By Ron Brynaert
Published: August 28, 2009 Its not just Democrats facing tough town hall crowds amped up by the contentious health care debate.
In her first health care town hall of the August recess, Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann faced a volatile crowd looking for answers on the future of health care in America, Anna Palmer reports for Roll Call. Hundreds of constituents packed into the junior high school auditorium here, at times getting into shouting matches with one another during the 45-minute meeting.
More from Roll Call:
LeRoy Schaffer, a St. Francis city council member, dressed in a tuxedo and top hat for the occasion. Shaffer got visibly emotional asking Bachmann about the future of health care and the role of special interests in Washington.
Ill be danged if I am going to give up my Social Security because of socialism, Schaffer said, before being booed by the crowd.
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Lifting a stack of news reports about the health care problems in England, Bachmann told a story about women having to give birth in hospital hallways.
One angry male constituent yelled, That happens here. And Bachmann quickly retorted, Ive given birth here probably more times than you, sir.
Wonkettes Sara K. Smith mocks Bachmann by noting that its worth looking at the beginning to see her booed by town hall attendees for making a joke about Tiger Woods loaning the president $300 trillion. HEALTHCARE, THIS IS A HEALTHCARE FORUM, they shout, which is just a deeply unserious thing to yell in a public forum when your congresswoman is trying to get out a joke. Good times start around the 2:15 mark.
Politicos Glenn Thrush adds, The meeting was contentious, with a lot of back and forth, but Bachmann who helped push the death panel canard stuck to her position that the House Democrats bill would bankrupt the country.
An AP story adds, Ilya Gorodisher of May Township questioned some of Bachmanns claims on health care, saying she was spreading misinformation. Why do you persist in stretching the truth to the point of lies? he asked.
Bachmann responded by questioning President Barack Obamas statement that the plan would not be a government takeover of health care, the AP story continues.
Is there misinformation out there? Yes, she said.
Is it you? Are you twisting the words? Gorodisher responded.
An extended version of the video is available from YouTube.
This video is from Minnesota Independent, broadcast Aug. 27, 2009. [see link for video]
