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Rep. Sheila Jackson Puts Town Hall Questioner on Hold to Talk on Phone
All kinds of bad behavior has been reported from health care town halls across the country, but it's usually perpetrated by protesters, not politicians. Here's a case of a congresswoman forgetting her manners. At a forum in Houston Tuesday, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat, took questions from constituents. As one woman stood up and posed her question, Jackson Lee began talking on her cell phone, seemingly ignoring her constituent. Someone in the crowd can be heard angrily saying, "Seriously? Really? I mean, come on. Dude!"
After a few minutes, the congresswoman hung up and answered the question.
The phone faux pas was, of course, captured on video and posted on YouTube:
Somewhere Judith Martin -- Miss Manners -- is cringing.
Naturally, Republicans have seized on Jackson Lee's lack of etiquette, proclaiming it emblematic of all that is wrongheaded about the health care debate.
So who was Jackson Lee talking to? In an interview with The Washington Post, the congresswoman claimed she was on the phone with . . . the House health care hotline:
"I had been on the cell phone getting a series of questions answered," Jackson Lee said. "I don't know why (Republicans think) it's so challenging. I happen to be able to think, listen and maybe even talk at the same time."
If true, that's probably the only acceptable answer. But even if it was the pope or the president calling, it doesn't make her behavior any less rude.
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Christopher Weber
Christopher Weber is a writer and editor in Los Angeles... moreRelated Articles
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Comments (283)
secondstump
3:30PM Aug 13th 2009
This was rude to the person asking a question. She should of given that person her full attention. This is the same person that said the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina could of been avoided if they used the correct wording. "A catagory 5 hurricane, is coming, you need to get out" wasn't good enough for the people of New Orleans to get out.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(15)
(15) 
TRUTH
3:42PM Aug 13th 2009
What could be more rude than a bunch of lunatic fringe birthers and deathers intentionally taking over meetings, by shouting out their insane lies with the expressed purpose of stopping the discussion of real issues and facts?
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(-14)
(-14) Lizzie
3:53PM Aug 13th 2009
Truth: how dare the people who voted her into office have the audacity to ask her questions, when she is on the phone!!!!!!This just shows again how arrogant the democrats have gotten.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (16)
(16) ProPalin
5:28PM Aug 13th 2009
SO right!
She also had a fake doctor planted, to step up and promote the "health care reform" as well as other BO campaign volunteers, all gurgling over the "reform"
SJL is a camera-hogging narrow-minded racist and we have got to vote her ungrateful lying rude racist a$$ OUT! Living in Houston is great and we certainly do have our share of fruit loops in office. Vote in 2010, Everyone!
She also had a fake doctor planted, to step up and promote the "health care reform" as well as other BO campaign volunteers, all gurgling over the "reform"
SJL is a camera-hogging narrow-minded racist and we have got to vote her ungrateful lying rude racist a$$ OUT! Living in Houston is great and we certainly do have our share of fruit loops in office. Vote in 2010, Everyone!
RATE THIS COMMENT: (10)
(10) icare2
9:44PM Aug 13th 2009
Right on, alwayspissedoff@something - not that she cares, but Lee's an embarrassment to her district & constituency. She's a self-promoting phoney. Wherever/whenever there's a camera, she's jockeying for attention - our local Harris County Hurricane Ike press conferences last Fall were sheer entertainment as Lee pranced & danced behind each speaker, jockeying for optimum podium proximity position while vying for her chance to grab the microphone, then speak while saying he rusual nothing - god bless our Mayor & County Judge for cooling her heels as much as possible whenever she'd tried to step forward "...not yet Congresswoman', "...let me finish Congresswoman". What on earth did she think she could she contribute (sorry - not that any politician would use that question as a lithmus test)? And as for her guest appearance at Michael Jackson's Memorial Service - comical). In fact, why am I wasting the time...
RATE THIS COMMENT: (12)
(12) PCL
1:03PM Aug 14th 2009
No worries--all questions will be answered, as soon as the Health Care Reform bill is passed, all the questions will be answered. And it will pass.
http://splashinthepacific.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/maybe-just-maybe-he-is-the-messiah-heheheh/
http://splashinthepacific.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/maybe-just-maybe-he-is-the-messiah-heheheh/
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-9)
(-9) PCL
7:04AM Aug 22nd 2009
Just one more stupid move on the part of either side of this thing.
http://splashinthepacific.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/obama-progressives-and-words-of-today-oh-and-france-too/
http://splashinthepacific.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/obama-progressives-and-words-of-today-oh-and-france-too/
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-1)
(-1) aculprit4u
3:36PM Aug 13th 2009
Unfortunately, thats what they get for voting for a self-absorbed, inarticulate idiot like that.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (12)
(12) Quinn
3:40PM Aug 13th 2009
How dare a white women ax me such tough question.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (14)
(14) BlueMaiden
12:25AM Aug 14th 2009
The racist and anti-democrat comments are a bit uncalled for. What this is, is not an ignorant black woman, or an ignorant democrat, but an ignorant PERSON.
I've seen students and professors of various races stop in the middle of class and talk on the phone. I've seen people in the workplace, supposde to be leading meetings, just stop, answer the phone, and talk as though they weren't originally doing something. It's a growing trend of RUDENESS and people seem to think it's perfectly acceptable when it's THEM doing it.
In our society, we've come to value the multi-tasker over the slow and steady worker, so things like this pop up all over. It's only when someone's infringing on our abilities, say a politician deciding to answer instead of mute a call, that we get 'outraged' about it.
