Barrett Booed, Heckled At Greenville “Tea Party”
We wrote an open letter to the City of Greenville, S.C. on Tuesday asking its residents to “boo” U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett when he showed up for a taxpayer “Tea Party” there yesterday evening.
“Boo him loudly. Boo him lustily. Boo him for a long time,” we wrote. “Show him the same respect he showed your tax dollars and your free market system of government.”
Well, Greenville did just that.
Courtesy of TPS, here’s the video:
Yeah it’s pretty painful … but pretty beautiful, too, when you stop and think about it.
Sure, some people will say the crowd was disrespectful, but those people need to get over it.
After all, this wasn’t some “Republican” event where loyal “party activists” have no choice but to sit and listen to these self-important boobs wax misleading about how “conservative” they are.
This was a real gathering of real people … people who are really fed up.
Anyway our friend over at The Garnet Spy wasted no time in offering his assessment …
Sometimes in politics, you can bookmark an event or comment as a game changer. THIS may well be a slug to the heart of Barrett’s campaign for governor. Yeah, the election is a year and a half away – a political millennium – but with those boos and shouts for Barrett to ‘go home’ digitally recorded, you can be sure his opponents, either for the GOP nomination or, should he pass that test, the general election, will be playing that clip ad nauseum.
The Spy could be right.
If so, all we can say is “one down, two to go.”
Comments
By Absolutely Beautiful on April 18th, 2009 at 8:51 am
The faux Republicans should not hijack the tea parties- they are the main reason people are rebelling.
Barrett is toast- done – stick a fork in him – he is done.
GO HOME BARRETT – RESIGN – GET OUT OF THE WAY
By bo on April 18th, 2009 at 9:13 am
ouch. KO’d
By Brandon on April 18th, 2009 at 10:04 am
This is truly what needs to happen. Until elected official (Washington and Coumbia) in “safe” seats start to get kicked out, nothing will change. Term limits are our only hope.
By Cooter Brown on April 18th, 2009 at 11:26 am
If he’s done rite, he’s hab been da next gubner! “Too late!” lik dat man says…
By Ricky on April 18th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Will, it was a thing of beauty. Whoever is running Barrett’s campaign or advising him should be fired right away for putting him in that lion’s den. At least Inglis, who has his own tough primary on his hands, appeared smart enough for
If Barrett really wanted to make a public mea culpa on his TARP vote, he could have done it at a Greenville GOP convention or something and gotten the media to cover that. Publically embarrasing yourself in front of 10,000 rowdy conservatives (of which I am one), most of whom booed you, accomplishes little in his quest for the governorship.
By Abe on April 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I respect this guy even more after watching this video. Whatever happened to respecting courage: whether it’s the courage to stand up in front of a difficult crowd or to do the right, but unpopular, thing?
I’m sure that would have been easy for Barrett to vote against the TARP — he could have appealed to the populist urges about “bailing out Wall Street” or simply yelled “socialism.” However, he did what was difficult, but what was right. Just as there are few experts today who defend how the TARP was handled, there are equally few experts who believe that we would have been better off had noting passed. Do you really think everything would be better had he voted to let the entire banking system fail?
It’s pretty easy to sit there and be part of the crowd, booing this guy. It takes a lot more courage to get up there and face that crowd.
By Bombthrower on April 18th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Did Palmetto Scoop bring their own people to boo Barrett? they sounded like they were right on top of the recorder and really, the only loud one you could make out was some old dude. It was so close, it had to be the voice of the person taping.the rest was really muted.when the crowd was panned by the camera, nobody was booing – where were these people? Was it just a few people Palmetto Scoop (aka McMaster for Governor) could russle up for a roadtrip to Greenville? i think all of you are wishful thinking if you think this will do Barrett in. He will be the last Republican standing but websites like these will make sure the Democrats win the State House next time. As long as Will is paid by the opposition, that is all we will read. Come on people, wake up!
By Bombthrower on April 18th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Hey Brandon – we have term limits – they are called elections. If you don’t like the candidate, vote him out. Otherwise suck it up and move on.
By Matthew on April 18th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I respectfully booed Barrett the whole time mentioning that it would probably be best for him to drive home, and not use this forum to run for high political office especially when his votes are the ones we are protesting (after all, let’s face it folks, neither he or Andre should be the next governor). However 2 people disagreed with my viewpoint and voice and decided to physically assault me; kicking me in the groin, slapping me in the face multiple times and ruining my only pair of eyeglasses I have which are expensive, and now must be replaced at a cost I currently cannot afford). I called the police with multiple witnesses that would state under oath that I was assaulted and did absolutely nothing to provoke this action from this man and his wife, and the police never showed up even though I clearly stated I was under the “peg leg” bates light post and was bleeding. Nothing was done to track the man down and I was threatened and violently pushed when I was dialing 911. This is ridiculous, and I am disappointed, very disappointed.
By El Guapo on April 18th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Wow…even watching that gave me the flop sweats.
