| Updated: 8/11/2009 7:09 pm |
Published: 8/11/2009 2:53 pm |
Senator Blanche Lincoln issues a strong apology in reference to the controversial comment she let slip last week. Lincoln called a group protesting health care reform at a town hall meeting un-American.
Senator Blanche Lincoln welcomed U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to the Veterans Hospital where she addressed a group of Vets. But it was Lincoln's comment, calling those who protest healthcare reform un-American, that got the Chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas Doyle Webb furious.
"Senator you have lost your view of what Arkansas is," said Webb. You are looking from Washington, not Arkansas. You are becoming an elitist."
At the Veterans Hospital, Senator Lincoln said she more than backed off her controversial comment, she says she's sorry. "No it wasn't a little bit of a backup, I made an apology," she said." It was an inappropriate way to describe it, thats certainly adequate."
Chairman Webb says the Republican Party will soon hold its own healthcare overhaul at town-hall meetings because Senator Lincoln has avoided them. Senator Lincoln says that is simply untrue. "I've spent almost all of spring crisscrossing the state in town hall meetings on healthcare reform," said Lincoln.
Doyle Webb says free speech is what this country was founded on. "We're tired of those who recognize constitutional rights being called illiterate. That's not what you call the good people of Arkansas," said Webb.
"I think I've made my statement," said Lincoln. "I've apologized for using the term, it was inappropriate.
With her apology on record, Lincoln is moving forward.
The Republican Party plans on holding its town hall meetings in each of the state's four congressional districts. The plan is to gather as many Arkansans as possible to discuss the healthcare overhaul bills currently before Congress. Dates have not yet been set.
