Republican Congressman heckles President Obama during health care speech

The Associated Press confirms that Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican of South Carolina, interrupted President Obama’s speech, a sign of the partisan feelings underlying this evening’s address to Congress:

South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted “You lie!” after Obama had talked about illegal immigrants.

It wasn’t the only interruption during Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives. Earlier, Republicans laughed when Obama acknowledged that there are still significant details to be worked out before a health overhaul can be passed.

via News from The Associated Press.

Video from Politico as well. Another Member of Congress, apparently Texas’s Louis Gohmert, according to a private e-mail I received, held up a hand-written signs that read ‘Where the bill?” “What plan?” and “What bill?” (HT: Dana Milbank). And other Republican members held up draft legislation they sponsored.

Maybe my memory isn’t tight enough, but it’s difficult to imagine Democrats having done the same thing during one of President’s Bush’s speeches to Congress, State of the Union or otherwise. As I’ve argued, it’s just hard to fault President Obama for rising above partisanship when he’s facing these kinds of reactions from the minority Members of Congress.

Update, via CNN Political Ticker – Rep. Wilson apologizes:

This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.

The apology might spare Wilson of some kind of penalties from his colleagues in the House of Representatives, but some damage has been done. Rep. Wilson’s opponent next year, Rob Miller, has raised a good chunk of change in the past two hours, according to the progressive online fundraising website ActBlue.

No word about apologies for those silent protests by Republican members with signs and papers during the speech. If Palin is elected president in 2012, can Democrats hold up signs that read “Can you see Russia from here?” when she gives her joint address to Congress declaring war on Iran?