Political Debate: Then and Now

Via ***Dave :: Civility and staying on the issues

Thank heavens the Kerry campaign isn’t stooping to the vilification, name-calling, and ad hominem attacks that those vile Bushies have. Thank heavens indeed.

The East Bay for Kerry/MoveOn House party on December 7th combined the forces of two grass-roots organizations based in San Francisco East Bay Area. We had 200 guests eating, drinking, and watching the MoveOn Documentary “Uncovered” featuring Joseph Wilson and Rand Beers from the Kerry campaign.

When Teresa Heinz-Kerry arrived, she handed me a pin that read in the center: “Asses of Evil” with “Bush”, “Cheney”, “Rumsfeld” and “Ashcroft” surrounding it.

This brought to mind an incident that happened twenty years ago. Newt Gingrich was making speeches during what were known as "Special Orders" on C-SPAN. Special Orders are done to an empty chamber when the business of the House is complete. The Washington Post quoted the then third-term Congressman charging Democrats believe that, "America, does nothing right and communism ... rushes into vacuums caused by 'stupid' Americans and its 'rotten, corrupt' allies." Gingrich then cited some Democrats by name.

Speaker Thomas "Tip" O' Neill responded by ordering the cameras pan the empty chamber. This infuriated Gingrich who called for a point of personal privilege concerning the Speaker's action. A three-hour debate ensued. Gingrich started denouncing the Speaker. Finally, O'Neill came down to the floor and asked, "Will the gentleman, yield?" Gingrich yielded. Then O' Neill said the following:

"You deliberately stood in the well of this House and took on these members when you knew they would not be here. It's un-American. It's the lowest thing that I've heard in my 32 years here."

At this point Representative Lott (R-Miss.) challenged the last sentence on parlaimentary grounds. The Paraliamentarian of the House advised the presiding member, Rep. John Joseph Moakley (D- Mass.), that the use of the word "lowest" was out of order. Moakley ruled according to the Parlaimentarian.

After the session, O' Neill said, "I was doing my best to control my temper. Much harsher thoughts were in my mind." On the other side of the aisle was Minority Leader Robert Michel (R-Ill.). Michel played golf with O'Neill and was considered a conciliator. At the close of the debate, Gingrich walked to his seat to a standing ovation by his fellow Republicans, except for Rep. Michel.

With time there was a changing of the guard amongst Congressional Republicans. On October 5, 1993. The Washington Post reported the following:

House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel, R-Ill., Monday announced he would not seek re-election to a 20th term next year, marking a likely end to a line of pragmatic Republican leadership in the House and unleashing the ambitions of GOP lawmakers eager to move up.

Michel, the gentlemanly representative from prototypical Peoria since 1957, became House Republican leader in 1981 as heir to a tradition of consensus-oriented, non-ideological politics followed by his immediate predecessors, John J. Rhodes of Arizona and Gerald R. Ford of Michigan.

Recent elections have brought more confrontational conservative Republicans to the House and its leadership ranks, isolating Michel, 70, within his party.

"There's a big gap between my style of leadership and my sense of values, my whole thinking process," Michel told reporters here yesterday. "(That) is giving way to a new generation, and I accept that. (That's) probably the way it ought to be. But I was really much more comfortable operating ... (the way) we did when I first came to the Congress."

Minority Whip Newt Gingrich (Ga.), second-ranking Republican and leader of the confrontational wing, instantly became a favorite to succeed Michel. Gingrich, who for months has been saying he would run if Michel retired, scheduled an announcement for Thursday.

On May 15, 1984 calling a Congressman low got you censured. The Speaker and the Minority Leader could play golf together. Now we have the President of the United States being called an ass. Call my nostalgic but I long for the old days.

Comments

[*** Dave]

It is, perhaps, futile to long for those old days (which probably had their own problems, too), but ...

[Rich]

I would agree that many things are better now than twenty years ago. But, the poisonous, polarized political atmosphere (on the part of both parties) is not one of them.