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Subscribe to RSSUpdated 3:15 pm: Twitter has a way of really highlighting the comity in Washington.
Louisiana Sen. David Vitter (R), upset with Harry Reid saying Hurricane Katrina was "nothing in comparison" to Hurricane Sandy and the devastation caused to the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area, lashed out on the social network calling the Senate majority leader an "idiot."
"Sadly, Harry Reid has again revealed himself to be an idiot, this time gravely insulting Gulf Coast residents," Vitter Tweeted, linking to a story in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Vitter later also released a statement with the same language and adding, "Both Katrina and Sandy were horribly destructive storms that caused real human misery. And by most any measure, Katrina was our worst natural disaster in history. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused 1,833 deaths and over $108 billion in damage. Hurricane Sandy has caused 131 deaths and $65 billion in damage."
On Friday, Reid said the following on the floor, urging passage of Sandy funding:
"I really do believe it is important that I have the record reflect the reason we have gotten as far as we have on Sandy is because of the senior Senator from New York. It is too bad that it has taken so long. When we had that devastation from Katrina, we were there within days taking care of Mississippi, Alabama, and especially Louisiana--within days. We are now past 2 months with the people of New York and New Jersey.
"The people of New Orleans and that area, they were hurt but nothing in comparison to what happened to the people in New York and New Jersey. Almost 1 million people have lost their homes; 1 million people lost their homes. That is homes, that is not people in those homes. So I think it is just unfortunate that we do not have the relief for New York and New Jersey and the rest already. It has to be done. We have to meet the needs of the American people when an act of God occurs."
The Times-Pic writes:
"Sandy devastated some of the nation's most populated areas, but it didn't come close to Katrina. Hurricane Katrina, and the flooding that followed when federally built levees failed, killing 1,833 and causing more than $145 billion in damage. Sandy has been blamed for 120 deaths and over $80 billion in damage."
Monday afternoon, Reid released a statement saying he "misspoke" on Friday:
"In my recent comments criticizing House Republicans for threatening to betray Congress' tradition of providing aid to disaster victims in a timely fashion regardless of region, I simply misspoke. I am proud to have been an advocate for disaster victims in the face of Republican foot-dragging, from Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Sandy, from fires in the west to tornadoes in the Midwest. I have worked hard with Senator Landrieu to ensure that the people of the Gulf Coast have the resources they need to fully recover, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf until the region is fully recovered."
The House passed a $9.7 billion Sandy recovery aid package Friday, which the Senate took up and passed by unanimous consent. The House is expected to take up another $51 billion aid package as a result of Sandy Jan. 15th, after it returns from recess.
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This just proves, once again, just how out of touch politicians truly are. Harry seems to be doing alot of apologizing for his misspeaks as of late....
I would like to throw in a few more synonyms for Reid, but Senator Vitter pretty much hit the nail on the head.
"IDIOT" - isn't that like "the pot calling the kettle black"???
As far as the government is concerned - they are all idiots - from the President on down and should all be totally ashamed of themselves. If they worked in private industry, they would all be fired... but instead they're getting a raise! That's called "screw-up, move-up and only happens in America!!!
Hey, I was going to write that LOL
Me too!
If they worked in the private industry run by inherited wealth they would all be getting multi-million dollar bonuses. Inherited wealth means some rich friend of daddy's gives you a job at the top of the corporate ladder whether you have a brain or not. Then you and your rich, entitled buddies run the country off a fiscal cliff and ask your rich entitled buddies in government to bail your asses out. And they do. Who is the idiot? I'd say the disease is pretty widespread.
I am surprised that the thought police haven't stopped us from calling anyone an IDIOT especially one of their own.
Reid should not have made that comparison, but it would have been nice if Vitter could have been a little more civil. He should take a lesson from the British parliament:
Sorry Sen. Vitter, but most of the devastation in New Orleans was caused by a levee failure, a "human catastrophe", not a natural disaster. I would say Sen. Vitter is the idiot.
