# Biggest asshole in Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377 "2009-06-20T05:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/61 "2009-06-22T16:15:23Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I’m so sorry your sausage fest was interrupted. Without further ado, let me get it back on track: > > The biggest asshole in Congress, clearly, is the Republican that opened his mouth this week. Since I’m not sure who that is, I’ll just watch Olbermann and Maddow tonight, they’ll be glad to tell me. > > Better? Yes, that was exactly what I was getting at. Pat yourself on the back. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/62 "2009-06-22T16:20:26Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I’m so sorry your sausage fest was interrupted. Without further ado, let me get it back on track: > > The biggest asshole in Congress, clearly, is the Republican that opened his mouth this week. Since I’m not sure who that is, I’ll just watch Olbermann and Maddow tonight, they’ll be glad to tell me. > > Better? Obama has been in office for almost six months now. How many guns have you had to surrender to the government so far? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/63 "2009-06-22T16:21:39Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It USED to be Santorum, but he’s long gone. In any case, he certainly earned his own little piece of asshole-related infamy. 😃 **MichaelQReilly** , I had managed to forget Orin Hatch for some reason! He’s definitely a good (?) candidate for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/64 "2009-06-22T16:26:09Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What did Boxer do, exactly? Boxer rebuked a General for calling her “Ma’am” rather than “Senator”. > [@Taber](#): > > Yes, that was exactly what I was getting at. Pat yourself on the back. Thus far in this thread when Democrats have been called “assholes”, there has been a demand for justification. Then you came along and talked about “the crazy” in this thread. Who, precisely, were you referring to? Oh, I know who you were referring to, because of your later allusion to the Birthers, who are all “right-wing”, as it were. I am therefore forced to conclude that had it been the Republicans that were getting beat up it would have been perfectly acceptable. As it is, I justified my post and somewhat redeemed **Crafter\_Man** ’s more crass post by telling you why we don’t like those people. If you don’t like our opinions, you are free to submit some of your own instead of referring to us as “the crazy”. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/65 "2009-06-22T16:30:07Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Obama has been in office for almost six months now. How many guns have you had to surrender to the government so far? > > -Joe None. What relevance does that have to the discussion, or the fact that on Day One of this session of Congress Bobby Rush introduced a gun-control bill, with Eric Holder publicly stating that he wanted gun-control legislation passed? Has the Congress passed health care reform yet? No? It’s amazing how slow the wheels turn in Washington, isn’t it? Because, of course, that something has not come to pass means that it never will, right? ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/66 "2009-06-22T16:44:22Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Boxer rebuked a General for calling her “Ma’am” rather than “Senator”. > > Thus far in this thread when Democrats have been called “assholes”, there has been a demand for justification. Then you came along and talked about “the crazy” in this thread. Who, precisely, were you referring to? Fish Stink “you seem to be a communist because you are poor” Pot. A right winger, yes, but not all right wingers. For what it’s worth, dumb partisan snipes are coming from both sides pretty heavily, but he was the only one who made me think “wait, this is the dope?” actually, rereading his posts, “The crazy” was a bit harsh. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/67 "2009-06-22T16:45:00Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What did Boxer do, exactly? During a Senate committee hearing, Brig. Gen. Walsh, who was testifying before the committee, addressed her as _ma’am_ and she said: > [@Boxer](#): > > You know, do me a favor. Could you call me “senator” instead of “ma’am”? It’s just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it. Yes, thank you. Perhaps a bit on the bitchy side, but hardly rises to to the level of “asshole” from my perspective. You see members of Congress getting tetchy rather often in such hearings, especially when they feel like a witness is being uncooperative. And, as I said before, there are women in power who are used to hearing _ma’am_ used sarcastically or passive-aggressively so their perspective might just be different from the military, where it is used routinely. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/68 "2009-06-22T16:49:18Z")
I certainly don’t think that’s worthy of the Biggest Asshole title, though if she’s getting lambasted for it she deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/69 "2009-06-22T16:53:36Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > None. What relevance does that have to the discussion, or the fact that on Day One of this session of Congress Bobby Rush introduced a gun-control bill, with Eric Holder publicly stating that he wanted gun-control legislation passed? > > Has the Congress passed health care reform yet? No? It’s amazing how slow the wheels turn in Washington, isn’t it? Because, of course, that something has not come to pass means that it never will, right? I guess we can check back in 2012. By then, do you expect to be short on firearms? I so love single issue voters. