House GOP Leader Suggests Obama Is a “Chickens***” for Voting ‘Present’ in the Illinois Legislature
EmailThe Miami of Ohio student newspaper reports House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, appeared at Brick Street Bar and Grill in Oxford, Ohio, where he took aim at the myriad "present" votes cast by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in the Illinois state senate.
"Now, listen," Boehner said, "I’ve voted ‘present’ two or three times in my entire 25-year political career, where there might have been a conflict of interest and I didn’t feel like I should vote."
"In Congress, we have a red button, a green button and a yellow button, alright?" he said. "Green means ‘yes,’ red means ‘no,’ and yellow means you’re a chickens***. And the last thing we need in the White House, in the oval office, behind that big desk, is some chicken who wants to push this yellow button."
As Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, was first to point out, Obama voted "present" almost 130 times during is eight years in the Illinois state senate, approximately three percent of the more than 4,000 votes he cast.
"A president can’t vote ‘present,’" Clinton said in Iowa last December. "A president can’t pick and choose which challenges he or she will face."
But one wonders if the reaction to Boehner’s strong language from the few independent voters in the audience means anything.
Sophomore Laura Heins said, "To hear this man call this man a chickens*** in front of an audience was absolutely appalling. I couldn’t believe it, this man’s supposed to be a respected politician who’s supposed to have a positive public image…It angered me that he would go that low in order to promote his own candidate."
Oxford resident Steve Murdoch suggested Boehner’s speech chased him into the arms of Obama.
"I thought he spent more time slamming his opponent than promoting himself," Murdoch said. "Just from what I saw tonight-I try to keep an open mind-but I was fairly disappointed. I definitely think that McCain is more concerned with demoting his rival than he is with promoting himself."
Hat tip, Ben Smith.
- jpt
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Well you have to be there to vote present, McCain didn’t show up for how many hundred votes in his career?
Anyway, is there anyone that knows more about shitt than Boehner? The man lives shitt, does shitt and eats shitt.
Posted by: JR | October 31, 2008, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
You see, this is exactly why at 38 I am voting democrat for the 1st time. I was expecting more from Mr McCain. he chose Palin and I questioned but suported him. Then all the personal attacks from his party and not enough about themselfs and what really matters. I will join the many other republicans voting for Mr Obama.
Posted by: Luis | October 31, 2008, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm
Steave, are you talking about this Zogby poll?
POLL-Obama takes 7-point lead on McCain
Thu Oct 30, 2008
Posted by: JR | October 31, 2008, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
Our chickens are coming to roost. Mr. Wright has called Mr. Obama a liar. Mr. Obama in return disowns Mr. Wright only after Mr. Wright suggested that Mr. Obama is liar. Mr. Obama is a serial liar.
Posted by: young_voter | October 31, 2008, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
Luis
It is only negative if it isn’t true. Where is Obama on siputing the claims. Producing the records to denounce it. Obama has done plenty of his own negativity. The press just lets him off.
Posted by: A Veteran | October 31, 2008, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
Obama is a chicken and it is about time that more and more of his colleagues called him out on not voting as a State Senator or a US Senator…..What is he going to do as Commander-in-Chief? Play chicken……when the going gets tough??????
Posted by: 55Mariposa | October 31, 2008, 10:27 pm 10:27 pm
The Axis of Taxes: Obama, Pelosi and Reid
We still know little about Senator Obama’s history.
