American Morning
Wilson: 'You lie' remark spontaneous
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The GOP congressman from South Carolina who shouted out during President Obama's health care address to Congress insisted Thursday that his outburst was "spontaneous."
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/09/10/obama.heckled.speech/art.joe.wilson.heckling.gi.jpg caption="Rep. Joe Wilson shouts, "You lie!" after President Obama denies the health plan would cover illegal immigrants."]
Rep. Joe Wilson shocked many observers Wednesday night when he shouted, "You lie!" after the president denied that health care legislation would provide free coverage for illegal immigrants.
Some people using Twitter suggested that Wilson's retort was planned and pointed to a comment the lawmaker posted on Labor Day:
"Happy Labor Day! Wonderful parade at Chapin, many people called out to oppose Obamacare which I assured them would be relayed tomorrow to DC," the tweet from Wilson's account said.
However, on the way to his office Thursday morning, Wilson said his outburst wasn't planned.
"It was spontaneous. It was when he stated, as he did, about not covering illegal aliens, when I knew we had those two amendments, and I say that respectfully," Wilson said.
He was referring to two amendments on one version of proposed health care legislation, which he said would have provided for verification of citizenship. Both of the amendments were defeated, he said.
What happened to national unity?
Remember how 9/11 drew us together as a country? We were unified – we would do anything for one another.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/11/wtc.flag.art.jpg caption="An American flag flies in front of the construction site of the former World Trade Center site on September 8, 2009."]
Now there's shouting, name-calling and even a congressman calling the president a liar. It's not that we've forgotten what happened on that day. The lingering pain makes that impossible for many of us.
But some visiting the 9/11 Tribute Center memorial in New York this week wondered if we remember enough. “This was a terrible time in our lives and we need to step back and remember and teach everyone what we saw,” says visitor Charlotte Harris.
Not just the pain, but what we shared. “From 9/11 it was everybody together and this health care thing has got everybody tore apart,” said Connie Shrock.
It leads us to wonder: Is unity still possible?
Watch: Where's the national unity? » 
“The vast majority of Americans want good for all,” says Republican Strategist Ed Rollins. “But I think at the end of the day, they now have a lot in their faces and there’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot about their own lives they don’t control.”
It has had a chilling effect on compromise and civility: if you don't agree with me – you're unpatriotic. Drew Westen, a psychology professor and Obama supporter, says the president, as the nation's moral authority, needs to step up.
“The problem with his approach has been when someone’s (un)civil, he’s been quiet. And that’s not leadership. That’s actually a failure of leadership.”
Westen says Mr. Obama lost an opportunity to lead during his speech to Congress by not addressing Representative Joe Wilson's heckling on the spot. He should have said, according to Westen: “This is an exact example of what I’m talking about. This isn’t how we solve our nation’s problems.”
For those committed to seeking common ground, the two dominant political parties are the source of much divisiveness. “The way the political process is structured relies on the society being fragmented and disunified,” says independent political activist Jackie Salit, president of independentvoting.org.
Although the intense patriotism felt by many after 9/11 may have receded, Salit says the key is for people to recognize their shared goals. “When people create together, one's ideological differences don't matter as much."
What do you think? Is national unity still possible?
What’s on Tap – Friday September 11, 2009
Here are the big stories on the agenda today:
- The president is apparently winning over divided Democrats in the debate for health care reform. Liberals insisting on a public option are now backing off, instead talking about backing their president. We’re live on Capitol Hill on a party that may be uniting and what it could mean for the future of health care.
- While everyone's pre-occupied with health care reform, the White House is trying to remind us there's an economic recovery going on… and they'd like a little credit for it. The administration claims it saved or created a million jobs. As you’d imagine, not everyone agrees with that.
- Remembering the attacks of 9/11, eight years later. Victims' families will take their first steps on the long-awaited memorial plaza at the World Trade Center today. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg joins us live from Ground Zero to talk about when the freedom tower will rise from lower Manhattan.
- We haven't been attacked since 9/11, but why? The last administration was slammed for some of the steps it took after 9/11 but was it successful? Are we just lucky? Our “Spies Among Us” series takes a hard look at the facts.
- A money back guarantee, on a new car! Starting Monday, General Motors will give new car buyers the chance to return their new wheels, no questions asked. It's a radical marketing move to pick up sales so they can pay back the billions they owe the government. The deal lasts through November. There are some major restrictions though...so check the fine print carefully.
Teen tennis star going home to 'normal'
The dream ended last night for 17-year-old tennis star Melanie Oudin, who lost in straight sets to Caroline Wozniacki at the U.S. Open. Oudin joined John Roberts and Carol Costello on CNN’s “American Morning” Thursday to talk about her incredible run. An edited transcript of the interview is below.
John Roberts: Last year was your first U.S. Open appearance. You came in as a wild card. You were out in the first round. What was this year's experience compared to last?
Melanie Oudin: It was so much better. I wanted to get revenge this year, because it was very disappointing losing last year first round.
Roberts: Yeah, you'd been pro for all of four months…what the heck?
Oudin: Yeah. I did much better. And I’m really proud of myself for how I did.
Carol Costello: You were saying before it was a combination of everything that maybe affected your game. Tell us about that, what the pressure has been like on you, with all of the attention that you're getting.
Oudin: It's been hard. It's definitely different than what I'm used to. I'm just used to going out and playing tennis, but these two weeks have been so much more than that. It’s been lots of media and lots of different things happening and people knowing who I am now and just a lot of things, but all in all, it was good for me and it’s a good learning experience.
Dial test: Health Care focus group rates Obama's speech
President Obama laid out his plan for health care reform in a prime-time speech to Congress last night. How's it playing with rank-and-file Americans? Our Jim Acosta watched the speech with a group of Virginia residents who put the president to the "dial test."
Spies Among Us: Black market bombs
Tomorrow is September 11 – an important time to ask tough questions like this one: Could terrorists get their hands on a weapon that could do even more damage and smuggle it into the US?
CNN's Paula Newton reports in part two of our special series, "Spies Among Us."
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