# Congressman attacks student for daring to ask him a question **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227 "2010-06-15T00:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/1 "2010-06-15T00:25:07Z")
Here’s the link via Power Line Blog (in case the original video is removed again): > **[Speaking of Gangster Government](https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/06/026529.php)** > > Big Government reports on Democrat Congressman Bod Etheridge (D-NC2), who recently attended a fundraiser headlined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He was asked by some students on the street whether he su… This is really weird. A congressman, Bob Etheridge, from NC, is approached by two students on a sidewalk in Washington. One of the students asks him if he supports the Obama agenda, whereupon the congressman goes nuts, literally attacking the student. I’m pretty much a libertarian, so I don’t have a whole lot of respect for our elected officials, as a rule. But even I wouldn’t have believed it unless I saw it. It’s as if he really thinks he’s above these peasants, and how dare they ask him a question while he’s walking. Or maybe he was just drunk and looking for a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/2 "2010-06-15T00:28:57Z")
Not from my state, and a Democrat. Win-Win for me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/3 "2010-06-15T00:42:00Z")
Yeah, he needs to go. Now. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/4 "2010-06-15T00:49:29Z")
WTF? The guy seems totally nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Staale\_Nordlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Staale\_Nordlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staale_Nordlie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/5 "2010-06-15T00:51:08Z")
Blame the Vorlons. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/M2ufC2OtH28/hqdefault.jpg "The Vorlon Question") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ufC2OtH28) ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/6 "2010-06-15T00:51:49Z")
Not to defend the congressman becoming physical with anyone but there are a lot of unknowns with the video and what actually occurred. The video is edited. It is not clear what presented in the video is all that occurred or even if the audio of the video is what was actually said. The interviewer and cameraman could have been taunting him and threatening to rape his daughter for all we know. If the video is genuine and is how things occurred I question why the person presenting it felt the need to blur faces. Anonymous attacks on public officials aren’t very credible. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/7 "2010-06-15T00:51:56Z")
The video has been removed. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/8 "2010-06-15T00:53:27Z")
He’s my Congressman. Originally a moderate Democrat and quite approachable, serious about representing his district. (He was redistricted in 2002, losing the heavily Democratic Research Triangle, and put into an Etheridge-mandered district stretching a third of the length of the state, strongly rural and with a Republican majority. We reelected him anyway. But he came to the job from the post of (elected) State Superintendent of Education, and he has gotten quite egotistical over the past few years. A serious shame; he was a _good_ Congressman for quite a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/9 "2010-06-15T00:54:17Z")
Okay, I can sort of sympathize with what must be frustration at yet another pissant who’s certain Obama is up to nefarious deeds (might be a lot to read into “the Obama agenda” but not unreasonably so), but that was a terrible, terrible reaction. The assault itself is simply unacceptable as person-to-person interaction goes, and he’s damned lucky he didn’t do more than grab the kid around the neck. Politically, it was just stupid. What public figure sees a camera and doesn’t immediately go into image-defense mode? How do politicians not know by now that anything you do in public will get found out? He made an apology, but it’s not going to be near enough. He’s toast. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/10 "2010-06-15T00:54:50Z")
Having now seen the video, Etheridge was lucky the kid he grabbed was easily intimidated. At least by the point where he grabbed the kid by the head, self defensive ass kicking was likely authorized under local law. As it is, there’s possibly a case for simple assault based on what is shown in the video. Unless some of the edits removed scenes of physical provocation, there’s no excuse for him to touch the kid. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/11 "2010-06-15T00:57:03Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Having now seen the video, Etheridge was lucky the kid he grabbed was easily intimidated. At least by the point where he grabbed the kid by the head, self defensive ass kicking was likely authorized under local law. As it is, there’s possibly a case for simple assault based on what is shown in the video. Unless some of the edits removed scenes of physical provocation, there’s no excuse for him to touch the kid. His attitude came across as if he thought he was rebuking a child who got caught fingerpainting on the wall. I’m not sure he even thought about what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/12 "2010-06-15T00:59:14Z")
