When Florida Congressman Alan Grayson made his “Don’t get sick!” presentation, his claim that this described their approach to health-care outraged Republicans. Not content to leave it at that, the Florida Democrat flipped his placard and, twisting the dagger, read: “And if you do get sick, die quickly!”
The Republicans have had some spectacular successes in forcing the Democrats to back down, as with the resignation of Van Jones. But their calls for Grayson to apologize, especially in the wake of the “You lie” guy’s (South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson) moment in the sun, make them look like they can dish it out but they can’t take it. (For the record, I applauded Wilson’s outburst, a throwback to a wilder legislative era.)
Still, as you probably know, Grayson said he was sorry: “I would like to apologize to the dead. … and their families that we haven’t voted sooner.” In other words, he spit in the faces of Republicans.
Shortly before Grayson went viral, he was the subject of a post by Matt Taibbi at True/Slant. Seems that while Grayson was still an attorney — specializing in Iraq War whistleblower fraud cases — Taibbi had an encounter with “well, let’s call it the unique personality of Alan Grayson. … We were having a disagreement about [a source, when he began shouting] into the telephone about how. … I didn’t know who the hell I was dealing with. … One phrase I remember in particular was, ‘I am going to strip the bark off of you!’ It. . . was like being on the telephone with a metamorphosing werewolf.”
As out of character for a Democrat as Grayson must seem to Republicans, he’s capable of behaving himself. In hearings of the House Financial Services Committee to which he belongs, he’s expertly questioned the likes of Tim Geithner with both respect and persistence. Which also describes his approach to Ben Bernanke until, that is, apparently unable to contain himself any longer, Grayson just laughs in disbelief at one of the Federal Reserve chief’s responses.
But it’s with the likes of interim AIG CEO Edward Liddy that Grayson really let it all hang out. In fact, his insistence that Liddy “name names” sounds positively McCarthy-ite. Then, when he questioned Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn, he played the condescending and contemptuous trial lawyer to the hilt. In fact, he bullied the poor schmuck. Come to think of it, Grayson is as vicious as any Republican.
Do we really want someone like that on our side? Let’s turn that question around: What took us so long to find a weapon like him?
When Nancy Pelosi didn’t cave and pressure Grayson to apologize, but instead stood up for him, it was a watershed moment, a sea change (insert cliché of your own choosing). Along with the attention he’s generated, especially on cable TV, with appearances on CNN’s The Situation Room and various MSNBC shows, it might have a liberating effect on other Democrats. Next thing you know, on the floor of the Senate, mild-mannered Jay Rockefeller will call Republican health-care reform opponent Tom Coburn a blood-sucking ghoul.
To learn about Alan Grayson’s sensitive side — hey, even a werewolf has one — as well as what he’s accomplished and what he hopes to, read Marin Cogan’s profile of Grayson in the New Republic – Pajamas Government: The blogosphere’s man in Congress.
Russ Wellen
Russ Wellen covers nuclear and unconventional (those either prohibited by conventions — or that should be) weapons for theFaster Times. He also writes about nuclear disarmament, as well as foreign affairs, for get="_blank">Scholars ...
Read more about Russ Wellen ->