As a rule, I NEVER answer a cell call if I happen to be in the middle of something. If I'm busy, in class, at work, or even just washing dishes, you best believe I won't be answering and your call will be ignored until it's a better time for me to talk.
I've seen students and professors of various races stop in the middle of class and talk on the phone. I've seen people in the workplace, supposde to be leading meetings, just stop, answer the phone, and talk as though they weren't originally doing something. It's a growing trend of RUDENESS and people seem to think it's perfectly acceptable when it's THEM doing it.
In our society, we've come to value the multi-tasker over the slow and steady worker, so things like this pop up all over. It's only when someone's infringing on our abilities, say a politician deciding to answer instead of mute a call, that we get 'outraged' about it.
As a rule, I NEVER answer a cell call if I happen to be in the middle of something. If I'm busy, in class, at work, or even just washing dishes, you best believe I won't be answering and your call will be ignored until it's a better time for me to talk.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-5)
(-5) Alwayspissedoff@something
3:41PM Aug 13th 2009
This is that same wack-job that attends funerals for folks she does'nt even know like M. Jackson. Her staff has been directed to search the obits for "parties" to attend to further her agenda.
There is no bigger camera and media whore in all of Washington than the race-hustling idiot from Houston, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
Remember, this is the same woman who flew out to California to preen and pose in front of a world wide audience to present a resolution (that was never passed) to honor the life and death of a freakazoid pedophile. The same woman who did not even bother to show up for the funeral of Spc. Joshua Farris, a Texas Soldier who was killed in action on the same day as Michael Jackson died.
Than again, there was only one small town local TV station present at Spc. Farris’ funeral.
What kind of gall and manners does Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee have?
We need to make sure we get on national news,,” Lee quipped, quelling the crowd by having a college opera student sing the national anthem. Occasional chastising punctuated the rest of the meeting, some comments accusing her of wasting time when introducing a state politician who had joined the crowd and other jeers when she talked on her cell phone while a constituent posed a question to her.
“In Congress, we have to multi-task,” she explained.
Bull$hit Mrs. Lee.
There is no bigger camera and media whore in all of Washington than the race-hustling idiot from Houston, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
Remember, this is the same woman who flew out to California to preen and pose in front of a world wide audience to present a resolution (that was never passed) to honor the life and death of a freakazoid pedophile. The same woman who did not even bother to show up for the funeral of Spc. Joshua Farris, a Texas Soldier who was killed in action on the same day as Michael Jackson died.
Than again, there was only one small town local TV station present at Spc. Farris’ funeral.
What kind of gall and manners does Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee have?
We need to make sure we get on national news,,” Lee quipped, quelling the crowd by having a college opera student sing the national anthem. Occasional chastising punctuated the rest of the meeting, some comments accusing her of wasting time when introducing a state politician who had joined the crowd and other jeers when she talked on her cell phone while a constituent posed a question to her.
“In Congress, we have to multi-task,” she explained.
Bull$hit Mrs. Lee.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (12)
(12) rodeoruss
12:29AM Aug 14th 2009
why do you think nothing ever gets done in DC. To much multi tasking, to really know what they are they to do. serve the people not themselves. it can be seen they can not do one thing right so why try and do many things even more wrong than they were to begin with
RATE THIS COMMENT: (11)
(11) T
3:42PM Aug 13th 2009
Jackson Lee is a disgrace to her office. Clearly, she needs to be reminded in 2010 that she serves the people, not the other way around. Elitism at it's finest!
RATE THIS COMMENT: (11)
(11) Alwayspissedoff@something
3:47PM Aug 13th 2009
There is no bigger camera and media whore in all of Washington than the race-hustling idiot from Houston, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).
Remember, this is the same woman who flew out to California to preen and pose in front of a world wide audience to present a resolution (that was never passed) to honor the life and death of a freakazoid pedophile. The same woman who did not even bother to show up for the funeral of Spc. Joshua Farris, a Texas Soldier who was killed in action on the same day as Michael Jackson died.
Then again, there was only one small town local TV station present at Spc. Farris’ funeral.
What kind of gall and manners does Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee have?
RATE THIS COMMENT: (11)
(11) deathaircroi
4:09PM Aug 13th 2009
This is a woman that is pushing Washinton to give Michael Jackson a humanitarian award.. She doesn't have an idea what she is suppost to be doing.. Who voted her in office in the first place?
RATE THIS COMMENT: (8)
(8) Redman
9:21PM Aug 13th 2009
BLACK PEOPLE, of course.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (8)
(8) GORGEOUS!
1:41AM Aug 14th 2009
Who voted her in? Dummycrats.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (10)
(10) hello blondie
4:11PM Aug 13th 2009
disgraceful behaviors.
congress elected to represent the opinions and concerns of the public...taking a telephone call in the middle of this question and answer session was just the cake!
what an attitude, who is paying this woman's salary???
she needs to be fired.
congress elected to represent the opinions and concerns of the public...taking a telephone call in the middle of this question and answer session was just the cake!
what an attitude, who is paying this woman's salary???
she needs to be fired.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (11)
(11) kelso1030
9:12PM Aug 13th 2009
you really Must be blonde... WE pay her salary, my dear...
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(0)
(0) Art
11:48PM Aug 13th 2009
sorry--you the taxpayer are payin SJL's salary--who else ?
RATE THIS COMMENT: (8)
(8) 
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