Thread: Montana Senator Baucus Denies Being Drunk

Montana senator denies being drunk during floor speech; Crapo, Risch decline comment
By Dan Popkey - dpopkey@idahostatesman.com
Published: 12/29/09


Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, who marshaled health care reform through the Senate, has been accused in an anonymous Web posting of being drunk during a floor speech last week. Baucus denies the claim, and his spokesman says the story is a "smear" and a "slander" that never should have been picked up by other media.

Idaho GOP Sens. Mike Crapo, a leading critic of the Baucus bill, and Jim Risch declined to comment on whether their colleague might have been drunk on Dec. 22, when he blasted GOP senators for not bargaining in good faith on a possible bipartisan bill.

A YouTube clip of the speech was the top item on the conservative Drudge Report on Monday, with the headline reading: "Drunk with power? Top Dem Baucus slurs on Senate floor."

The clip remained prominent on Drudge's Web page Tuesday afternoon. It had been viewed more than 1.2 million times and had drawn almost 10,000 comments.

The clip was first posted anonymously on YouTube Dec. 23 by a person using the Internet name "SocialistsSteal" and headlined, "Senator Max Baucus Drunk/intoxicated on Senate Floor."

The Great Falls Tribune reported Tuesday that Baucus's office denied the allegation that Baucus was drunk. According to the Tribune, Baucus spoke after Republicans invoked the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's name, saying the Massachusetts Democrat wouldn't have tried to pass health care legislation without including Republicans. The bill passed on a straight party-line vote two days later.

The Montana newspaper quoted Baucus spokesman Ty Matsdorf in a statement:

"When his friend of 30 years, Ted Kennedy, with whom he had fought so hard to provide health care to children, was being used as a cheap foil to oppose health care reform, Sen. Baucus gave a passionate defense," Matsdorf said.

"Unfortunately, those who want to kill any meaningful reform turned it into an unfounded, untrue, personal-smear Internet rumor. This is beyond the pale, and this type of gutter politics has no place in the public sphere," Matsdorf said.

"It is this type of slander that makes Montanans, and Americans, disgusted with the politics as usual in Washington. And what is even more sad is that such a personal attack would be given any validity at all, let alone being elevated to the status of 'news'."

Neither Idaho senator was on the floor during the Baucus speech and neither watched on television, according to their spokespersons. During the speech, Baucus repeatedly criticized GOP senators for lacking the courage to join a bipartisan reform effort and said Republicans succumbed to pressure from their party not to work with Democrats.

Crapo has served with Baucus for 11 years in the Senate and is a leading Republican on the Finance Committee, which Baucus chairs. The Finance Committee did much of the work on the reform bill. Crapo also serves with Baucus on the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Risch is a freshman completing his first year in office and doesn't serve on any committees with Baucus.

Asked whether Crapo would watch the clip on YouTube and offer his opinion on Baucus's sobriety, spokeswoman Susan Wheeler said in an e-mail, "I don't think he would feel appropriate about commenting on a video clip."

Risch spokesman Brad Hoaglun said in an e-mail: "Sen. Risch wasn't able to look at the video."

According to the Tribune, SocialistsSteal's profile page describes the poster as a 40-year-old from Carson City, Nev., who supports 2008 presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and lists "Crusader Against Fascism and Socialism Crap" under occupation.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdat ... 24055.html

He sure looks and sounds drunk to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Y9X5ggxzA

thought so to.

W

I know drunk and he was, at least, tipsy. He kept repeating himself and and it's not hard to tell, if you have any experience with drunks at all.

Definitely impaired!

Makes me wonder if the Dems are going to bring back their old tactics and next election pass out pints at the polling stations, one vote, one pint.

Is there a bar in the Senate? If not, then perhaps Harry Reid was passing out bottles for votes? I kid you not, it is an old saying amongst the Dems,...."if you can get them drunk, you can get them to vote for ya.'

For all of you wondering what was in the water in Washington,.........Scotch!

Originally Posted by gofer

I know drunk and he was, at least, tipsy. He kept repeating himself and and it's not hard to tell, if you have any experience with drunks at all.

Yep. Had my share to deal with. One of the reasons I'm divorced. Not on my end though. Don't touch the stuff. Can't stand the smell of it.

Drunk, mentally ill, incompetent, ethically challenged, senile etc. Isn't that true of most of them?

Often, all of Congress sounds like they are in various stages of snockerment.

Two sheets to the wind.