Posted on 06/14/2010 10:14:03 AM PDT by jessduntno
Democratic Rep. Bob Ethridge of North Carolina lost his cool on camera in a video that is making the rounds of the conservative blogosphere today.
Ethridge was walking down the street when he was approached by a pair of camera-wielding questioners.
As one asks if Ethridge "fully supports the Obama agenda," a visibly agitated Ethridge asks, "Who are you?" He repeats the question and appears to slam the camera with his hand.
In the edited video, which you can watch above, Ethridge is then shown holding the wrist of one of the questioners and repeatedly asking him to identify himself.
The two people will only identify as students and say they are "just here for a project." In the video, the face of the student in the shot with Ethridge is blurred.
"I have a right to know who you are," the congressman says, holding one man's arm. The pair refuse to tell him where they are from and repeat that "all we are is students."
Ethridge then grabs one of the self-identified students by the neck and pulls him next to him, apparently so that his face will appear on camera.
Ethridge apologized for his actions in a statement Monday.
"I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved," he said. "Throughout my many years of service to the people of North Carolina, I have always tried to treat people from all viewpoints with respect. No matter how intrusive and partisan our politics can become, this does not justify a poor response. I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse."
You can see what appear to be the two unedited videos here. In comments on that site and others, commenters are calling on Ethridge to be charged with assault.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Hey I support free speech but there are limits. Asking a Congressman if he supports the Obama agenda is like yelling “fire” in a crowded theater.
His boss, said he was wanting to ‘kick ass’, I guess that was what he was trying to do.
No, bonehead, actually YOU DO NOT.
Translation anyone?
Some apology, huh? It was those partisan hate-monger college kids who provoked me. The "system" has become so partisan that it is hard to govern, right?
Wonder if the person was Mike Wallace what he would do.
This guy apologizes by blaming those evil, yet unnamed Republican partisans. Pffft....
The MSM is doing everything to avoid blaming this obviously out of line Democrat.
It’s number one on google searches.
They are saying the congressman was baited, the tape was spiced, the “college students” (note quote marks) heads were blurred, etc.
It’s so sad, it really is, when the press is so obviously on a certain political side. Does anyone doubt if this man was a republican the press would not be painting the students as children?
People who get caught on camera assaulting others often have "deep and profound regret" and are very willing to "apologize to all involved."
They are not so keen on the charges that follow, of course.
Of course, if you watch the video, you find that the students were neither intrusive NOR partisan. They met the rep in a public sidewalk, and without impeding him simply asked him a question, without attacking his positions on anything.
There simple question set him off. He'd rather attack them than answer their question.
Now, even in his pretend apology, he suggests that they were rude and partisan and that he somehow DOES have a right to be abusive even while saying that their behavior didn't give him the right to be so (suggesting something wrong in their behavior).
At the point that he grabbed the student by the neck, the Congressman should have been dropped with a well placed kick.
If it were me and he grabbed my arm like that, I would have knee’d the SOB.
Of course he’ll do the honorable thing, that the MSM would require of a republican, and resign! (CRICKETS)
“I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction..” Let’s hope we can make him “deeply and profoundly” sorry in November.
whoops, that’s tape SPLICED.
If the tape was spicy that would be even more news...
Where’s the part where they blame the students?
The congressman appears to have behaved a lot like an NFL quaterback at a strip joint in Dallas. I believe charges were brought there, why should this guy get a pass?
The comments are typical of the poltroons who get their news from the networks. I really wonder if this country is going to survive.
Call janet Napolitano...these Congress critters are getting dangerous...
Violence from a US Congressman, and the SEIU Union guy the other day who punched the Tea Party man, or the union guy a few months back who bit the Tea Party guys finger off......
Would she call this Congressman a domestic terrorist?
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