| Ugh. So I wake up to this video clip posted on 4&20 blackbirds of Baucus mangling his way through a speech on the Senate floor, and find out that conservatives - led by Drudge - are using the clip to claim that Baucus was drunk in Congress.
Assholes.
Anyone who's ever seen Max Baucus give a speech knows this is somewhat representative of the way he speaks in public. He's a crappy public speaker, okay? And that's when he's not upset or tired, as he obviously is while giving this "speech."
From the comments at the b'birds:
Anyone who actually knows Max understands that he has struggled for years with what many of us believe to be the remnants of a childhood speech impediment that he is too proud to admit that he suffered from and is, likewise (and rightly if it is true), too determined not to let stand in the way of a career in public service. I do not know this definitively to be true, but strongly believe that this is the case.
A Max speech will not be confused any time soon with an Obama speech, nor would anyone in Montana expect it to be. (Perhaps conservative bloggers elsewhere are confused). When Max is excited, as here, in public (and in private) sometimes he tends to slur his words. Again, nothing new for anyone who has seen Max excited or, as very likely in this case, utterly exhausted in the marathon of the health care debate. I have seen both excited and exhausted Max. I also would be absolutely stunned if Max went to the Senate floor intoxicated and see nothing here other than a tired and excited Max, struggling as he normally does to communicate what is in his head and heart.
I've seen Max speak dozens of times. I've been at informal events where there's plenty of alcohol. I've never seen the Senator publicly drunk, or even drinking alcohol. The dude runs marathons, people. He's a health nut, not a drunk.
I think it's fair game for folks to attack his politics, to go after his judgment in nominating US attorneys, to question his too-cozy relationships with lobbyists, but, of course, that kind of behavior is just fine with conservative bloggers, isn't it? After all, that's the kind of government they're fighting for.
So instead we get treated to sleazy made-up-sh*t. |
