An unparalleled feat of constitutional engineering, our founding architects designed a system where the ambitions of the elected few would advance the interests of the many citizens. They could not, however, find a way to keep politicians from acting like children.
In advance of President Trump’s first congressional address, the Democrat conference is acting like moody middle schoolers. Some have threatened to boycott. Others have moved seats to avoid shaking the president’s hand. And no doubt, more shenanigans are in store.
But what the American founders didn’t enshrine, President Obama exemplified. When Rep. Joe Wilson broke with decorum and called the leader of the free world a liar during a joint-session of Congress in 2009, Obama responded with civility.
Instead of attacking Wilson to smear other Republicans, the president barely responded. “The American people are turned off when they see people using wild accusations, false claims, name calling, sharply ideological approaches to solving problems,” the president said the next day. “They want pragmatism.” And so when Wilson apologized the next day, Obama forgave the South Carolina congressman.
Sure, like everything else in D.C. it was a pragmatic and political calculation. More importantly though, it was presidential and becoming of the executive office. Now, Democrats must decide whether to follow or cast aside the Obama example.
Top House Democrats from Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley to Minority Whip Steny Hoyer are begging their colleagues to behave. Unaware of any organized protests, Crowley said during a press conference this morning that he’s encouraging the left side of the aisle to politely hold their applause. Hopefully that’s all they do.
Progressives are naturally predisposition to protest and the modern Democrat party is no exception. Back in 1975 during President Ford’s State of the Union, Reps. George Miller of California walked out of the chamber and onto a three-decade career in politics. More recently, in a scene reminiscent of a banana republic, Democrats hijacked the House floor for days. That history has left many wondering what comes tonight at 9:00PM Eastern Time.
FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver hasn’t crunched the numbers yet and Las Vegas bookies still haven’t floated the over-under. Knowing the Left though, odds are good someone pulls some sort of stunt. Whether the protest is more or less extreme than Wilson’s outburst, any demonstration against the president is equally childish.
Democrats ought to decry any showboating ahead of time. Otherwise their caucus is guilty of a complete double standard. Anyone who doubts that should check the 2009 roll call vote on House Resolution 744.
Even after Wilson ate crow, then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed resolution disapproving of Wilson’s outburst to advance. It passed 240-179 on a mostly party-line vote. Afterward, a high and mighty Majority Leader Hoyer crooned that “this House cannot stay silent.”
Now, seven years later and a few hours before the big speech, it’s a time for choosing. Before they take their seats tonight, Democrats must decide whether offer the current president the same respect they demanded for his predecessor. The choice is simple. Either Democrats skip the Trump stunts or they snub Obama.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
