Did Illinois Guv Nod Off at Health Care Debate?
EmailABC News' Teddy Davis reports:
Nodding off can be dangerous in the YouTube era — just ask ex-Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, R, who was caught struggling to keep his eyes open in 2006 during a farm bill hearing.
The latest potential YouTube moment comes in Illinois, where candidates for governor debated health care on Wednesday afternoon.
In a video procured and edited by his Democratic primary rival, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, D, appears to nod off a few times at Wednesday's debate while a woman explained that her pregnant daughter-in-law died because she didn't have health insurance.
Aides to Illinois State Comptroller Dan Hynes, Quinn's Democratic primary challenger, got ahold of the tape, uploaded it to YouTube and started shopping it to reporters.
The Quinn camp is calling the video a deceptively edited cheap shot. Quinn's team says the governor was looking down and taking notes — not sleeping.
Seeking to minimize any potential damage from the Hynes video, Quinn's campaign has released its own video of the governor talking with Midge Hough, the woman whose daughter-in-law died, following the event.
Quinn is the former Illinois lieutenant governor who assumed the state's top job on Jan. 29 after the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich, was impeached and removed from office.
The Illinois gubernatorial primary is an early one; it is scheduled to take place on Feb. 2, 2010.
Watch more on the YouTube videos from ABC-7's Charles Thomas, by clicking HERE.
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Can you imagine how many GOPers would have nodded off if Coburn got his way and read the entire health bill aloud in the Senate?
Posted by: Matt | November 19, 2009, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
They would be serving the people better if they did take a nap and not vote for this new entitlement the Democrats have come up with.Add 31 million uninsured to Health Care and cut cost too,what a joke.
Posted by: Johnny L | November 20, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
pfft. As an “issue”, this is a non-performer. Is Quinn on the take? Selling senate seats? Allowing associates to bypass laws?
There’s loads he could be doing that would be noteworthy. Being drowsy, isn’t one of them.
Posted by: Deb S. | November 21, 2009, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm