The U.S. House voted  240 to 179 to disapprove of the South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson’s ”You lie!” outburst aimed at the president during a joint session of Congress. 

Tuesday afternoons’s debate surrounding the  resolution to rebuke the conduct of Wilson pitted South Carolinians against each other.  After Representative Rep. Steny Hoyer (D – MD) officially introduced the measure: Rep. Hoyer introduces resolution,  Wilson took a moment to rebut, saying in essence, this is a waste of the House’s time: Rep. Joe Wilson on House Floor  MP3  1:41

Then leaders from both parties went head-to-head, accusing each other of partisanship. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says the measure is about conduct, not party: Rep. Clyburn explains motive of resolution MP3 1:32

 Congressman Wilson’s outburst of “You lie!” to a comment made by President Barack Obama was, according to the resolution,  a breach of decorum and brought discredit to the House of Representatives.  Read the House resolution of disapproval

The House general code of conduct requires that “a lawmaker shall conduct himself at all times in a manner which shall reflect creditably on the House of Representatives.” These are the standards members are held to when they take the oath of office.

After Clyburn, a line of Republicans spoke on his behalf, including John Boehner of Ohio’s Eighth District: Ohio Rep. John Boehner opposes measure MP3  :24

After a voice vote that favored the resolution, Boehner called for a roll call vote.

Second District Congressman Joe Wilson may be facing a “slap on the wrist” from his colleagues in the U.S. House for shouting “You lie!” at the President of the United States Barack obama during the chief executive’s speech last Wednesday night before a joint session of Congress. Democratic aides say House leaders are preparing to introduce a resolution of disapproval this afternoon, with a vote likely later in the day. Democrats said Monday night that they were moving forward to formally rebuke Wilson for his outburst.

 Appearing on Fox News Tuesday morning, Former South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian says the rebuke of Wilson is justified. “We need to make a clear statement that this will not be tolerated in the future. If they in some way sanction Joe Wilson today, I think that may just put an end to this kind of conduct in the future and that’s what we’ve got to do. I was a prosecutor for 12 years, I believe in sanctions. If a kid had done this in the clsssroom and screamed “you lie!” to the teacher, they would be in the principal’s office,  they would be out of school.”

Wilson has stated that he apologized to the White House after the president’s speech and the White House accepted his apology and that should be sufficient.

Harpootlian says he doesn’t think Wilson will be viewed as some sort of conservative martyr, if he is rebuked. Harpootlian says Wilson’s action should not simply be dismissed. “I don’t think anybody is going to feel sorry for Joe Wilson after his outburst the other night. I’ve stood in too many courtrooms, prosecuted too many people who looked at the victim and said  ”I  apologize”  or “I’m sorry for what I did” and the victim takes that. But there needs to be a sanction aside from the victim. This is not about Barack Obama. This is about the Office of the President of the United States and the decorum of the House and Senate of the United states and we need to draw a line in the sand.”

 Harpootlian says a formal rebuke for Congressman Wilson will be a step toward returning civility and decorum to governmental proceedings. “Maybe, perhaps this could be the beginning of a process. If they sanction Joe Wilson for his outburst, perhaps in the future that will be the standard that applies to Charlie Rangal or Nancy Pelosi or anybody else but if we just let it go again, this process will continue forever.”

After months of speculation State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, appearing on Columbia’s WIS-TV Monday night, made known his future political aspirations. “After a number of months of consultation and contemplation, I have decided to run for the governorship of South Carolina.”

Rex is making campaign stops Tuesday in Greenville, Orangeburg, Florence, and Charleston.

Rex says several factors led to his decision to run including the battle earlier this year to secure stimulus money for education. “Certainly having to be the last state in the nation to accept the need to bring in some money to save hundreds and hundreds of jobs in South Carolina, was just another example of leadership stuck in the past while we’re trying to move our state into the twenty-first century.”

 Rex says if elected he would bring several unique qualifications and experience to the office. “I’m not a career politician, I’m an after career politician. I”ve run a private college (Columbia College). I was a vice-president at the University of South Carolina External Affairs for its entire system including managing a $100 million endowment. I have been, of course, the State Superintendent of Education even with the budget cuts, an over $2 billion enterprise in South Carolina. I’ve managed more people, more dollars, more programs than all the other candidates, democrat and republican combined.”

Rex joins a field of democratic hopefuls including Kershaw County Senator Vincent Sheheen, Charleston County Senator Robert Ford, Columbia attorney and lobbyist Dwight Drake, Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod, and Charleston area pastor Amos Elliott.