Olbermann: Wilson's Factual Failure was Worse Than His Incivility.

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Olbermann goes after Wilson with a Special Comment:

"This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President's remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill," you hurriedly said last night as a nation caved in on you, and your own party's leadership coerced you into saying something. "While I disagree with the President's statements, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility."

For the lack of civility, Congressman?

Is that what you think this is about?

Of course your comments were inappropriate and regrettable -- you are a Republican trying to de-legitimize the elected president of the United States -- that's all you do, and that's all you've got.

Of course you let your emotions get the best of you. At a figure of $435,296 in campaign donations from the Health Sector, of course your emotions would take over when your gravy train was threatened.

It isn't about "inappropriate and regrettable," Sir!

Your comments were inappropriate and regrettable and.... **wrong**!

You got up in front of the world, embarrassed your district, embarrassed your state, embarrassed your party, embarrassed your nation, shouted at the President like he was a referee at a ballgame and you were a drunk in the stands, and you were wrong.

House Bill 3200 specifically says, Sir, in language made precise and binding -- in section 246 -- under the heading, quote:

"NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS"

Look, Congressman!

All capital letters!

For the benefit of the factually-challenged!

"Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States."

You got it wrong!

There is no ambiguity, Sir. There is no disagreement!

Of course, Wilson continues to argue that he is right, no matter how many times his factual error is pointed out to him.

It is... this week, evident... that the greatest threat to the nation... is not terrorism... nor the economy... nor H1/N1... nor even bad health care.

It is rank, willful stupidity.

When did we come to extol stupidity ahead of information, and rely on voo-doo, superstition, and prejudice ahead of education?

How many Republicans believe in Death Panels... and Brownies and Elves?

When did we start to listen to -- to elect -- the impregnably dense?
I was almost too fearful of using the word "impregnably" because of the prospect that Governor Palin would go after me the way she went after Letterman.

Here, Olbermann lands right on the money. It's no longer an argument between two sides who both believe in different things. It's an argument between one side trying to argue with the facts and another who will literally say or do anything in order to stop their opponents.

I have no idea whether the Republicans believe the nonsense which they are spouting, I have no idea whether it is cynicism or profound stupidity which causes them to say so many things which are factually incorrect.

But, perhaps it is because they are playing to their ever more narrow base, that they really do begin to look as if they are "impregnably dense". Either that, or they simply are.

I can't quite work out which is worse.

UPDATE:

Eugene Robinson thinks they actually believe this nonsense which they spout:

Last November’s election so wounded the GOP that the nation is now suffering collateral damage. The Republicans who were punished at the polls for the failures of the Bush years were those in the most evenly contested districts, which meant they tended to be relatively moderate. Those who represent solidly Republican districts were safe, and their greatest fear isn’t being defeated by a Democrat next fall but being challenged by a primary opponent who’s even more of a right-wing yahoo.

There are quite a few Democratic pragmatists in Congress—which is why health care reform is being worked over so thoroughly by the Blue Dogs. In the Republican ranks, especially in the House, pragmatists are few and ideologues are legion. Many of them probably believe the nonsense they spout about creeping socialism and an urgent threat to America As We Know It. But it’s still nonsense. The ideologues’ sincerity just makes this toxic, rejectionist rhetoric more dangerous.

Tags: Olbermann, Special Comment, Joe Wilson