "I was a little shocked, but I ascribed it more to an overabundance of zeal than any malign intent."
Unfortunately, this is what happens when a bunch of angry people - stoked by shameless demagogues who should know better - swarm the Hill, intent on confrontation, but with no facts to back up their erroneous positions on health care reform. And no, screaming "socialism" or "Obama's turning America into Cuba" doesn't constitute "facts," let alone sanity. Not to mention the utterly despicable who compare providing quality health insurance to all Americans to the Nazi concentration camp, Dachau (right in front of Eric Cantor, who is Jewish, no less). Despicable.
