Congressman assaults college student on North Carolina streets....

I am a liberal, and I am not going to defend this man. Then again, I am disgusted with Republicans and Democrats at the moment.

CNN covered this on one of their blogs. They referred to "purported students" and proclaimed that the video was "clearly edited". Someone should tell the bozos at CNN to watch both clips. The spin in their article was dizzying.

Before it's over, the college students will have beat up the poor Ethridge and he will have just been defending himself against hooligans. Keep watching CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS and any other fun liberal channel. The poor kids will probably be put under a jail before this is over and done.

Thank you Taskr36 for setting skysuccess straight in such an eloquent and clear manner. I could never have said it as well as you so again I thank you!

I'm not really concerned over other cultures in this as both the kids, and the congressman were Americans with no indication of a different cultural upbringing. "what if these students aren't who they claimed to be" I don't care, they could be from Mars and still have the right to film and ask questions on a public street. "Can we be sure that the students had not been stalking him?" We can't be sure they aren't from Mars, but I don't see you assuming they are. Why should we assume they were stalking him when he himself didn't even make that claim before, or after the incident. "Why did they have to mosaic their faces?" Who cares "Can you also assure everyone here that the video had not been doctored?" The congressman himself acknowledged the complete truth of what happened in the video when he apologized. "Last of all, how would you feel or react if you or your love ones are being stalked and VIDEOED in this manner?" Well you apparently don't know what stalking is. Frankly I think REAL victims of stalking would be offended that you would use such a term to describe a boy who asked a simple question on a public street. How would I react? I'd say "No" and continue walking. I recommend you learn about what stalking is so you don't sound like a fool using such a term. It is a serious crime and not one to be treated so casually. Asking a congressman ONE question on ONE occasion on a public street does not fit ANY definition of stalking ANYWHERE in this country. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/crime/stalking/welcome.htm

whiteheather39, I like to ask for a matter of clarification here where you commented and I quote: "...where I do not have to be so submissive” I don't think there's any suggestion of mine here about being submissive. And, where you commented: ".....the Asian culture expects it's youth to be almost cowed when addressing a older person" that my dear friend is respect in the Asian aspect since you only interpreted it as some act of "cowardice". Also, my real concern is actually on every one having their rights to their own privacy. And as far as the video feed is concern I just have my reservations which I have posted earlier. [u]Out of interest and still on this video, what if these students aren't who they claimed to be? Can we be sure that the students had not been stalking him? Why did they have to mosaic their faces? Can you also assure everyone here that the video had not been doctored? Last of all, how would you feel or react if you or your love ones are being stalked and VIDEOED in this manner?[/u]

Honestly I don't think this does, or at least it shouldn't, make democrats look bad, just this one democrat. Now if the democrats in the house and senate DEFEND his actions the way some morons on youtube have, that is what will make the party look bad.

But Taskr36, you know they are going to! When do the Democrats not come to the aid of their own? When do the Republicans not come to the aid of their own?

Republicans are definitely more likely to turn on one of their party when there's a moral issue like cheating on one's wife or such. Democrats it's pretty rare. Only Blagojevich and Gary Condit have been victims of that and Condit deserved every bit of it. I'll reserve judgment on Blago till after more facts come out.

Speak for yourself. This happens all the time debater, and I do mean ALL THE TIME, especially to congressman and senators from both sides. I remember John McCain being ambushed by some woman saying "Why do you think that health insurance should cover viagra and not birth control?" He was stunned, but politely spoke to her to ask what she was talking about. She told him he voted for this (which wasn't entirely accurate). He told her he'd have to look at the record to see what she was referring to and get back to her. He was completely cool and collected and polite despite the fact that she was in his face with a camera and everything. In fact, I even saw ALAN GRAYSON approached and questioned the same way. He wasn't polite by any stretch of the imagination, but he plainly stated that he won't answer any questions and the person asking should make an appointment with his secretary. If so many would react this way, why haven't we seen it before?

Laglen, if someone came up to you out of the blue with a camera and started asking you questions, but wouldn't tell you who they were; What would you do? I bet many of us would have reacted the same way if it happened to US. But, we get all upset when a congressman does it. They are AMERICANS as well!!!!

Taskr, would YOU react calm and cool if someone started to ask you questions while video taping you, and refused to answer YOUR questions? I agree that he shouldn't have attacked these "students", but I am sure that I am not the only one that would have acted similar to him.

Clearly, college students asking a member of congress if he supports the president's agenda is only a small part of a vast right-wing conspiracy. That's why they all have cell phones with cameras, so they can tape members of congress defending themselves against impertinent questions. Perhaps when the FTC decides who can and cannot ask questions, videotape anyone, write a blog or have an opinion, these poor, elected officials and the government as a whole will finally be safe from "We the People".

