CNN is under legal obligation to broadcast (and print) content in the public interest. As part of that obligation, the network posted the locations of congressional town halls across the country.
What a swell bunch of folks. They posted the town halls scheduled by members of Congress from both parties for Thursday.
Except Democratic town halls have been mostly staid and polite affairs, while GOP town halls have resembled a saloon in Dodge City on Saturday night.
Lawmakers are continuing their first week of recess and many are holding town halls with their constituents to discuss policy issues most important — and enraging — to them.
While the recess is meant for members to get in touch with their voters, many are finding out the hard way that their constituents are unhappy with the state of Washington. Over the weekend, a number of members of Congress faced criticism and jeers at their town halls.
Republican Rep. Ryan Costello experienced both cheers and boos during his 80-minute session with 200 attendees in West Chester, Pennsylvania Saturday. On Monday, Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina had to wait 30 seconds for crowd chants of “you lie” to die down, after Wilson told the crowd he had supported the local solicitor.
Earlier this year, California Rep. Tom McClintock’s town hall meeting got so out of control that police escorted the GOP congressman out of the venue.
Forgive my defective memory. I am getting old and the synapses aren’t firing as fast as they used to. But did CNN publish the names and locations of town halls for Democratic congressmen in 2009 when tea party members swarmed the events, being quite impolite and acting in an impolitic manner?
Just checking.
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