I’ve seen worse. It’s not much of an attack; he just pushes the camera away and then keeps repeating “who are you?” And they never really answered that, either. Maybe it was students daring to ask him a question, maybe it was the next James O’Keefe lying in wait. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/13 "2010-06-15T01:00:20Z")
This is a very serious matter, and I will not hesitate to give it all the attention it deserves! OK. Next. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/14 "2010-06-15T01:04:50Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve seen worse. It’s not much of an attack; he just pushes the camera away and then keeps repeating “who are you?” And they never really answered that, either. Did you watch the whole thing? He grabs the kid by the wrist and will not let go…until he grabs the kid around the neck. Not in a strangling grip, but he’s clearly restraining him. I’m fairly sure it’s _not_ necessary for the student to identify himself, either, as Etheridge isn’t a law enforcement officer. It was skeevy that he wouldn’t, but I would imagine that once Etheridge got physical it was as much for the student’s protection as anything. > [@](#): > > Maybe it was students daring to ask him a question, maybe it was the next James O’Keefe lying in wait. The proper answer to such a possibility is to not give them any ammunition. This way they didn’t even have to fake footage. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/15 "2010-06-15T01:08:59Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve seen worse. It’s not much of an attack; he just pushes the camera away and then keeps repeating “who are you?” And they never really answered that, either. > > Maybe it was students daring to ask him a question, maybe it was the next James O’Keefe lying in wait. Did you watch the same video I did? Granted the student sticks the mike in his face to get a comment, but he grabs the kid’s wrist and holds it for quite a long time, even after the student asks him to let go. Then he grabs him by the neck _and_ restrains him by putting his arm around his shoulders AND THE STUDENT NEVER EVER TOUCHED HIM. I don’t necessarly blame him for being a bit wary but that was some serious paranoia and over-the-top defensiveness. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/16 "2010-06-15T01:11:08Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > He’s my Congressman. Originally a moderate Democrat and quite approachable, serious about representing his district. (He was redistricted in 2002, losing the heavily Democratic Research Triangle, and put into an Etheridge-mandered district stretching a third of the length of the state, strongly rural and with a Republican majority. We reelected him anyway. If only someone could get that waste of oxygen George Butterfield to do the same thing, North Carolina would be better off by 2. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/17 "2010-06-15T01:17:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve seen worse. It’s not much of an attack; he just pushes the camera away and then keeps repeating “who are you?” And they never really answered that, either. > > Maybe it was students daring to ask him a question, maybe it was the next James O’Keefe lying in wait. He grabs someone like he owns him or something and keeps repeating “who are you” over and over. Sorry, that’s one of the buttons Thou Shalt Not Push. I would not have been so passive. “Who am I? I’m the motherfucker you want to let go of. NOW”. And grabbing by the neck? Oh HELL no. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/18 "2010-06-15T01:28:07Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > He grabs someone like he owns him or something and keeps repeating “who are you” over and over. > > Sorry, that’s one of the buttons Thou Shalt Not Push. Yeah, the congressman was out of line, I just wouldn’t quite call it an “attack”. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/19 "2010-06-15T01:37:39Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > He grabs someone like he owns him or something and keeps repeating “who are you” over and over. This is just begging for an autotune treatment. “Who are you? Who-who? Who-who?” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227/20 "2010-06-15T01:39:15Z")
Totally inexcusable. The Congressman is lucky he wasn’t either (a) charged with assault, or (b) beaten up by the kid he was manhandling, who would have had every right to open a can of whup-ass on him. I see Atrios [referred to him today](http://www.eschatonblog.com/2010/06/worst-person-in-world_14.html) as “Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Asshole).” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congressman-attacks-student-for-daring-to-ask-him-a-question/543227.md?page=2)