Washington (CNN) – New York Democratic congressman took to the House floor Friday morning to congratulate the New York Yankees for winning the World Series. But the discourse quickly turned to partisan attacks.
Democrat Reps. Eliot Engel and Edolphus Towns began the accolades. Engle, who lives in the Bronx, wore a Yankee cap, calling it "a symbol of unity." He said, "I know it is violating rules to put a hat on, but I am going to do it for just two seconds because I think it is really important that I put this on...In Asia, in Africa, in Europe, in the Middle East wherever we go we see people wearing Yankee hats."
But Utah Republican Jason Chaffetz wanted to talk about health care and not baseball. "While the Democrats want to talk baseball we want to talk about health care," he said. "While the New York Yankees are winning the World Series the American families are striking out."
New York Democratic Rep. Jose Serrano fired back at Chaffetz. Serrano accused the Republican of turning the World Series into a partisan issue. "Americans celebrate success and I am positive that there is not a single American in this country, except for some in this House, who would think that what we are doing today is wrong."
Serrano added, "This weekend we will deal with the biggest issue of our times."
Health care or Yankees, New York Democrat Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez took another position.
"I just would like for the record to reflect the fact that I am a Mets fan," she said.
From CNN Politics
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How can anyone support the yankees or baseball. No enforsable salary cap and there all on steroids! Baseball has long been replaced as Americas pastine by the more honorable sport of football.
Republicans...the grinches that stole Christmas.
Anyone who is not a Yankee fan is simply a sorry loser...period. Don't like it? TOO BAD.
Sadly, Engel is my congressman. What an idiot. Didn't even have the guts to have a town hall last summer to discuss health care reform. One less democrat in congress next year.
"While the Democrats want to talk baseball we want to talk about health care," he said. "While the New York Yankees are winning the World Series the American families are striking out."
The Democrat puts a Yankees cap on for 10 seconds and the Republican makes these remarks....WOW! The desperation has become full circle.
This is bloody childish and idiotic. On all sides. Congress needs to grow up and stop acting like brats.
Why is CNN not reporting on the raid on the Obama/ACORN offices in New Orleans ? Rahm got your tongue ? A sitting U.S. president could be just months from going to jail and CNN is ignoring it.
Unknown to the Representative Chaffetz, baseball is part of our American culture. Serrano's response was right on the mark. Though we are going through hard times, I disagree with the Utah Republicans that we can't take time to be proud Americans. Hypocrites like Chaffetz call the Democrats Anti-American, but then spit on our traditions.
Republicans are a national joke.
Nothing wrong with having a little fun at work as long as the work gets done.
This Is Really HypocriCNN Stooping To The Lowest Common Denominator Of Journalism...GET REAL!
Seriously – a Republican wants to talk about healthcare – they had 8 years to do that???
It's probably just to spout off more lies.
And who is at fault for American families "stricking out" – THE REPUBS!
How much money have "We the People" paid for a war that the Repugs got us into.
To all the Pro-Lifers & Religious nuts jobs – how many young men & women has died because of this war?
How much money have "We the People" paid to high ranking, wealthy – banks, insurance and car companies???
But when it comes to helping out everyday American familes due a cost that each of us needs/wants (healthcoverage) it costs too much to make it a reasonable?
I just don't get it.
That's what you get with the kind of people running our government now-a-days. They're not interested in getting a job done. Only in what might turn a dime for them. They blast Palin and don't even have a reason why. Condemn her from quitting the Governors 's office when their ridicule made her want to get out of the limelife. I will be so glad when the jungle beaters are put in their place and Palin is President of the United States I can't wait. At least whether we have partisanship or not will not matter for the Republicans will rule all houses.
get to work and stop acting like a 9 yr old
It's not like the politicians in D.C. don't have time for fun – playing away from home (C-STREET!!!).
PS: GO YANKEES!!!
symbol of unity??
more insanity......
OH!!? Now the reps want to talk about health care? Are you sure you wouldn't rather fling some childish insults around, or take some statement or policy out of context, wrap it in blatant lies and scream about it? Frankly, I don't care what you want anymore.
I swear that we have a bunch of idiots running our country. It conjures up images of two little kids bickering, "Is too" "Is not" "Is TOO!" "Is NOT!" How anything ever gets done, I have no idea. You politicians just play your juvenile game of politics instead of your jobs. When will we ever get competent, REAL people to run our government?
DSW - U R AN IDIOT!
This country can't wait "months" for this president to go to jail...he needs to be gone yeesterday!!!
Helath Care...get real...Like we don't have enough gov in our life already! Do you really want more? More gov is for people that are basically too lazy!
If there is one thing this administration hates...it's freedom!
I agree with supporting your team. I agree with wanting to get to work. I do not understand how this made the news.
These folks need to lighten up. Goodness gracious.
How many democrats under investigation for ethic violation, 7.3 million jobs lost since the democrat controled congress began passes there green law trash in 2007. Unemployment is at a 25 year high, debt highest since WWII. Wait a minute this is all Bush after the Prez writes the laws right and is in charge of spending right. . Unemployment at 10.2 % keep spending it will work eventually. After all why would anyone trust the American people with more of their on money.
the rush limbaugh party has ignored health care for 8 years and now they complain about a 2 second kudos on the floor?
