Kennedy jokingly claims bailout plan, brings down House
12:15 PM Fri, Oct 03, 2008 | Permalink
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By John E. Mulligan WASHINGTON -- Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy has provided some relief from the gloom of the hard economic news and the tense efforts of House leaders to assemble majority support for the massive economic resuce bill heading for a vote today. Through a quirk of parlimentary procedure, the rescue package was attached to an unrelated bill, H.R. 1424, that has been sidelined for many months. But Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat, was that bill's original sponsor, so as a technial matter, his name still appears on it as the official author. The financial rescue bill also happens to contain some unrelated legislation, including Kennedy's own bill to improve mental health insurance. So last night when the House Democratic Caucus met to gauge support for the all-important financial rescue, Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on Kennedy to speak about his small piece of the package. Pelosi mouthed the word "parity" to Kennedy, suggesting that he discuss his "mental health parity" initiative. Instead, Kennedy recalled this morning, he claimed credit -- with mock gravity -- "for my $700-billion bailout bill." Kennedy said his remarks brought down the house. "The whole place totally went bonkers," Kennedy said. The "attaboys" were still pouring in this morning. As Kennedy walked to and from a preliminary vote before noon, several colleagues stopped to rib him about H.R. 1424. Typcial was Rep. Brian Baird, D-Washington, "Hey!" he called to Kennedy as they met near the entrance to the Cannon House Office Building. The two congressmen exchanged high-fives and backslaps. "Congratualtions on your bill," Baird said. "The Patrick Kennedy $700-billion bailout bill." 
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While Rome burns....what a joke!
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I'm embarassed to have this moron as my representative. It's obvious he's inherited none of the diplomatic/political genes from his father.
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I bet only democrats are laughing.Palin will handle these clown.Roland
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Kennedy is a real riot, ain't he? [He said with mock gravity.] Marie Antoinette was a joker, too, when she said "The people have no bread? Then let them eat cake."
A real riot is what we're going to have across the nation if this bill passes and the same clowns who made this mess in the first place take the bailout money, stuff it into their pockets, and bail out themselves, leaving us holding the bag.
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