[kcvl]

No joke...

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/House_guidelines_for_Presidential_putdowns.html

House guidelines for Presidential put-downs

House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) has released a helpful, updated primer for members regarding their conduct on the floor and in committees.

Especially useful: The section on how to properly insult the executive branch in the in the chamber.

“Disgrace” and “nitwits” — okay.

“Liar” or “sexual misconduct” — ixnay.

Under section 370 of the House Rules and Manual it has been held that a Member could:

• refer to the government as “something hated, something oppressive.”
• refer to the President as “using legislative or judicial pork.”
• refer to a Presidential message as a “disgrace to the country.”
• refer to unnamed officials as “our half-baked nitwits handling foreign affairs.”

Likewise, it has been held that a member could not:

• call the President a “liar.”
• call the President a “hypocrite.”
• describe the President’s veto of a bill as “cowardly.”
• charge that the President has been “intellectually dishonest.”
• refer to the President as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.”
• refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”

******

While Rome burns!

[McGruff]

refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”

Commonly referred to the Monica clause.

[a fool in paradise]

The president called members of Congress "liars" just before Joe Wilson remarked that Obama lied:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/09/politics/main5299229_page2.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but by prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Now, such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple. (Applause.)

There are also those who claim that our reform efforts would insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms -- the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You lie!

The double standard can not be permitted to stand.

[paulycy]

Likewise, it has been held that a member could not:
• call the President a “liar.”

I thought that self-defense was always allowed.

At the risk of sounding like a fourth grader: 0bama started it.