Posted by: rjp | October 31, 2008, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm
Voting Present in the State Legislature is Used as A Signal to the Other Party, Not As a Way to Duck the Issue. “An aspect of Obama’s State Senate voting record that is drawing attention is his “present” votes. A present vote is a third option to an up or down “yes” or “no” that is used with great frequency in the Illinois General Assembly. It has many varied and nuanced meanings that, in the context of the actual bills, border on boring. It’s most important use is as a signal – to the other party, to the governor, to the sponsor – to show a willingness to compromise on the issue if not the exact bill, to show disapproval for one aspect of the bill, to question the constitutionality of the bill, to strengthen the bill. (Chicago Daily Herald, 3/10/04)
Posted by: Liz | October 31, 2008, 10:33 pm 10:33 pm
Given enough time these republicans eventually reveal who they really are, what they really believe in, and the case of many of them it isn’t God or high morals, dignity, mutual respect, or even self-respect. At the end of the day its all about what’s in it for me! We all need to duck as one-by-one they start losing, because above everything in the world, God included, they hate to lose.
Posted by: SeeingABetterWorld | October 31, 2008, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm
That John Boehner–always a class act! It’s no wonder that he is on the “Esquire” magazine list of the ten worst members of Congress. Appalling behavior from someone who should certainly know better!
Posted by: chuck | October 31, 2008, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm
Mc Cain takes lead over Obama in Latest Zogby poll…
Posted by: review this, left wing censors | October 31, 2008, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
It’s true.
Posted by: RL in Illinois | October 31, 2008, 10:47 pm 10:47 pm
Obama-Biden (D-ACORN) heads are exploding….
Posted by: Captain America | October 31, 2008, 11:17 pm 11:17 pm
In 1999, Obama voted “present” on SB 759, a bill that required mandatory adult prosecution for firing a gun on or near school grounds. NOTE: The bill passed the state Senate 52-1.
Also in 1999, Obama voted “present” on HB 854 that protected the privacy of sex-abuse victims by allowing petitions to have the trial records sealed. NOTE: He was the only member to not support the bill.
INCREDIBLE! Here is a man who claims he is for children’s rights and health care, and he doesn’t vote YES to prosecute the firing of a gun near school grounds!!! What is he keeping things open for accidental terrorists? Sort of in keeping with the concern he has for partial birth procedures inflicted on near term babies.
OH WAIT!! There’s more! He doesn’t vote YES to protect the privacy of sex-abuse victims, who are mostly women, young boys and girls. He was the ONLY ONE TO VOTE PRESENT.
These are -only- a few of his 143 votes. It speaks to character and convictions.
Posted by: junior | October 31, 2008, 11:32 pm 11:32 pm
Chicken is a big word. My only concern about Obama is that he seems to stand (I am not saying hangs out with) a lot of punks – like Rev. Wright, Ayers, Kahlidi.
Posted by: today | November 1, 2008, 12:06 am 12:06 am
oh come on, you’re kidding me. a college sophomore complaining about a democratically elected representative for saying “chicken-crud” =O is it just me? it’s got to be just me, because Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden aren’t even running away from the “elitist” label; they’re embracing it. They think they can win votes by talking down to regular small-town Pennsylvanians by theorizing about their attachment to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and their faith. “well, accawding to my Hawvod training, smaw-town Pennsylvay nai ans ‘cling’ to thair guns and religion becaws of thair bitta-ness, it tis a way to explain thair frustrasions.” and that’s actually winning them votes! this college sophomore must be a goodie goodie who never said a bad word in her life, or she thinks elitists are just better than her, and she probably resents Joe the Plumber for daring to actually ask a tough question instead of just stand pretty and submissive for the photo-op prop that their underclass is supposed to be. I know, it’s got to be just me, but I’d rather be governed by the first three hundred names in the Boston phone book than the three hundred faculty at Harvard University.
Posted by: Clintonites for McCain | November 1, 2008, 12:16 am 12:16 am
keep it comin’ Republicans…
same DUMB STUFF….
glad this is what yer ‘leaders’ are quackin’ about..
Nov 4th.. Obama wins and we’ll see how many of you are left in the government
Posted by: Blue | November 1, 2008, 12:17 am 12:17 am
Thank you so much for following up on the breathtaking coverage of the Miami of Ohio student newspaper. You also have done some excellent public service reporting on church bulletins over this election cycle and some obscure blogs. Do you plan on being a journalist at any point in your career?