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/70 "2009-06-22T16:54:01Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Boxer rebuked a General for calling her “Ma’am” rather than “Senator”. Well, that is just awful. After all, we know how easy-going military officers are when it comes to matters of customs and courtesies. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/71 "2009-06-22T16:56:50Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > I guess we can check back in 2012. By then, do you expect to be short on firearms? I expect that some of them will be banned, yes. I hope not, but I’m not so sure anymore. > [@](#): > > I so love single issue voters. Yeah, it was so much my single issue that I voted for Obama. You’d think that after 8 years you’d know better than to try to pigeonhole me with a typically incorrect guess. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/72 "2009-06-22T17:01:13Z")
Off-topic: What happens to existing firearms if they’re banned, such as after the original AWB was passed? Does the government buy them from you or are you just supposed to turn them in? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/73 "2009-06-22T17:04:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Off-topic: What happens to existing firearms if they’re banned, such as after the original AWB was passed? Does the government buy them from you or are you just supposed to turn them in? Neither. New ones are not permitted to be manufactured with banned features, and since the “pre-ban” weapons are now rendered finite they become considerably more expensive. OK, we’re talking about Congressmen/women we don’t like, not guns. I’ll not take this any further off-topic. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/74 "2009-06-22T17:18:01Z")
It doesn’t matter, anyway. The correct answer is Ted Stevens, just for his stupid Incredible Hulk tie. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/75 "2009-06-22T17:19:17Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Perhaps a bit on the bitchy side, but hardly rises to to the level of “asshole” from my perspective… She’s been a contentious bitch for as long as I’ve known of her. Virtually every time I’ve seen anything having to do with her she’s had an attitude. Same with Barney Frank. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/76 "2009-06-22T17:21:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It doesn’t matter, anyway. The correct answer is Ted Stevens, just for his stupid Incredible Hulk tie. I loved Senator Stevens. Although, I remember him being a pretty snazzy dresser. I’ve never heard of this Hulk Hogan cravat you speak of. But most of all, I love him for, back in the _Eisenhower administration_, inventing “Alaska” just so that he could become senator of it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/77 "2009-06-22T17:38:13Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > I loved Senator Stevens. Although, I remember him being a pretty snazzy dresser. I’ve never heard of this Hulk Hogan cravat you speak of. Incredible, not Hogan. Here’s a picture of him and the Hulk tie: [http://www.npr.org/templates/common/image\_enlargement.php?imageResId=9495057&imageStoryId=9492210](http://www.npr.org/templates/common/image_enlargement.php?imageResId=9495057&imageStoryId=9492210) And how can anybody hate the man for that? Isn’t it the American dream to wear a superhero tie on the floor of the US Senate? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/78 "2009-06-22T17:38:30Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > She’s been a contentious bitch for as long as I’ve known of her. Virtually every time I’ve seen anything having to do with her she’s had an attitude. Same with Barney Frank. She has an attitude. I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/79 "2009-06-22T17:44:50Z")
What you apparently don’t get is the reason I said that. It was to show that her behavior with Brig. Gen. Walsh wasn’t the only reason why people think of her as an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377/80 "2009-06-22T17:46:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > No, he doesn’t. Oh yes he does. Burris is an asshole of Blagojevich-ian preportions. He KNEW that appointment was shady, he KNEW the structure at hand would back him up regardless. The guy’s been an empty suit for 20 years and Blago knew it before he propped him up. He’s as asshole just because he tarnished an already unpolished (but also unblemished) record by taking this appointment. He could win. After reading the Boxer thing, she’s just being a pain in the ass, but she’s not an asshole per se, but if I were the general, it would have been “yes ma’am” until they locked me up. I think the last guy to switch sides (Sessions, maybe? Can’t remember.) Is up for the asshole award, as is perennial asshole Ted Kennedy. Dodd is a twat but not an asshole and Barney Frank just likes assholes, I don’t think he really IS one. Stevens is up there, but not the biggest. When I saw him he wore a tan suit and red tennis shoe/moon boot things. Snazzy indeed. Nope, I think I’m gonna stick with Burris. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-asshole-in-congress/500377.md?page=5)