Republicans are purely idiots. I happened to catch a little of the parade in New York today. The last time the Yankees won a championship and had a parade, the Twin Towers stood intact. New York has been through a LOT since that last championship, and the statement "all is now right with the world" that I have seen, seems to make sense from that perspective. It's almost like healing for New York. So I understand what this Congressman meant, and am NOT surprised that petty, narrow-minded Republican nitwits begrudge that feeling of unity or closure. I used to take special care to research candidates and vote my conscience, not party, but those days are over. It will be a very cold day in hell before I cast my vote for a Republican candidate.
Seriously, a Republican wants to "talk" about healthcare? Was that a joke? How long does it take to say "No"?
I see nothing wrong with them having a "light' moment...maybe if the GOP took the sticks out, they'd be a little looser and more able to do some work instead of being able to pick a cherry up by the stem....
I am a huge Yankee fan and surely don't want a liberal socialist marxist Democrat to ruit the Brand....the Yankees are Capitalists if you didn't notice so how can a Dumocrat support a team that goes against everything the Dems have been doing.
George 'The Boss" does not give things away for free...I'm surprised this liberal would want to be associated with capitalism, free markets and success based upon individual effort instead of government "redistribution of talent".
Repugs are the biggest bunch of whining babies I have ever seen. They can't allow anyone else to have an idea or to enjoy life and since they don't have any of thier own all they do is whine.
@Hannibal Lector: Palin president of the USA...Are you kidding me. She think Africa is a country, she thinks quitting her job as governor is a honorable thing to do. And she didnt want to get out of the limelight, shes all over the news and has a book on the way and thats not getting out of the limelight. Republicans just don't get it and never will. if you said Mitt that might make more sense for an independent like me but Palin, no way. And i guess you would like Vitter as VP, someone who had admitted sleeping with call girls. As stated before, republicans will never get it.
and just this morning the House was taking a vote to extend their veteran's day "vacation."
Dems said Yes
Reps said No
which party wants to party?
I see some douche bag is listening for FUX news again. It isn't even owned by an American.
True Fact:
Ronald Reagan became president in 1981 after Jimmy Carter left him with a very bad economy. One year later, 1982 for those republicans, the unemployment rate was 10.2.
I know how much you guys love Ronald Reagan, so if his greatness was so good and you like to follow his model of recovery then Obama is right on schedule; and it's not even a year into his recover.
GREAT JOB MR. PRESIDENT!!!!
Only the idiots who consider themselves Yankees fans don't get the truth: besides Yankees fans themselves, every other person in the world hates the Yankees!
Oh wow, the Republicans are seriously interested in governing now ! Only took 8 years ! Give us all a break Chaffetz. Loser.
Why did no one do that for the Philles last year? It is wrong and self serving to do that... He violated house rules and should be punished for it...
New Yorkers love to take the stage to distract from the key issues. i grew up there as a kid, but since then have lived throughout this great country, and now I know why so many Americans dislike boastful New Yorkers. it has nothing to do with the Yankees! It's all about a class of people who boast while cheating. NYC has high taxes, but more people living off the government handouts, and they demand more while contributing less. It's a magnet city for illegal aliens that learn the tricks of getting freebies from the taxpayers, and the city doesn't report them as long as they vote Democrat. NYC has more uninsured people living in government housing with food stamps than most cities in the U.S., and the hospitals are forced to stick the tab to the government. And with all the crime in NYC (500 murders a year for the past 20 years), including the criminals in the United Nations, it's no wonder that the Utah rep was not impressed with the theatrics.
Dave – did Reagan pass a massive trillion dollar stimulus bill and proclaim that the stimulus bill would prevent unemployment from being greater than 9%? Because the current president did.
"A sitting U.S. president could be just months from going to jail and CNN is ignoring it."
HAHAHAHAHA omg i love that post. Thats glenn beck crazy its so bad. Hey tata mcgee you and the rest of the right wing nutjobs should stop trying to link obama and acorn. You really embarass yourselves.
Uh..under Regan unemployment dropped to 10.2 from 13 when Jimmy Carter was president and the country was spiraling out of control (much like today). Today, it's 10.2 up from 6.8 when Bush was president. Big difference.
All this from "the party of morals and ethics"...
@Hannibal Lector November 6th, 2009 3:59 pm ET
. I will be so glad when the jungle beaters are put in their place and Palin is President of the United States I can't wait. At least whether we have partisanship or not will not matter for the Republicans will rule all houses*** YOU LIE***
@Joe Obama
"I am a huge Yankee fan and surely don't want a liberal socialist marxist Democrat to ruit the Brand....the Yankees are Capitalists if you didn't notice so how can a Dumocrat support a team that goes against everything the Dems have been doing."
First of all your comment is dumb.....but for the sake of dumbness can you plz answer this question
HOW CAN THE YANKEES BE CAPITALIST IF HALF OF THE NEW STADIUM WAS PAID FOR WITH TAX PAYER MONEY???????