Posted by: Mara | November 1, 2008, 12:46 am 12:46 am
John McCain’s Vote Counts
Q: Is it true John McCain voted with George Bush 95 percent of the time?
A: Yes, it’s true, according to Congressional Quarterly’s assessment of McCain’s voting record.
So, John McCain helped create a bad economy and a war in Iraq.
Thanks, John.
Posted by: ziadora | November 1, 2008, 1:34 am 1:34 am
You forgot to mention that the student newspaper endorsed obama – as did almost every student newspaper in the country – including arizona. only ole miss did not.
and by the way, what is with “the miami of ohio” newspaper? did you get sent to sarah palin’s plane?
Posted by: Mara | November 1, 2008, 2:41 am 2:41 am
a few of his 143 votes
__________________________________________
out of over 4000 cast.
Posted by: facts DO INDEED matter | November 1, 2008, 3:09 am 3:09 am
Obama is a chicken.
He is like the wimpy bully that pushes people around as long as his buddies are standing behind him.
His campaign is built on lies and intimidation.
Posted by: sam | November 1, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
130 times Obama didn’t have the guts to take a stand–so he voted present.
Where’s that steel in his spine Biden talks about?
Theres no record of it anywhere at all.
I guess BO is tough because he took on Joe the plumber.
Posted by: bailey | November 1, 2008, 9:37 am 9:37 am
yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
sos
different day
republicans about to be voted out witj good reason……… Tuesday is near
Posted by: dewde | November 1, 2008, 10:16 am 10:16 am
Is this same John Boehner whose stellar leadership helped defeat the original $700 billion package package only to see another $150 billion added to it? Seems to me like he shouldn’t be throwing darts at Obama…
Posted by: indy_voter | November 1, 2008, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
Funny thing about records, they don’t lie.
Speaking of lies, where does Obama say he stands on the 2nd Amendment? I went to his website and there is nothing there.
A quick google search seemed to turn up some facts….
FACT: Barack Obama opposes four of the five Supreme Court justices who affirmed an individual right to keep and bear arms. He voted against the confirmation of Alito and Roberts and he has stated he would not have appointed Thomas or Scalia.17
FACT: Barack Obama voted for an Illinois State Senate bill to ban and confiscate “assault weapons,” but the bill was so poorly crafted, it would have also banned most semi-auto and single and double barrel shotguns commonly used by sportsmen.18
FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.1
FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.15
FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.3
FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a 500% increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition.9
FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.2
FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.4
FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.5
FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.6
FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.
FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.7
FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and “research.”8
FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.9
FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.10
FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.11
FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.12
FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.13
FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.2
FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.14
FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month handgun purchase restrictions.16
FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.9
FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.9
FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21.9
Posted by: Concerned | November 1, 2008, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
John Boehner replaced Rep. Don Buzz Lukens when Lukens resigned after groping Capitol elevator operators. West Chester hoped Boehner would return respect to the district. We’re disappointed.
Posted by: Karl Rove | November 1, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Boehner so why did you vote chicken?
Boehner you have lost all respectative, just like MCCAIN the Republicans, you have no moral and ethical values
Boehner we will remember you on election day
Boehner was your children with you?
BUSH GOT US INTO A MESS, IS HE A CHICKEN, EVEN THOUGH HE COULD NOT VOTE, BUT MCCAIN AND BUSH GOT US WHERE WE ARE
DUMB-BO
THIS WAS A SAD AND DISTASTEFUL DAY FOR YOU, CRIMMAL
Posted by: mkcap10 | November 1, 2008, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
Ha! Everyone knows The One is a steaming pile of it!
To Luis @ the bottom — perhaps you can finally vote at 38; now that illegals are being allowed to cast ballots.
Posted by: MCM | November 1, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
Bailey…voting no Against the Bush/Cheney team IS steel in your spine.
Posted by: Truthfeeder | November 2, 2008, 7:42 am 7:42 am