According to reports on Monday (Greg Sargent, Lynn Sweet), House Democrats -- led by James Clyburn -- will introduce a "resolution of disapproval" for Joe Wilson's breach of decorum last Wednesday. Sargent writes:
"The issue at hand is one of conduct, not speech," the aide emailed me when asked to describe internal thinking. "Congressman Wilson’s outburst during the joint session was a breach of decorum and brought discredit to the House."
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The leadership aide clarifies that there are four levels of rebuke that House leaders can pursue: Expulsion, censure, reprimand, and disapproval. The aide adds that the current plan is to do a "resolution of disapproval," which would appear to be the lowest level of condemnation.
Over the weekend, Wilson was unapologetic for his outburst, accusing President Obama of having "provoked" him into shouting, allowing only that if he'd had more time, he'd have tried to express himself differently.
There's more bad news for Wilson: A new Gallup poll showing that only 21% of Americans support Wilson's actions.
The good news -- if you want to call it that -- for Wilson is that they don't have strong feelings on the topic. Of the 68% who disapprove of Wilson's actions, only about one-third said they were outraged by them. Of the 21% who supported his actions, only about one-quarter said they were thrilled by them.
Another way of looking at it: 70% of Americans either had no opinion (11%) on the outburst, disapproved of it but weren't outraged (45%), or supported it but weren't thrilled (15%).
All of which is a long way of stating the obvious: most Americans think Congressional Republicans like Joe Wilson are irrelevant gnats.