Word from the Pacific Northwest is that Congressman Wu of Oregon’s 1st District is feeling better and is in a “good place now.” This is after a rough few years - during the 2010 election he treated his staff so abominably that many of them left. He has apologized for this.
He has also apologized for emailing to his staff a picture of himself in a tiger costume. He also apologized for his medication getting out of whack in 2008, causing him to disappear for a time and to eventually check himself into a hospital for observation.
Back in 2004, Wu denied attacking his ex girlfriend in college before eventually apologizing to her and to his constituents for inexcusable behavior. There have been other strange incidents over the years as well - leading one to wonder how temporary Wu’s good place is.
He is likely to seek reelection in 2012, according to this. I think his behavior is getting worse, and the only thing crazier than the Congressman would be his constituents should they choose to send him back.
Also not familiar with the Senator, who apparently also publicly admitted to taking two oxycodone tablets from a campaign donor.
Hardly a Limbaugh-level offense, but nonetheless illegal, and— I’m struggling to understand why he would confess that at all, unless as damage control for something more egregious / embarrassing?
During a 2008 Obama rally, I met a man named Will Hobbs. Will was one of several running against Wu in the Dem primary that year. Wu isn’t popular even among other Dems. The 1st is mostly Dem after being swing in the 90s. If it was still more of a swing district, I think he would been voted out already.
I would not vote for him in either a primary or general election if I lived in his district. It’s more important that he take care of himself than that he remain in Congress.
I almost didn’t take the OP seriously. A quick glance at the linked tab’s favicon looked like it was an Onion article. Opening it still looks a bit Onionesque, and reading it confirmed it.
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What Congressional hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful campaign lie?
It’s all too real, and all over the local news lately. Most of his staff has resigned since the campaign. My beef with all this is why nobody alerted the public that the guy was off his meds or off his rocker, so Oregon could have put somebody else into that office.
Well, he’s filing for reelection now. If the Democrats want to deny him the nomination in that district they know what they need to do.
As for the Republicans, they face a 50,000-vote deficit in the district among registered voters. This is a pretty safe Democratic seat.
I’m not saying for certain that Democrats will vote for a lunatic over a Republican - just that if Wu survives a primary fight this might get answered one way or another.
Not in my opinion, no. That smacks of mudslinging and could backfire on whomever makes that sort of accusation. His staffers, once things spiraled out of control, should have alerted the electorate, rather than remaining silent and allowing voters to return someone to office who is arguably not able to handle the stress. If that meant that the Republican candidate was elected, then that’s the way the chips fall. It’s not like the staffers were fearing for their jobs, since they were busy packing up their cheese and heading for the liferafts.
He sent his staff pictures of himself in a Halloween costume? I do stuff thats crazier then that several times a week. I don’t really get why that merits an apology.
Dunno if he has serious mental health problems, but the article in the OP isn’t really convincing.
According to this (which is a pro-Wu editorial) the tiger photo email came after his staff held an intervention confronting him for his erratic behavior. It was also accompanied by other emails that were also a bit strange.
Again, all of this is a pattern of behavior for Wu. One or two of these things would be a small issue or a bit concerning. All of them together seem a bit alarming. All the more so if he was representing you.
The costume was not an issue for me. It just looked like he was having fun. But his rants, gloomy and unresponsive funks, nonsensical outbursts, etc. have been fairly alarming and indicate either drug reactions, instability, or substance abuse.
So some guy in the House is a bit kooky & moody, & has done things he regrets. Well, I can’t blame him too much. Whatever he did before is in the past, & the job he’s in looks like a deep well of frustration.
