Congressman John Shadegg Uses Chief-Of-Staff’s Daughter As Prop
Arizona GOP Congressman John Shadegg held seven-months-old Maddie Thompson, the daughter of Chief of Staff Kristen Thompson, to attack Democrats and argue against health care reform. Shadegg bellowed, “Maddie believes in freedom.” (Note: some stories are claiming Maddie is Shadegg’s granddaughter, but is actually the daughter of his chief-of-staff.)
“Maddy believes in freedom,” Mr. Shadegg said, as his granddaughter chief-of-staff’s daughter reached toward the microphone. “Maddy likes America because we have freedom.”
He added, “She came here to say she doesn’t want the government to take over health care … She doesn’t want a health care bill that will cost $1.5 trillion.” And he said that if the bill passes, Maddy knows her mother will lose her health insurance.
Best line: When Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) regained the microphone, he said, “That was a remarkable child and a great ventriloquist.”
During the tea party protest, Shadegg tossed around the word “freedom,” trying to make the case that health care reform takes it away.
John Shadegg of Arizona rallied the few hundred Tea Partiers. “The people who want this bill have contempt for freedom,” Shadegg yelled just before heaving a copy of the 1,990-page bill onto the grass before tv cameras and the crowd. “They want to enslave you and take away your freedom and I won’t let them and you won’t let them.”
This just goes to show there just ain’t no justice. In a just world, the kid would’ve puked on him right then…
November 7th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
“They want to enslave you and take away your freedom…”
Go away and die already, you lying sack of crap.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
So many ventriloquists in the Teabagger Party and at
Fox No-news outlet.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
congrats congressman Shedagg…you’re the 1 millionth politician to use a baby as a prop, you recieve a years worth of Gerbers baby food and this state of the art stroller.
libpatriot Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Would he please put a pacifier in his mouth, as well?
November 7th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
The only “freedom” these GOPers are interested in protecting is the freedom of corporate health insurers and their sponsored lobbyists to continue working the public over.
Toss the Reps over the side and be done with them. They’re the minority party, start treating them like they are.
burqa Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
They’re just trying to keep the death panel chaps and chapettes out of the unemployment lines, that’s all…..
November 7th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I keep hearing the word Freedom tossed around…. What the “Freedom” to go bankrupt, from inadequate lack of health insurance? “Freedom” on an early demise, because one couldn’t afford preventive health care? How can we enjoy our Liberties, when we can’t afford “Freedom” of good health?
jazmine Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
And while we’re at it, let’s make abortion illegal, so these zygotes will have the same Freedoms as the rest of us enjoy:(
jazmine Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Of course by then they won’t have any clean air to breathe…but hell, lets bring them forth anyway. Nothing like a slow suffocating death.
Lee Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
You would think in light of the events of the past decade at least that the GOP would think a little before using the word ‘freedom’ in their rhetoric.
But no, folks like Shadegg and Rep Bachmann misuse it as both noun and adjective, liberally, and in the process implicitly insult people who have learned at great cost to know what this term really means.
November 7th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
“Maddy believes in freedom,”
Maddie also believes in pooping her pants. Now THAT’S freedom.
When a Republican scumbag talks about “freedom” and “slavery”, I’m reminded of the Party slogans in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four:
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Those slogans describe the Republican Party philosophy in a nutshell.
flap Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
I’m reminded of Animal Farm…all hail Animalism!
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 12:44 am
all people are equal but some people are more equal than others.
TDro319 Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Yeah, basically the rich white folks are “more equal than others”. More welfare to the bankers!
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
everyone else is getting welfare…why not?
besides the chances that the banker will repay his welfare are more certain.
TDro319 Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
“besides the chances that the banker will repay his welfare are more certain.”
I wouldn’t bet on it, if I were you.
“everyone else is getting welfare…why not?”
Yes, well best we give welfare to the rich so there’s none left for the poor, homeless and destitute. You know, please the ‘publicans.
November 7th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
“She came here to say she doesn’t want the government to invade Iraq … She doesn’t want a war that will cost 4,328 American lives, 14,298 Iraqi civilians, and 612 billion dollars.” And he said that if war is declared, Maddy knows the Republican Party will continue to lie about rational Democratic views on the basis of their political party.
November 7th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
“little babies killed”
Since when do you care about babies? Only adults, right?
libpatriot Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Interesting.. Flap and I were drawn to comment on Eric’s post at about the exact same time with completely different takes on it…
TDro319 Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
“Since when do you care about babies? Only adults, right?”
Flap doesn’t. He’s only interested in saving the fetuses. Once they’re born, he pretty much doesn’t care what happens to them – as long as his taxpayer dollars don’t go towards the little babies healthcare needs.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
“Little kids are dying in hospital beds because of the greed of people like Shadegg.”
You’ve encapsulated the irony of this Shadegg episode rather well with that point, Eric.
November 7th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I think next time he needs to use a sock puppet instead…
Freekin Az..
November 8th, 2009 at 7:56 am
I’m cracking up at the thought this Shadegg fella equates his political thinking to that of a 7-month-old baby.
Hmmmmmmmmm, you smell something?
Ewwwwwww, time to change Shadegg’s diaper!
November 8th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Has anyone seen the scene in Harol and Kumar’s Escape from Gitmo where Rob Cordry’s character takes a framed picture of a little girl and says to an FBI agent assigned to work with him, “Do you want America to be raped? Because America is this little girl and if you don’t want her to be raped, then I suggest you stay off my back and let me work!!” Actually those aren’t the exact lines, I left out the profanities.
November 9th, 2009 at 1:28 pm