Bertman$1
Then New York was caused by a LACK of a levee? Brain Fart ?
C'mon Vitter. You calling Reid an idiot. Why don't you go to one of your many Louisiana hypocritical churches and play with your snakes you stupid dummy. Or should I say your snake.
"10 Million Hunters March on Washington." Wanna wake up America, lets organize 10 Million hunters, "in full camo" to march on DC,,,,UNARMED!
Get that many rednecks, in camo, on the Washington Mall, and they'll schit all over themselves!!
I'm about done with all the BS in this country. A Camo-March would get everyon'e attention!!
Not a good idea. All it would take is a few to bring arms and start something and the government will have you all in one spot.
this is not news. Reid is one of the 3 stooges, Reid, Pelosi, Obama with Clinton in the bullpin.
Be sure to include their Republican counterparts in the mix too!
True enough, but you have to admit Reid, Pelosi and Obama are top dogs right now.
LMAO good thing they have Bidden to keep things straight
I'm a democrat, but I would put Pelosi at the top of the list. She needs to just go away.
I put Reid and McConnell in the same bucket - they are both ineffective.
I am actually gaining more respect for Boehner - he is in a difficult position, but I think he is trying.
I still like Obama, but not nearly as much after his lack of leadership during the fiscal crisis. He needs to step up and realize being a leader is more than just saying that you are one.
First, Boehner tells Reid to go f**k himself.... then, Vitter says Reid's an idiot! Sounds like the Republican's have had about all they are going to take from Mr. Reid.... I don't blame them. He's a weasel!
Weasle is an understatement. That guy has twisted everything to be the GOPs fault, when he's the most useless POS on the planet.
Now, everyone is blaming Boehner for the Sandy relief, yet during Katrina, everything was Bush's fault!
Obama flew back to Hawaii in the middle of a crises, for his and Michelle's $20 Million dollar taxpayer vacation. Rememebr, Obama took the big-jet back and forth two times, while Michelle and the girlz flew on another. This guy spends money like it's candy!
How stupid are you now America?? (I'll answer that,,,,,,,,,"VERY!!")
Our government has resorted to childish name-calling which will result in nothing productive, yet you applaud it.
Jack, it is high time that the Conservatives stand up for themselves and call a spade a spade! Reid is a deplorable human being! Sometimes the truth hurts...but it's still the truth!
Jack...you hit the nail on the head.
Mutable...how about you go on "mute"?
Former Congressman Allen West: "At least 80% of the Democrats in Congress are Communist."
Micth McConnel: "I'm going to do everything I can to make this president a one-term president."
Various Republican members of Congress are still trying to sell the "muslim, communist, socialist bla bla bla" to discredit the President.
Conservatives stand up for themselves? Seriously?!! Both parties are responsible for playing the game, but if there's one party that comes out on top with the vitriolic rhetoric it's the Republithugs.
Nah. The liberals, like yourself, are just way too good at namecalling.
What is this I read Obama supporters upset at tax increase LMFAO.....
Drudge Reports
Oh my, how soon we forget. Now we have the left saying that we got aid to the Gulf Coast States (Katrina) the next day. But I remember the left going on and blaming Bush for not acting soon enough. I remeber the left making a racial issue out of it. So now Obama is the President, and you have two democratic States that can't get aid for Sandy. So who do we blame? You guessed it. The Republicans. This is so funny. Our politicians may be the most ignorant people walking the earth. And most of these idiots are attorneys.
The biggest idiots of them all are us for placing them there :-)
Scott,
You choose to misunderstand. Congress voted within a few days to fund disaster relief for Katrina. That is funding, not aid. In the case of Sandy, a vote on disaster relief is still waiting, since Congress only funded $9 million or the requested $60 million.
