New Dem Congressman Who Insulted First Lady Was CNN Consultant

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

You can take the man out of CNN - and stick him in Congress - but you can't take the CNN out of the man. As per this Robert Novak column, Steven Kagen, a Democrat elected in November to represent a Wisconsin district in Congress, recently bragged of having insulted First Lady Laura Bush, President Bush, Vice-President Cheney and Karl Rove at a White House function for new members.

The details of Kagen's insults, set forth below, boggle the mind. What kind of person would do something like this? The kind of person that CNN would hire to be a consultant. As per the Democratic Congressional Committee's official web page, Kagen, a doctor, "for seven years was the Allergy Consultant for CNN.

Here is Novak's description of Kagen's vulgar and unseemly actions.

"Newly elected Rep. Steven Kagen, a rich allergist who self-financed his campaign in Wisconsin, by his own account taunted President and Mrs. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and presidential adviser Karl Rove during a White House function for new members of Congress in December.

"Kagen told a group of activists that after he found himself in the restroom with Rove, he blocked the White House deputy chief of staff's departure by holding the door closed. According to Kagen, he then said: "You're in the White House and you think you're safe. . . . My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass."

"The new congressman said he said separately to both Bush and Cheney: "Thank you for coming to Green Bay. I couldn't have won without you coming." Kagen also said he approached Laura Bush and purposely called her Barbara, the name of the president's mother. Kagen's remarks were reported in "The Scene," published in Appleton, Wis."

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Gentlemen and ladies, start your engines. Ping to Today show list.

[RacerX1128]

is there an e-mail address so I can blast this idiot?

[RonF]

Unless he did this kind of thing when he was working for CNN, I wouldn't lose focus here.

[cripplecreek]

Chances are, he's lying (he's a democrat) and if he isn't, what kind of behavior do you expect? (he's a democrat)

[Lorianne]

An arrogant multi-millionaire in Congress? That's a first.

[fantom]

Nice hair . What special arrogance exits that makes this putrescence think he is superior to anyone. Frankly , bush and the rest bring it on themselves , the new tone jive , invites neither fear or respect . Fear being what controls this ilk.

[BUSHdude2000]

http://www.kungfuquip.com/ - This guy reported earlier that the congressman was pretty much lying:

Now that Kagen’s longer story about his White House visit is getting publicity on talk radio and among political bloggers, he won’t comment on whether he referred to Laura Bush as Barbara.

“I’m going to leave that one alone,” Kagen said Wednesday. Asked why, he said, “I’ll make no comment.”

As for his exchange with Rove, Kagen said he can verify that they met in the men’s room and that Rove congratulated him. But he wouldn’t comment on his reported comments to Rove.

[xcamel]

There is no limit on the depths liberals will go to get true scumbags elected.

[Peach]

I think this guy lives in make-believe-land. The White House says none of these encounters even happened!

[varina davis]

Isn't he the one the FDA is investigating for operating without a license? Selling "natural" meds of some sort?

[zeaal]

That is impossible, Kagen lying, because Nancy Pelosi said that this will be the most ethical congress ever. He could not have lied.

[Diogenesis]

Kagen: "You're in the White House and you think you're safe."

So once again the Secret Service do NOTHING upon a direct threat to the CIC.
Don't some of them have 'free' time now that Angelena Jolie's camera was
successfully retrieved?

[MovementConservative]

CNN has no class, why should we expect anything different from their employees? This is the same network that has no problem showing terrorist snipers killing US servicemen.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

As per this article in The Scene Online, here's Kagen explaining the how and why of his insult to the First Lady:

"Then I go to his wife, ‘Hi Barbara, how are ya?’ I did that because I learned on the campaign that the meanest thing you can say to another gentlemen is, ‘he’s a fine fellow,’ and you then refer to his spouse by a different name.'”

http://www.valleyscene.com/coverstory.html

[Radix]

Hmmm, this chump clearly has passed through an alimentary canal at least once.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Exactly: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1153AP_Congressman_FDA.html&e=52097&sa=X&oi=news&ct=result&cd=1&usg=__aDH3KZhFgApHn2UJ7njmxEhutiQ=

[SandRat]

There was a time when insulting a man's wife either publicly would get you an invitation for a surise meeting about a half-mile outside of town and told that your second would contact his to make all the final arrangements.

[Right Wing Assault]

Gee, aren't I cool?! And when someone insults him what will he say? "Don't you know who you are talking to??"

[GATOR NAVY]

So he bragged himself up when he thought no one was looking and now that he's been outed "he won't comment". What a little punk.