Well, if I were a congressman and they asked me about my job, I certainly couldn't answer the question or say "no comment" and keep walking. I suppose if I were a public figure and a public servant who was asked about my stance on the issues, I would have no choice but to demand ID and assault them generally until such time as they ceased being so gosh darn curious. Oh, but I would check to make sure the other kid doesn't have a cell phone so my efforts to break the first kid's camera wouldn't have been in vain.

Rollo, how would you feel if someone walked up to you and started to ask you questions, recorded it on video, and then refused to tell you who they were. Would you answer their questions and be happy to do so?

Well, looks like the media is finally covering it. Now we get to watch it get spun in to an almost unrecognizable version of the event, it's meaning etc. I guess they were just waiting until they got their spin machine tuned up and running on it.

CNN covered it on one of their blogs. They state in the article that the video is "clearly edited". Obviously they didn't bother to find out that the original camera was on the ground after the Congressman knocked it there and the rest of the video came from a cell phone of another student. The audio is the same. They are trying to make it look like a vast right-wing conspiracy.

Jackasses.

Sadly it shows how too many politicians feel about the people who put them in office. They feel they are so much above us, so much smarter, so entitled to their jobs, that they don't have to show us respect while demanding it for themselves. Methinks, sooner than they wish, they will learn differently. People are tired of both parties and their career political terms. Personally, I think two terms are more than enough for any politician. After that, he should be given a portion - not the full amount - of his salary as retirement, just as the rest of us get - if we are lucky, that is.

It is perfectly legal to video tape people with out their consent in most states here, no law was broken. There is also no law in ANY state that a person must identify themselves to a member of congress, nor is there any law in any state that forbids disrespecting a member of congress. However, it is NOT legal to physically grab or shove someone in ANY state unless defending against a physical attack. The congressman broke the law, the student did not, period. I saw no disrespect happening, I saw a student with a camera asking a question of an elected servant.

LetranKnight25 What brought how one feels about the president into this thread or discussion? This was unnecessary, belligerent behaviour from anyone used to being in the limelight as politician are regardless of their party!

skysuccess Your response make me really happy I live in the USA where I do not have to be so submissive. The young man was very respectful of course it seems that the Asian culture expects it's youth to be almost cowed when addressing a older person.

"but some how i wonder, how come the guy who was recording and asking question, refused to identify themselves, where they can do so. " The simple answer, because he didn't have to. But the kid was shoved as soon as he asked the question. If he had not shoved him, the kid might even have identified himself. But once the congressman started grabbing and shoving him, I guess he figured, "why bother". With any luck, the congressman will get that identification, when the kid testifies against him in court.

LetranKnight25, Frankly, I have my reservations with these 2 students or unbeknown to all, may even be more. I just marvel how people can be so conclusive here and since you have been objective - I'd just like to share my concerns further with you. The student had been videoing the Congressman from a distance till he was within talking distance. Instead of introducing themselves and formally tell the Congressman the purpose of their act - they blatantly asked a political question. Now, they are students and not journalists or reporters or photographers from any media and they just do it. And when the student felt something amiss due to his undoing he then could not come up with the proper words. Sure, the Congressman will get worked up and if I am not wrong he was actually trying to stop the videoing and since the camera had been passed to another person, the only natural thing for him to do was to grab hold of one of them since they look to be of uncharacteristic like. Out of all this, I am surprise that people seems to side the students and do not see the students invading the Congressman's privacy? What rights are we talking about when people do not respect others' privacy?

Listen to the tape again. The young men identified themselves as students working on a project. The Congressman never asked WHAT project, but continued to demand Who these people were. Maybe if the Congressman had asked in a calm voice who they represented, he might have gotten a more detailed answer, but he became a batterer before finding out anything. Why couldn't he just say, "Sorry, I don't have time. Come see me in my office later." Or, "Sorry, am late for a meeting."

I can see why, but like you said, it illustrates that people can't see past a letter. The sad thing is this shouldn't be about a letter. Battery over a simple question is wrong, and there shouldn't be any question to it. I wonder if people continue to vote for a man who assaults another for simply walking up with a camera and asking a question? My bet is: probably. This will be forgotten within the next 2 weeks.

I saw the press conference this guy gave, at least he didn't try to offer any excuses or anything. I did read a lot of the comments on the various videos I have seen on it. It was pretty nauseating. It illustrates something I was trying to avoid in this thread actually, that people can't seem to see past a letter. I didn't really want to turn this in to an Obama/anti-Obama story or a right vs left thing.

They still go to movies of guys like Sean Penn, who seems to have a second career of attacking photographers. At what point do politicians and actors, singers, etc, forget they wanted the adulation and that's why they got in the business. When it comes in waves, suddenly the photographers and reporters and yes, even kids doing school projects are horrible and should give them full privacy. It don't work that way, folks.

After reading every comment, I was convinced that I was the only one who really disliked college students. Now I don't feel so alone. Some folks just aren't cut out to be politicians. I'm not. And this schmo's certainly not.