Democrat “Race-Bait” falls off hook

KANSAS CITY, MO - U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver voted in favor of the controversial health care reform bill, but talk isn't raging about how voted, but whether or not he was purposely spit on as he and other congressmen made their way to the U.S. Capitol building to cast their vote.

 In video of the incident, a man is seen with his hands around his mouth and yelling at the Kansas City, Missouri, Democrat as he walked by. The footage shows Rep. Cleaver reacting to the man, and is seen a few seconds later wiping his face.

 The video is not clear as to whether or not the man spit in Cleaver's face intentionally, or if it was a matter of "say it, don't spray it." Rep. Cleaver never commented on the incident, but it didn't take long before many people claimed that he was spit upon. In an interview on Tuesday with FOX 4 News, Rep. Cleaver would not directly answer the question of whether or not he was intentionally spit upon. "I haven't talked about this incident on TV or anywhere, and I've been approached to talk about it on every national TV show," said Rep. Cleaver in an interview with FOX 4 News. I never, I never reported anything, never a single thing in Washington, not one thing." People assume I went somewhere, never done press conference, never done an interview on it and I'm not going to do it." 

Rep. Cleaver's refusal to discuss the incident has not stopped the speculation, including claims that the incident never happened, or that the story was manufactured to discredit conservatives who demonstrated against health care reform.

 Rep. Cleaver says that he wants to put the incident behind him.

 "All I'm saying is we all have to defuse it, and I think it is not in my best interest or in the best interest of this nation to stoke it," said Rep. Cleaver. "I've avoided doing and I will continue to do it. "

Critics say that the issue is not going to go away.

 "It incumbent upon him to down play it, if truly he's interested in diffusing the anger and hostility out there, then acknowledge it was a man just wanting to be heard," said conservative radio talk show host Chris Stigall. 

But Rep. Cleaver is standing his ground on the incident. He says that if the spitting incident hadn't been caught on tape, no one would have ever known because he wouldn't have made it an issue.

 "What ever they say is fine with me, I'm not going to get into the issue," said Rep. Cleaver. "I didn't even plan to have it known by anybody." "What ever they say is fine with me.” Are you kidding me? If Rep. Cleaver really wanted to “defuse” the situation, he would NOT be complicit with, “What ever they say.”

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