Well… now we know the high level of discourse in the California State Senate, when an invited witness says something even vaguely challenging to the status quo. Warning: the following is rated PG for language. Not R… but definitely PG.
Democratic Senator Pat Wiggins decided on a terse, efficient response to the testimony of a pastor who was discussing the impact of proposed federal regulations on his community: Bulls**t. That’s right… to a pastor, who was speaking with complete politeness and deference to the high station of the Senators. Republicans have been known, on rare occasions, to use, uh, colorful language to other Senators. I do not recall hearing of one speaking this way to a witness, particularly one so polite and graceful himself.
You’ll note that the committee chair immediately leaps in to try to ameliorate the damage… but in this case, video is wonderful thing.
If Senator Wiggins, a white woman, had been a Republican who spoke this way to a black witness (espeically one so polite), anyone want to take the bet that she wouldn’t be getting called a racist? Pastor Robert Jones is a United Methodist, a denomination not known for rabid conservatism and right-wing polemics.
The hearing was about (you guessed it) global warming. I guess the good Senator got a little hot under the collar.
Senator Pat Wiggins Wigs Out