The victims of Katrina got no aid from the National Guard or anyone else for at least a week, which is a long, long time when you have no clean drinking water and no food. That was a function of the Bush administration. Bush then got up in front of national TV and said he didn't know it was so bad. To quote a reporter in the audience. "Mr. President, are you telling us they have no televisions in the White House?"
Please do not confuse financial disaster relief with actual physical assistance, something Christie, Cuomo and Obama provided immediately.
We have no one but ourselves to blame for these idiots. Look at HOW LONG these people stay in office. And who keeps voting them back in? Us. If these guys won't pass a law to set term limits on these offices they basically hold for life then WE THE PEOPLE need to.
No matter how great these guys are doing VOTE THEM OUT AFTER 2 terms.
One should not call a woman an idiot--even if she does dress up like a man while sounding like an old lady.
Are there any hot chicks in congress? We would have a better country if we had hot chicks in congress. Next election let us all vote for hot chicks. Yeah. Hot chicks in congress is what we need.
Ashley Judd might run against McConnell in 2014
Tax increases for All! Thank you President Obama, Sen. Reid, and Rep. Pelosi!! Thank you so much!! Tell me again how this helps the middle class???
Read for a change! The ONLY thing that is RETURNING to normal is the temporary tax holiday for Social Security. OK? Repeat - the tax holiday that was TEMPORARY. It was ALWAYS going to return to where it was.
The only tax HIKES are for single earners over $400,000 and couples over $450,000. And they are taxed at the previous and sustaining rate for all money UP TO that amount so the new rate only applies AFTER the $400/$450 thousand threshold.
Stop getting your info from right-wing nutcase radio and other lying right wingers. The FACTS are out there for everybody to find.
OK but this is the last time! Taxes on the middle class would have gone up much more without the deal that Biden made with McConnell. The only thing that went up was the payroll tax.
Mutable
Bo-Tox Pelosi said they aren't finished with the taxes & loop holes. They still need to raise massive amounts of money. Middle Class is next. Some of us have it way to good. Brick houses & two vehicles. Three meals a day , air conditioning & even savings accounts. There are poor people. We need to do more.
I never heard one time from Obama, Reid or Pelosi that our paychecks would be smaller after the 1st of the year! They said taxes were only increasing for those with incomes over $400,000! Did they just conveniently forget that the Social Security tax holiday was ending?? I certainly understood what was going to happen because I educate myself! But, there are many people that simply take the President, Reid, and Pelosi for their word! They were misled!
Mutable,
Well, I certainly heard it. But you're a Republican and we all know they have selective hearing. They only hear and/or believe what they want to hear and believe.
Let's talk about House bill-113H.J.RES.15
Surely to god it didn't take him this long to figure that out.
is harry reid an idiot? of course he is!!!
did he misspoke on friday yes he did!!!
why had he misspoken? maybe he was preoccupied covering his and his sons butts for using their positions to enrich themselves doing shady land deals in nevada.
will the democrat controlled senate or justice dept. investigate? no they won't
Now there is one IDIOT who speaks. This is the MORON who cheated on his wife and wad a regular at the brothels in New Orleans. In the dictionary under definition of the word IDIOT there is a photo of VITTER. GOP MORON
The only idiots are the constituents who voted Mr. 'Hires Prostitutes So He Can Be Humiliated In A Diaper' Vitter back into office. And Vitter himself.
Give the guy a break........................He is 73 and his entire body is close to Death. His Brain died 20 years ago!
Talk about stating the obvious.................how this hack Reid ever reached the status he has is beyond any rational explanation. He is an embarrassment to his state, but more importantly to the office he holds. Really a testament on just how corrupt and useless this body has become. Talk about a loser!! Vitter told it like it is............no reason to recant a word.........Reid is what he is.........AN IDIOT of the first order!!
And what part of Reid being an idiot is supposed to shock any of us?
What is most disappointing is the further evidence that our politicians are incapable of doing their job. Is resorting to childish name-calling in any way professional? I am not sure what Senator Vitter is trying to prove, but he did remind us that Washington is broken.