Meehan's rebuke of Republicans draws worldwide attention, press

Meehan's rebuke of Republicans draws worldwide attention, press
By Evan Lehmann
Sunday November 27, 2005. 1:52 AM

WASHINGTON -- It was a shout so well heard that it bounced off other continents and is still ricocheting wildly around the blogosphere.

Rep. Marty Meehan was quoted in Australia, England and in newspapers throughout the U.S. as yelling on the House floor recently during a late-night quarrel 10 days ago that Republicans are "pathetic."

He said it twice, loudly, and with enough zest to be heard over an eruption of Democratic revulsion at an Ohio Republican's assertion that decorated Vietnam veteran Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., was a coward for insisting the U.S.-led war in Iraq should end by spring.

Meehan's quote -- "You guys are pathetic! Pathetic!" -- is ubiquitous on the Internet and nearly so in newspapers.