Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) talks with constituents during a town hall meeting April 10, 2017, at Aiken Technical College in Graniteville, S.C. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images News/Getty Images)
The congressman who heckled former President Barack Obama during a speech eight years ago finally got a taste of his own medicine at a crowded town hall event in Graniteville, S.C., Monday, April 11.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) had his words thrown back at him yesterday evening as attendees, angered over Congress’ plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, began shouting “You lie!” in response to Wilson’s remarks about health care reform, local station WRDW-TV reported. He gained national attention in 2009 when he yelled the same invective at Obama as the then-president delivered an address to a joint session of Congress.
The state representative discussed a number of issues and topics at Monday’s event, but it was his stance on health care that drew the loudest and longest boos from the audience of over 100, according to WRDW-TV. Wilson, who had planned to vote in favor of the Republican American Health Care Act before House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) pulled the bill off the table last month, told the crowd he was working with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on a new bill to dismantle and replace Obama’s landmark health care law.
“By having the ability of buying insurance across state lines, association health plans and by increasing the ability of health savings accounts, we would provide a choice that Obamacare simply has not presented,” he said. “And, it wouldn’t impact employment. It would give them more choice, as well.”
It’s safe to say audience members didn’t like what he had to say and they made that very clear.
“I think people are so concerned about health care,” local resident William Leaphart told the TV station. “Just because the government tried to take it away — and I think a lot of people don’t really know what they have or what they’re going to miss until it’s about to be taken away. And we see that they tried to do it and it really didn’t work, so I think that struck a nerve with a whole bunch of people.”
Things weren’t all bad for the congressman, however. Wilson managed to get a few cheers from the crowd from supporters who agreed with some of his talking points.
