Norton With Advice from One Colleague to Another (9/14/09)

Norton with Advice from One Colleague to Another

September 14, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) offered her thoughts on what Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) should do now, following his outburst during the joint session of Congress outburst last Wednesday.

“As far as I’m concerned, forgiveness belongs in the top five virtues, and an apology always should be enough to put a matter in the past and move on. Rep. Joe Wilson did the right thing in apologizing to President Obama after his outburst. I will not put energy into demanding more, but if Joe Wilson is an honorable man, he will decide to do more. When he violated the decorum of the chamber, Joe Wilson offended not only the President. He offended his own chamber and each of its Members at a moment when the nation was watching and deliberating with Congress and the President. The entire chamber, in fact, was shocked and mortified. Had Rep. Wilson said the same words on the House floor during debate to a Member of the House, his words could have been ‘taken down,’ and an apology required before the House. Joe Wilson has been man enough to apologize to the President. It remains to be seen whether he will rise to the full meaning of what the occasion demands, and step forward to apologize to his peers and to the nation.”

###