Talk:Alan Grayson/Controversial statements


 * I explicitly wrote:

please leave this "clean draft" intact until its fate is decided.
 * Another editor requested that the material below be discussed, and the primary Talk page references and links to the below. The material surely belongs here at the article's Talk rather than at an individual's talk page, but the material is too big for the primary article Talk page. This is a perfectly acceptable use of a child page, and will likely become part of the article's Talk archive anyway. --24dot (talk) 23:05, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

__ =Draft to keep free from edits= (do not edit this, edit ongoing draft below at ) This section did not exist in the article until I created it on 2009-11-05. Editors may wish to tinker BELOW (at ), but please leave this "clean draft" intact until its fate is decided. See also Talk:Alan_Grayson.

Controversial statements
YahooNews described Grayson as a "political provocateur". Grayson refers to himself as "a Congressman with guts" who is unintimidated by controversy and criticism, saying, "They call me nuts, they call me stupid, they call me ugly. They might be right about ugly. ...All that I've done is to say what's on other peoples' mind."

News outlets have repeatedly described as "controversial" certain public statements by Grayson, both when directed at organizations and when directed personally at individuals. Some in politics and the media have referred favorably to Grayson amid the aftermath of his controversial statements.

Regarding the Republican Party
As a member of the Democratic Party, Grayson views the GOP as the opposition party; his comments about Republicans include:
 * "If you get sick, America, the Republicans’ health care plan is this: Die quickly."–September 29, 2009
 * "What the Republicans have been doing is an insult to America. ...These are foot-dragging, knuckle-dragging neanderthals." [Questioned, 'Why are you name-calling?'] "I didn't call names, what I said is true."–September 30, 2009
 * "Republican Party, you're a lie factory, that's all you do."–October 1, 2009
 * "Fox News and their Republican collaborators are the enemy of America, ...the enemy of anybody who wants anything good for this country."–October 21, 2009

Regarding Dick Cheney
Former Vice President Dick Cheney is an outspoken, longtime Republican; Grayson's comments about Cheney include:
 * "I have trouble listening to what he says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth while he's talking"
 * "He's just angry because the president [Obama] doesn't shoot old men in the face."
 * "When he was done speaking, did he just then turn into a bat and fly away?"–October 23, 2009

Regarding Rush Limbaugh
Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is a self-described "conservative" who tends to deride proposals and policies advocated by the Democratic Party. Grayson comments as follows:
 * "Rush Limbaugh is a has-been hypocrite loser, who craves attention. His right-wing lunacy sounds like Mikhail Gorbachev, extolling the virtues of communism. Limbaugh actually was more lucid when he was a drug addict. If America ever did 1% of what he wanted us to do, then we'd all need pain killers."–January 2009
 * "I’m sorry... I’m sorry that Limbaugh is one sorry excuse for a human being."–March 4, 2009

Regarding others
Grayson has made controversial statements about other individuals, such as fellow Congressman Joe Wilson, Federal Reserve System senior advisor Linda Robertson, and Fox News Senior Vice President (and anchor) Neil Cavuto.
 * "What Joe Wilson did is like a belch."–October 12, 2009
 * "This lobbyist [Linda Robertson, a current senior advisor to Fed Chair Ben Bernanke ], this K Street whore, is trying to teach me about economics."–September 2009
 * "Neil [Cavuto], I'm not the one using profanity on the air. I'm not the one interrupting the guest to show incredible rudeness on the air. I'm simply the one trying to answer your questions and make America a better place."–March 31, 2009

Comments supporting Grayson
Persons in politics and the media have made comments which tend to support Grayson; their comments are listed here in approximate chronological order.
 * MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews – "Let's start tonight with Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida. Sir, I have to hand it to you. I think you are a Martin Luther."
 * Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) – "Alan Grayson is a friend and an extraordinary member of Congress."
 * Pres. Obama – "Three outstanding members of Congress from Florida are here: Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Kendrick Meek, and Alan Grayson."

=Draft 2009-11-05= You can tinker here. If a stable interim is created, a later draft section can be created.