Posted on 12/29/2009 7:53:00 AM PST by rface
Montana Senator Max Baucus, who led the Democrats' health care reform legislation through the Senate last week, is responding to accusations that he was intoxicated while delivering a speech on the Senate floor.
Video of the speech posted to YouTube over the weekend shows Baucus appearing to slur some of his words and repeating himself at times.
Baucus' spokesman Tyler Matsdorf released a statement on Monday refuting claims that the Senator was drunk, calling it an 'untrue personal smear Internet rumor.' Matsdorf said, "This is beyond the pale and this type of gutter politics has no place in the public sphere. It is this type of slander that makes Montanans, and Americans, disgusted with the politics as usual in Washington. And what is even more sad is that such a personal attack would be given any validity at all, let alone being elevated to the status of news."
Former Florida Republican Rep. Mark Foley posted a video clip of Baucus' speech on his Facebook page on Sunday, and wrote: "breathalyser for members of congress."
He was probably thinking he did a great job, quite the oratory.
I don’t know how many times I have to say this. I lived in Montana for 5 years and attended a number of Baucus events (under duress) I’ve seen him like this in public before and he wasn’t drinking at all. The man is inarticulate when not working from a prepared speech.
And yet, they keep re-electing him.
I know his actions seem to indicate that he had consumed a few too many scotches on the rocks before he stood up to speak, but I've seen people who were wacked out of their minds on qualuudes or other tranquilzers behave in exactly the same way Mr. Baucus did.
In fairness to the senator, I think we should consider that possiblity before we condemn him for being drunk.
;-)
Hey, with Teddy “the Red-Nosed Senator” gone, SOMEONE had to take up the position of Chamber Lush.
Of course he wasn’t drunk.
That’s just the way he acts normally.
You should see him when he’s drunk!
“This is beyond the pale ... gutter politics ... slander ... disgusted ... sad ... personal attack ... .”
Ri-i-i-g-h-t!
“I’m not as think as you drunk I am!”
Well, go to Mark Foley’s web page. But honestly, I can’t think of another person more unlikely to be casting stones - I’d take a drunk any day over a pedophile.
If he wasn’t drunk. . he was doing his best to impersonate Otis Campbell!
And their antics don't "shauc" us.
If Baucus wasn’t drunk, he should check himself into the hospital for a possible stroke.
Funny, I didn't hear Max's little mouthpiece utter these words when Sarah Palin was being pilloried by the "media."
Well, you see, he passed out shortly after his little “speech”. His “handlers” had to wait for him to wake up and recover from his hangover before they could send him out to deny he was roaring drunk.
These things take time...
If he was sober then he has no excuse for calling his esteemed colleagues liars and cowards. He did everything short of calling them outside to schettle dish like men.
You have to be drunk to understand how their legistation was written.
I dunno, Does Baucus actually say “I was NOT drunk” or does he just talk about it being gutter politics?
I hear Chris Dodd does a good impression of Senator Kennedy. He should with all the years they caroused together (can you say waitress sandwich?).
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