Wow. How on Earth do you jump to the conclusion that because files were seized from an ACORN office in Louisiana, President Obama could go to jail? That is ridiculous. There is absolutely NOTHING linking that office to President Obama. I read the article on Foxnews.com. You know, only fools jump to conclusions w/ no facts to back them up.
I'm a huge Yankee fan, so no thanks to those who called us fans out. 27 BABY! But good for the Utah Republican. Sports should not be thrown into politics. Just another Democratic boggle, seeing too many of those these days. Bush failed in about 7 years, Obama is failing in less than 1 year.
Tata Mcgee@3:53 – Tell me how "a sitting president" could be just months from going to jail? How has he broken the law with ACORN? Are you not jumping to conclusions?
The Yankees are like big govenrment. Can't understand why everybody hates them. What the Yankees have done to baseball in the rea of free agency is unpardonable.
In the Neo-Moron model of the major leagues, there should be no redistribution of talent?!!! There has been redistribution of talent ever since professional baseball started. The only major obstacle to that redistribution along the way was what you neo-morons call "conservatives" , who didn't want black talent to be re-distributed in the major leagues. Of course these backwards people weren't "conservative" at all, they were just racist rightwingers - just like they are today.
For a lame-brain birth-bagger to come on here and subject the rest of us to an uninformed rightwing rant about "Yankees are capitalists", "Dumocrats", "liberals", "free markets" is indeed pathetic. The amount of delusion and hypocrisy it takes to be a [R] these days is just absolutely stunning. Man, something has contaminated the rightwing gene pool.
I don't want to pick the flyscat out of the pepper, but if wearing a cap in the chamber is against the rules, then he shouldn't have done it. If we get to ignore the rules that we don't think are important, then it's hard to fault others for breaking rules that THEY don't think are important–like yelling "you lie" at the president.
The ignorance of most democrats is appalling. Who cares about this stupid baseball story? We should all be concerned about the fact that the President is nearly a year into his term and has yet to do basically anything. This is the problem with electing a President who is afraid of making a decision.
It's beyond sad how Congress is being run with a democrat majority. We have real problems and real issues to work through and these lazy @sses are wasting our time and spending our money as if, ...well..., it wasn't their own.
We love you Obama!
The GOP had several years to talk about Health Care while they controlled the House, the Senate and the White House. Then, they were only interested in turning over tax payer dollars to drug companies, and the Oil Industry, including Holliburton, while freeing up the financial markets to pursue fast cash while leaving the world economy exposed to the risk of another Great Depression. I'm sorry boys and girls, but you can shove your false earnestness up your collective asses.
the david letterman flap concerning a yankee's player and palin's daughter is an example that should send chills down the spine of any intelligent american. here is a woman with no marketable skills that rose to prominence via lying and manipulation who used her newly garnered (and totally undeserved) position to try and destroy one of america's favorite media personalities. hitler is proud of her in hell and is looking forward to meeting her!
Wow the Repukes want to talk healthcare. Since when???? Oh Michael, no you are the idiot. As a matter fact Michael, who is your Health Insurance provider. How much do you pay a month? You probably do not have health insurance like the rest of you anti healthcare reform nutcases. I know you got some relatives on Medicare, tell them to get off and buy private insurance, by all means, Medicare is government ran health insurance. Oh that's right, they cant afford private healthcare which is why they are on Medicare. And for the last time teabaggers, it's an option not a mandate. I like my Health Insurance coverage, so I will keep my policy, see how easy that is.
"Just a couple of minutes.' to wear a Yankee Cap. Are you people serious with your condemnation? Republicans need to take a hike and never return.
They won the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't like the Yankees but they won fair and square and HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE USA'S FAMOUS PAST TIME.
Republicans have ZERO respect for anyone outside of their own party and they are idiots. Just go away.
I see the stupid ultra-conservatives are twisting the story again. House members, both Democrat and Republican, take the Chamber floor every day to recognize important goings-on, like the death of an imporant individual, an anniversary, or Veterans Day. It's common practice, and only takes a minute of time, until someone like the Utah Republican wants to make a partisan issue of it. Everyone quit your whining.
Thanks Republicans for standing up for American families while Democrats are celebrating in the midst of a recession.
Rep. Jose Serrano also probably thought that the American people though that all the time wasted holding hearings on steroid use among professional athletes was much more important then dealing with pressing issues effecting the average American. In case the politicians didn't notice they were elected to go to Washington and do a job, not talk about how proud they are of their sports team. Last time I checked the economy in New York was a wreck and a few moments pleasure from your team winning the World Series won't make those types of issues just disappear....
For you people calling Cheffetz a hypocrite who "had 8 years to talk about Healthcare", Chaffetz is a freshman Congressman and wasn't in Congress during those 8 years. As soon as he got elected, he has hit the ground running. So please, keep the hate to yourself. Would you rather he NOT talk about Healthcare?
Republicans are so dumb. If they want to talk about healthcare, why don't they come up with some...you know...IDEAS on how to fix our disgracefully broken and immoral system and stop bowing to their masters in the insurance lobby? Cowards, hypocrites and morally bankrupt America haters. That's all they are now.