Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told Bill O’Reilly Wednesday night that the demonstrations against government-run healthcare are a “real, grass-roots” expression of anger over socialized medicine.
“I think it’s been a mistake for anyone to say this has been a manufactured effort on the part of many of these folks shouting out,” McCaskill said. ‘This is real. It’s grass roots. Now they’re organizing, but that’s what we do in America. People do it on the left. People do it on the right. Most of the people frankly in the middle don’t and that’s where I’m trying to stay focused."
O’Reilly asked McCaskill what she thought is driving the anger she and other lawmakers have counter in town hall meetings around the country.
“Well, there’s cynicism about Washington, distrust in the government,” McCaskill said. ‘There’s been tough times in this country and there’s been some big bold things done in Washington. People are not really sure about all the plans – there’s been the TARP, the stimulus, the omnibus. And it’s all kind of rolled up into some frustration now.
“That’s that anger you see spilling over. I understand it. It’s important we listen to it. And I think they’ve got to be respectful,” McCaskill said. “I wish they would be more polite. Being loud doesn’t make you right. And I don’t think rude is particularly persuasive. At the end of the day, it’s my job to listen and I’m honored to have this job.”
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