There seems to be a great deal of energy from conservatives to distance themselves from the idea that a teabagger spat upon an African American member of Congress. One of my readers commented in such stark terms over the matter today I feel the need to post the video. I thought we had all seen it enough over the last few days that it did not merit posting on CP. But it is a slow news day, and the topic seems one of interest, so here goes with commentary from Huffington Post.
(1) Cleaver obviously is either a great physical actor or some “spit-like” fluid definitely hit him in the face as he passed the protester, causing his entire body to jerk away from the accused; (2) the angry, visceral reaction from Cleaver to the protester clearly signals that something very bad had just happened. Something beyond simple partisan, anti-reform shouting; (3) notice how the protester’s hands are strategically cupped over his mouth, which would conveniently conceal the act of spitting. Keep in mind that both men at this point are perhaps two feet away from each other, which would mean the rabid protester’s vein-popping shouting at Cleaver would easily be heard sans hand-cupping, and that such distance might also make the “spray it” theory a bit of a stretch; (4) After he passes, Cleaver begins to wipe something off his face in disgust. Again, great acting?
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
Yet, the claims that tea-party activists shouted “nigger” at black House Democrats remain uncorroborated. The coffin reportedly left outside Missouri Democratic congressman Russ Carnahan’s home was used in a prayer vigil by pro-life activists in St. Louis who were protesting the phony Demcare abortion-funding ban in Obama’s deal-cutting executive order. Videotape of a supposed intentional-spitting incident targeting Missouri Democratic congressman Emanuel Cleaver at the Capitol shows no such thing. Cleaver himself backed off the claim a few days later. He described his heckler to the Washington Post in more passive terms as “the man who allowed his saliva to hit my face.” Slovenliness equals terrorism!
You defend the damndest stuff.
” The coffin reportedly left outside Missouri Democratic congressman Russ Carnahan’s home……”
And you give a cause for the coffin carrying crowd as if there is ANY sane reason to pull off such rot. There is no good reason to pull this crap at the home of an elected official….or anyone for that matter.
I can just imagine the shock and horror you and your kids would have over such an act. And rightly so. But it is OK if conservatives pull this crap?
On another matter, Cleaver stated there was salvia on his face. What more do you want as proof? There were reasons he was not going to elevate the cretin who acted like a second grader on the short bus to national fame. Yet it was a degrading experience for the Congressman, but shows what we have stated over and over is not just talk.
Finally those who were yelled at heard the slurs and those who did not hear them were the slur-hurlers. So you can place your trust in the teabaggers and I will trust the words of a civil rights icon like Congressman Lewis.
Maybe it was not a conservative tea party member. Did you read this article over at CNN Deke?
Grand Junction, Colorado (CNN) — They are not typical Tea Party activists: A woman who voted for President Obama and believes he’s a “phenomenal speaker.” Another who said she was a “knee-jerk, bleeding heart liberal.”
These two women are not alone.
Some Americans who say they have been sympathetic to Democratic causes in the past — some even voted for Democratic candidates — are angry with President Obama and his party. They say they are now supporting the Tea Party — a movement that champions less government, lower taxes and the defeat of Democrats even though it’s not formally aligned with the Republican Party.