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 ...
Something deeper is at work here. Meds..... he also has alcoholic features.... who knows. Something is amiss.
Of course, the kids who press the assault charges (the neck grab is the most damning) won't really care.
“Where’s the part where they blame the students?”
You mean when they call the guy a “student” (in quotes) and then say this;
“The person who posted the video goes by the name “DCCameraGuy” on YouTube but is not identified beyond that. The video garnered attention after being posted on Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government website, which first posted the undercover videos of ACORN employees that resulted in significant damage to the community group.”
You DON’T think they are accusing the kids of being subversives (and pretty easyily read between the lines) DESERVING the treatment they got?
Seriously?
Not only were these students not rude, but they repeatedly and respectfully answered his question (”We are just students, sir.”) while simultaneously repeatedly and respectfully requesting that he let go of his arm (”Let go of my arm, sir.”) which the Congressman refused to do.
Additionally, the Congressman is guilty of partisanship assumptions, because he was cordial and respectful as he approached and responded to the young man’s greetings. It was when the student asked “Do you support Obama’s agenda?” that he went postal. He assumed it was a loaded partisan question—but how could he assume that? Couldn’t it have been a liberal question as well? There’s nothing that student did that provoked this response.
Where are the ambulance chasing lawyers? This time, they have a lawsuit!
-Obama
The question "Do you fully support the Obama agenda" is not legitimate?
I wonder what this "professor" thinks of Katie Couric's question to Sarah Palin, "Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?"
I believe Perky Katie won a journalism award for asking that question.
heh heh...
Well Obama did ask for the youth to get in their face. He just didn’t mean those yoots.
Unbelievable.
Mark. This should be a huge story and this guy should retire/be voted out.
LOL! You're right.
It's odd that such a simple question would set him off. Obama's poll numbers must be far worse than we know.
He wants that information so he can have the IRS, Homeland Security and various other government agencies "investigate" this young person who dares to ask him questions. Got to have a name before he goes on The Terrorist Watch List.
The student did use 0bama's name in his question, here comes the Secret Service, FBI and ?. Got to have his name.
How dare a taxpayer ask a question of A Public Servant! Got to get his name.
Grumpy old man!
“At the point that he grabbed the student by the neck, the Congressman should have been dropped with a well placed kick.”
...and charged with simple assault...one year in jail or fines..
Why did the CBS "news" organization put quotes around the word student?
Is this "reputable", "mainstream" group trying to cast aspersions with punctuation?
Is sarcasm part of their "version" of the "news"?
Just imagine if a Republican had done this. Oy.
That was Charlie Gibson.
>> Where’s the obligatory “IR I offended anyone, I’m sorry?”
Wouldn’t that be, “It’s unfortunate and regrettable that someone might have been offended by this alleged act that I may or may not have had some involvement with.”
No one ever even discusses WHAT the Obama Doctrine is.
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