Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Images of Billy Long in Joplin: Boots on the ground, hands in the pocket. No disrespect intended, Congressman Long,

but you should have answered your constituent's question.



No disrespect intended Congressman Long, but don't you think you should have answered this constituent's question? Billy Long refuses to answer questions about Eric Cantor's warning on federal help for Joplin.

While I was standing and watching Diane Sawyer live on ABC News’ evening broadcast from Joplin, I got a call from my brother, who informed me of Cantor’s comments. I confess I haven’t been following closely the national news, focusing rather on what has been happening in Joplin related to the tornado. So, I didn’t hear that Cantor had actually said what he said.

Across the street from St. John’s Medical Center, where ABC News was set up, was the site of a just-concluded press conference by the FEMA folks and local politicians—including our U.S. Congressman, Billy Long—updating progress on the post-tornado efforts. Naturally, I moved across the street and tried to find Mr. Long to ask him about Cantor’s ridiculous comments.

I found him.

Immediately—I could see it in his eyes—he recognized me as, I suppose, his local tormentor. I shook his hand and ask “Mr. Long” about Cantor’s comments, about what he thought about them, about whether we could expect federal money.

And instead of answering me, instead of telling me what he thought, he ignored me. He turned and walked away. My congressman, the man elected to represent me, simply walked away without a peep. Without a single bleeping word. Without answering whether the victims of this disaster in Joplin could expect federal help or whether they—meaning, really, President Obama and the Democrats—would have to fight the goddamn Republican leadership for it.

I’m pissed.

Long’s “handler,’ or whoever the aide was trailing him, rudely told me they would “look into it.” Damn right they had better look into it.

I found Wally Kennedy, the Joplin Globe news reporter who I had seen interviewing Long as I was making my way across the street, and I asked him if he had asked Long about Cantor’s comments. Kennedy, obviously and understandably preoccupied with local events, hadn’t heard about them and therefore hadn’t ask Long about what Cantor said.

Thus, Long wasn’t challenged, as far as I know.

Fifteen or twenty minutes later I saw Billy Long on CNN being interviewed by John King. Nothing about Cantor’s comments that I saw. Nothing about whether Billy Long will fight for federal funds to help rebuild this devastated city. Nothing.

And that had better change.

18 comments:

Timeshare Jake said...

Tweet, tweet, tweet, Joplin needs big shoulders not canaries.

Anonymous said...

I think the correct term would be:

in one ear and out the other, not stopping to register anywhere inbetween.

In the second photo, needless to say it goes in one ear and out the other and into another ear and more rapidly out the other.

Unless you give big money to the two of them, well, don't expect anything in return.....

tomleemo

Anonymous said...

As I have posted elsewhere, I checked my mail today and there was a flyer from Downstream Casino.

NOW I know why Billy's spending so much time in Joplin...he's taking little side trips to the casino.

You can bet HIS friends in construction get tons of FEMA money. Oh yeah. AND if Claire did that it would be huge news but these people will let it slide and re-elect the boob.

Anonymous said...

You are disrespecting Congressman Long.

rangem said...

bumpkin billy is to big a coward to answer the voters questions he has to hide to try to hide hes in way over his intelligence level

Anonymous said...

Hey 7:12 AM, I believe it is Billy that is the one being disrespectful here. By the way, which one of Long's staffers are you?

Anonymous said...

I'm pleased with the response of my Congressman, Mr. Long. He has been in office a very short time and has already had to deal with storm devistation and disaster relief from floods and tornados in the area. He, like us, is getting an education on the resources available for these problems. I believe that he shares the same concern that you, BB and Bus and others, have for those who have lost so much. And, we need to take stock of what we say and do. It is easy to say exactly the wrong thing at the exact, wrong time. Look at Ed Schultz.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:35 PM--

We don't have to go out of state to find hypocrites

Anonymous said...

ps, no disrespect intended.

Anonymous said...

Billy is a stupid, piece of shit. Speaking of shit, that's what he does in his pants when he's asked a question.

Anonymous said...

5/27/11

I see where Roy Blunt is demanding FEMA pay 100% of the costs of the clean up in Joplin now.

Keep up the good work. If the local bloggers didn't keep the pressure on these Republicans and the local media there would be much more suffering. These guys wouldn't give a dying man a glass of water if they weren't made to do it by someone.

Bloggers do make a difference.

Now if we can derail the Republican version of "death squads" with regards to Medicare and get them ousted from Congress, touche.

There really is no place in government for such mean spirited people. None whatsoever.

Daddy Skunk said...

Disrespect intended, Mr Long has not followed up on one single promise made during his election bid. The only moves made thus far by him are all self serving motions and ignoring his constituents. Billy needs to get his hands out of his pockets, his head out of his ass and his heart in the right place.

Anonymous said...

Bryan,
What did Long promise other than to 'work hard for us'? Of the seven candidates in the GOP Primary, Long was the candidate with the fewest positions on anything to do with the job of being Congressman. It's not his fault he is our Congressman. He simply took advantage of the amount of stupidity of the average voter and that is what has placed us to where we are today.

Anonymous said...

Billy is in so far over his head he doesn't knowhe doesn't know.

Anonymous said...

He will be re elected in 2012 because no democrat can win in swmo. He wont have a tough primary, this time...

Anonymous said...

Actually he will.
With his record so far, the primary will be interesting to say the least.

Anonymous said...

What an ass! Walks away from a tornado victim who asks him a question about Cantor?

Anonymous said...

All Long did when he was in Joplin was jump in front of cameras. I saw it first hand and the pictures you see him in moving boxes for the Red Cross were all staged when he saw the cameras coming.