Maybe I have Republican-men-in-blatant-denial on the mind, but my first thought on seeing this incredible video of rage-filled Tea Party congressman Joe Walsh (R-Ill) screaming at constituents was, “So this is why his wife divorced him.” Walsh, of course, is the far right–winger who’s refused to pay his former wife child support but was nevertheless honored recently for his “unwavering support of the family” by Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council.
Here, at a “Cup of Joe with Joe Walsh” event in Gurnee, Ill. (h/t Think Progress), the first-term congressman rages at a man who politely asks about the cozy relationship between bank lobbyists and elected officials, he screams in the face of a woman who dares to contradict him on Wall Street regulations and he just generally loses it.
It’s striking how much Walsh doesn’t want these constituents (apparently, not an OWS hippie among them) asking intelligent, well-informed questions. If he wasn’t yelling and threatening to eject them, he was repeating talking points (the market knows best, the market knows best, the market knows best) and accusing them of not listening.
When ragin’ Joe asks for more coffee, they good-naturedly tell him to make it decaf. He doesn’t crack a smile.
See the full video here.
