Congress is out of session, of course, but yesterday House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa hastily called his committee into session in order to fan public hysteria about Ebola after a physician in New York was found to have contracted the disease while tending patients in Africa. In his opening statement, however, Issa mistakenly referred to the African nation of Guinea as Guiana, a country in South America, and then repeatedly mispronounced “Ebola” so that it rhymed with “e coli.”
Here’s a rough transcript of the highlights of Issa’s statement:
Beginning in March 20, 2014, in the West African nature — nation of Guiana [sic], the world first learned of yet another new outbreak of the Ebola crisis … Yesterday’s news was, a doctor in New York tested positive for the eboli [sic], and this is particularly distressing … CDC declared that a nurse at this hospital became infected with eboil [sic] must have contacted — uh, contracted it … The news of that medical doctor returning from Guiana [sic] — the news that a medical doctor returning from Guiana [sic] now has tested positive … [To] foster the development the development of eboli [sic] treatments … President Obama’s appointment of Ron Klain to serve as the eboli [sic] czar sadly, in my opinion …
Then he said, “Any further fumbles, bumbles or missteps can no longer be tolerated.”
Yes, let’s put these guys in charge of the Senate, too.
Rachel Maddow ran a clip of Issa’s fumbling, bumbling opening statement on her MSNBC show last night, leading into her report on the strikingly different reaction to the Ebola outbreak by Republican politicians and Democrats. Maddow found that while Republicans have repeatedly mischaracterized the virus as easily spread, suggesting it is an airborne contagion, which it is not, Democrats have sought ways to demonstrate that the virus can’t be contracted through casual contact.
One of the worst republicans and the richest member of congress.
He is chairman of the Oversight Committee….constant hearings on “scandals”: IRS, Benghazi,………extremely rude and combative to those called as witnesses before his committee. I am ashamed he’s from California
Issa further humiliates himself on CNN by showing a weather app instead of a body temp app on his smartphone….
I wouldn’t go inplying that Rachael Maddow is a paragon of journalistic accuracy and integrity, but yeah, Issa’s a fool
Paula, agreed. He’s an embarrassment, not just for CA but for the rest of the US every time his ignorance and bad attitude are put up for display by the media.
What exacerbates an already pathetic display for me is that he appears to be reading his material. I doubt he’s winging it, so Guyana and “ee-bowl-eye” must have be written down for him by another hands-down winner in the right-wing dumbed-down line up.
I want to believe he’s not this ignorant, but if that is the case, then his education and integrity vaporized on contact with the Republican agenda of belligerent, proud stupidity. It’s horrifying to think there are people who would vote something like this into office. I try not to think about it too much.
Richard,
I also think he was reading his opening statement and if pressed he will probably blame “eboli” and Guyana on a staff member. I think he’s smart and sly as a fox.
How do you explain Louie Gohmert….he was a judge before he became a republican representative from Texas?
Issa mixed up ebola with E. coli and Guinea with Guyana. It appears that the author focused more on Issa’s slip of the tongue than the point he’s trying to prove. Furthermore, ebola actually can spread through coughing and sneezing. Although ebola may not be airborne, coughs and sneezes actually contain droplets (and you all know that ebola is transmitted by bodily fluids). Do you all know how far coughs and sneezes can travel? 200 feet! This is backed up by MIT research. If you are persistent in your belief that ebola is not easily spread, think of what happens if a person 200 feet away catches a sneeze droplet of someone infected. That person wouldn’t know that they got sneezed, and might get the droplet into their mouth or open wound. And that is how ebola can get spread.