By Ricky on April 18th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Bombtrower, I was there. The Greenville police estimates are that 10,000 plus people were there. I would say between 40-50% of the crowd was actively booing throughout the enitre speech. The video by Palmetto Scoop does not do the situation justice. Even Palmetto Scoop could not bus close to 5,000 people up from Columbia to boo Barrett.
By Mab on April 18th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Well, I feel sorry for him. But not sorry enough to vote for him.
###
Listen to this one — a caller on Rush Limbaugh today said that when she called her senator’s office (U.S. Senator Ben Nelson) to inquire whether he would be attending any of the tea parties, she was told that the senator was prohibited from participating in a government protest because [get this] “he is a part of the government.” I couldn’t stick around to hear Rush’s response to that — but — Whoa Nelly!
By Gillon on April 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Watching this rally, and the previous one at the State House, you can understand why Americans are fascinated by zoos and circuses.
By James the Foot Soldier on April 18th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Congressman Barret’s nose should be a foot long after orating this gem: “I’ve devoted my life to the conservative cause”.
Pardon me congressman – YOUR vote resulted in the Federal gov’ment buying bank stocks with $800,000,000,000 in FEDERAL dollars (borrowed no less) is SOCIALISM.
GO HOME RINO
By bonehead on April 18th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
You are a bonehead. Do you really think you had anything to do with the booing?
A local radio station had been saying the same thing for over a week. You were just a follower.
You are obviously in the tank for Henry MacMaster. He is a real idiot.
By Patrick on April 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
This is beautiful. I show this to my lib friends who think that the Tea Parties were a republican event.
By Phillip Branton on April 18th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
And what coverage does this get in the POST and Courier…???
…..how about The STATE….!?!?!
let’s check the Beaufort Gazette..?? Hmm…not that I can see..???
….well the Greenville News has some ink. WOW…???
Citizens…….this is a GLARING example of why OUR state does NOT lead in ANYTHING…!?!?! Everyone is virtually kept in the DARK..!!! This man represents the WHOLE state of South Carolina and this is NOT front PAGE NEWS …!?!?! WOW …how can our state even begin to “Perform” like a TEAM…????
Every incumbent should be booed like this…!!!!! EVERYONE….!!!!
I give BARRETT kudos for even SHOWING UP…!!!! I highly suggest that he get back out in front of an even LARGER Crowd……and ASK THEM to boo him !!! STAND THERE and ask the crowd to even boo louder…!!!!
“DC can’t HEAR YOU…!?!”
“OBAMA can’t hear YOU….!?!?!
“ROBERT FORD Can’t hear YOU…!?!?!
ANDRE’ BAUER Can’t HEAR …YOU..!?!?!
Henry McMASTER can’t hear YOU…!?!?!
He then should rip his TIE off and throw it into the crowd…!!!!!!!
AND when the crowd throws it BACK…..stomp on it…!!!!
does this man KNOW HOW TO lead..!?!?!?! Was he ever a part of a team that physically HUDDLED…!?!?!
MY GOD..!?!?!!
Gresham “Pretty BOY” BARRETT…….are you a WINNER..????? Get yourself back out in front of the largest crowd you can find…!?!?!! Heck, show up at every Democrat AND Republican rally no matter if you invited or NOT…!!!!!! Look every crowd in the EYE and show them that you know how to do WHAT….!?!?!
By joel on April 18th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
the tea party was a joke !! a place for anti- Americans !!
By Is that Fred Thomspon. sleeping behind Barrett? on April 18th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I think I see Fred Thompson behind this Barrett clown in the picture. There should be guilt by association concerning these type of events. Fred should not allow himself on the same stage with someone who voted for TARP.
Regarding one of the posts above, there seems to be a question as to what would happen to all of us if we let a few major banks fail and didn’t give them a trillion dollars?
It’s simple. The banks who made poor dumb decisions would go bankrupt- smarter people would step in and lend capital – banks such as Wells Fargo- and we would not have wasted money we do not have supporting institutions led by crooks and idiots.
People need to understand this simple economic principle and begin to realize the government should not be subsidizing failed businesses,
The bank bailout , giving away hundreds of billions of dollars with no strings attached, is the biggest con game in our nation’s history.
By Truth on April 18th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Haley for Governor!
By Ron on April 18th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Will,
Great coverage and thanks. I was at the Dorchester GOP Convention last night and we got the waxing conservative speech from Henry Brown who also voted for the bailouts for AIG etc. And then with the new administration voting for bailouts was all of a sudden a bad idea. “King Henry” wasn’t booed but got very little applause which could be a sign of things to come. The kicker was when SC Treasurer Chellis waxed conservative about his standing upon conservative principles and values almost ad nauseum. Any word on opposition for Chellis next year. It’s critical that he come off the Budget and Control Bd as he votes w/Rinos Leatherman and Harrell exclusively as you’ve mentioned here so many times. Again, great article.
Ron
By mark g on April 19th, 2009 at 2:32 am
What a bunch of idiots. If anyone wondered why SC is last in just about everything, case closed.
