April 10th, 2009 1:35 am

Bachus Boldly Goes Where Newsweek Has Gone Before

Politico is in a see-no-evil, scare quotation sort of mood: “Bachus says there’s 17 ’socialists’ in House”:

Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican on the Financial Services Committee, told a hometown crowd in Alabama today he believes there are several socialists in the House.

newsweek-cover-2-16-09Actually, he says there are exactly 17 socialists in the House of Representatives. according to the Birmingham News:

But he said he is worried that he is being steered too far by the Congress: “Some of the men and women I work with in Congress are socialists.”

Asked to clarify his comments after the breakfast speech at the Trussville Civic Center, Bachus said 17 members of the U.S. House are socialists.

Searching the POLITICO style book and the official U.S. House listings, we don’t see a category for socialists — just a lot of Ds and Rs next to lawmaker names. And Bachus didn’t name names of the socialist 17.

17? That’s nothing. According to Newsweek, there are exactly 435.

Update: Welcome Newsbusters and Business & Media Institute readers!

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6 Comments

1. Apostic:

As long as no one is saying 53….

Apr 10, 2009 - 3:53 am 2. FortWorthGuy:

Either name the persons or shut your trap!

Apr 10, 2009 - 8:26 am 3. El Gordo:

I don´t know every single Congressperson, but the number seems low to me. If you walk, talk and vote like a socialist then you are a socialist.

Apr 10, 2009 - 9:49 am 4. El Gordo:

I´d like to see his list because if Barbara Lee, the other six who went to Cuba recently, Jim McGovern, Jim McDermott, Harry Waxman and Maxine Waters are not on it, that means there´s more than 17.

Apr 10, 2009 - 9:54 am 5. Media Irked by Congressman’s ‘Socialist’ Label; Ignores Double Standard | shan.biz:

[...] of McCarthy-istic, you know, list of 17. It’s a little bizarre.” But, as Ed Driscoll pointed out on his Pajamas Media blog on April 10, Bachus’ claim pales in comparison to Newsweek’s assertion we’re all socialist now. “17? That’s [...]

Apr 10, 2009 - 3:28 pm 6. Media Irked by Congressman’s ‘Socialist’ Label; Ignores Double Standard:

[...] as Ed Driscoll pointed out on his Pajamas Media blog on April 10, Bachus’ claim pales in comparison to Newsweek’s assertion we’re all socialist [...]

Apr 10, 2009 - 5:02 pm

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