Was Joe Wilson's little outburst last night an expression of "spontaneous" disdain?
Or was it a carefully planned career move?
While reading some of the "how dare he?" diaries today, I started wondering why exactly someone would take such an action.
Since this is a Republican politician, I'm sure that, despite what he will claim are his motives, this was done for his own benefit, not to in any way help the Republican Party, the Congress or the American people.
Just imagine this scenario:
You're a little known Republican back-bencher, from a state that's not very important politically. You watch people who make provocative statements go on Fox, CNN and other media outlets. You watch clumsy idiots such as Steele named to important positions, while you, quite unfairly, sit moldering in the shadows. No one wants to hear your opinion, lobbyists look right past you and there's not a right-wing venue anywhere that will so much as buy you dinner for showing up and saying a few words.
Then you learn the President is scheduled to make an important speech, a speech that a big chunk of the country will watch, a speech that will be on almost every TV channel except FOX......and you know FOX News will broadcast "highlights" later.
What an opportunity! What a once-in-a-lifetime chance! All you have to do is something that will draw the cameras, that will get people talking, that will frame you as a person who speaks up for true American values, something dramatic, something....dare we say it?...just a little shocking?
It's not hard to get a rough draft of the speech. You start looking for something that you can, with a little creative leeway, call a lie. The "death panels" have been debunked. The "socialist" taunt is getting tired. But here's something that really riles people, the idea that taxpayers might pay for health care for illegals. True, according to Obama's plan, the government won't pay for such health care, but an illegal can get health care if he has the money to pay. Twist that truth just enough and you can claim that the president is lying.
Two words, shouted out. "You liar!" And suddenly, you, Joe Wilson, will be the new champion of the right, the person who values conscience over courtesy, the one person with the guts to call the President of the United States a liar to his face with the whole world watching.
Time for a few daydreams. Interviews on FOX. Interviews on CNN. Faceless Joe Wilson isn't faceless anymore. Congratulions from Sarah Palin.Congratulations from Joe the Plumber. Kudos from every organization representing the right wing base. Invitations to speak to neocon organizations all across the country...for nice, fat fees.
Eat your heart out, Steele, McConnell, Boehner and the rest of the so-called GOP "leadership." The new face of Republicanism is that champion of true American values, Joe Wilson of South Carolina!
So you do it. And it works. Suddenly you're who everyone is talking about. Suddenly pundits want you on their shows, evangelicals are calling upon God to bless you and the lobbyists...well, they know who you are now.
So what if your website crashes when its flooded with angry emails? So what if a bunch of liberals send your opponent a few bucks? So what if you've infuriated the leaders of your own party? Everybody knows your name! Everybody wants to buy you a beer! Sarah, sweet beautiful Sarah, will be calling you, any minute now....
Mr. Wilson, it worked. It worked beautifully. I congratulate you on a cunning, cunning plan. A cynical, self-serving plan, but a plan that got results nonetheless.
But you might keep in mind one thing....the expression, "flash in the pan." You may be the media's darling for a day or two, but they'll be looking for the next fresh face, the even more provocative action soon, since it takes much more than two shouted words to make a man great.
It takes intelligence, hard work and a real concern for the lives of the American people. You have none of these...and like your heroes, Palin and Plumber, you will ultimately find yourself out of office, out of friends, out of luck and little more than a punchline in a late night comedian's routine.
Enjoy your five minutes of fame, Mr. Wilson. It's going to have to last you a long, long time.