By Kelly Matthews on April 19th, 2009 at 10:06 am
This is to bombthrower. YOU need to wake up!! I was at the Greenville Tea Party, not only was I there, I was sitting in the front row with my husband. I can vouch that the ENTIRE crowd was booing Barrett! Your assessment is way off base. Paid to boo? You’ve got to be kidding me? Did you expect the Palmetto scoop to have mics set up for 10,000 people? Of course he caught the voices in the front, that where HE was set up! I saw him pull his mic off the camera and held it into the crowd. Use you noodle dear…how else should he have taped the crowd? Personal mics for 10K people? Like I said, I was there…and the crowd was fired up over Barrett signing the bill…period.
By Calhoun Fawls on April 19th, 2009 at 11:03 am
The do nothing Congressman was right to be booed. He voted for the stimulus after he voted against it. But, that is not all. As a businessman in his district, I reached out for help from his office. I was flatly told by one of his operatives that I had not donated enough to his campaigns. I was shocked.
I would not vote for this guy for dog catcher. I will vote Democratic if he is the Republican nominee. Behind his bullshit, Gresham Barrett is bought and paid for and wants a check to return calls. He can spew all that ” I love the Lord” crap out but when it comes down to it, if you want Gresham Barrett to return your calls, have your checkbook open.
Screw the Congressman.
By David Schroeder on April 19th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Joel wrote: “the tea party was a joke !! a place for anti- Americans !!”
Joel, where did you learn that? Since when are Americans not allowed to disagree, and express their disagreement without being called unAmerican? Or are you that ready to live in a world where disenters are jailed for speaking out? The U.S. Constitution guarantees our right to protest and yours to be stupid.
By Old Bike Dude on April 19th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Dude you got your ass whooped by a man AND his wife!! What she held you while he punched your ass out. Mans game bitch. Nut up. If you’re gonna pipe up then be ready to throw down.
By roofus on April 19th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Joel,
The first amendment applies to everyone, not just liberals. Isn’t it just fascinating that last year when Bush was prez, dissent was patriotic? Now that we got a Dem prez, dissent is un-American, or as David Axelrod put it today, “unhealthy.”
By chris on April 19th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
I am new to this State and I am assuming this guy is a RHINO and has been found out..I want to know about Sanford.Is he for real??? or is he just puting out lip service to gain momentum with real conservatives?? and who can we vote for for govenor next time ,that we cant trust ??
By Alex Hampton on April 20th, 2009 at 12:08 am
All I see on this site is the McMaster and Barrett campaigns anonymously exchanging insults. The Republican Party in this state as well as the rest of the nation is in shambles and it will continue to be so until we make some concessions and come together to overpower the Left. We cannot continue to feud within our party but rather we must stand firm against that which we feel is wrong. Yes Barrett shouldn’t have agreed to take the money but he should be respected for standing up and voicing his opinion all the while being booed. Another thing that I don’t see on this site is the fact that another man is running for Governor of this great state. It’s probably because he isn’t part of the good ol boy system that it seems like everyone despises and he doesn’t have millions of dollars to use in his campaign because he is just a regular guy like me and you. Why is Brent Nelsen not mentioned? In my opinion he is the candidate that can unite the party in our state. Before you bash him or me check him out. I bet you that even if you don’t vote for him you will respect him.
One out of many, not many out of one
PUBLIUS
By Hal on April 20th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Publius,
I don’t know Nelson, but I would vote for him over Bauer, McMaster or Barrett. It is clear to me that we in SC are going down the path of the national party…running has beens that have done little but feather their own nest.
If we continue running these self-interested pricks, we conservatives will continue to lose our right to participate in government.
In this state, we are already governed by RINO’s. Thankfully, that fool Carol Fowler seems to keep Dems down. But she won’t be there forever…
By Woodrow on April 20th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Alex, a lot of candidates can be good people, but a wasted vote. Money is part of politics whether you like it or not, and the old line about “i don’t have millions like my opponent”. . .NEVER WORKS. Try putting your efforts behind urging Sen. Davis or Rep. Haley to run. They seem to be ideologically where Nelsen is, but they also have an actual shot at winning.
By Alex Hampton on April 20th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Woodrow,
I cannot attest to him being a good person and that is not entirely what I was saying. I think you missed the point that I was trying to make. At this point in our nations, our state’s and our parties history we need to find someone who is at their core a conservative. I am sure the Nelsen is a great person but I want a good strong conservative leader. He meets and exceeds all those things that I think we need. South Carolina was, is, and will continue to be a bastion of true conservatism and Nelsen is the best man to receive the conservative torch from Gov. Sanford and to continue to hold it high.
PUBLIUS
By Monroe on April 30th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I am from SC but live in Dallas now and I must say, I am ashamed of you people for embarrassing a good honorable man and your state. If you thought for a second Gresham Barrett doesn’t put your interests first you are wrong. He has devoted his life to service. Quit being selfish greedy citizens and get out and make a change and do your part.