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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama passes over Rep. Eliot Engel, who has made it a point to be perfectly positioned in the center aisle to greet the president at every State of the Union since 1989.
On television, it looked like the ultimate Beltway nightmare come true.
In the scrum of glad-handing and back-slapping that accompanies the president’s State of the Union entrance, Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY), who had been saving his seat for most of the day, got passed over by President Obama for a handshake on Tuesday night.
Ouch.
But there will be no boo-hooing in his Bronx district for this veteran lawmaker, who has attended 24 State of the Union addresses. In fact, Engel claims television watchers — including NBC Nightly News host Brian Williams — got it wrong saying a snub ever occurred in the first place.
And he couldn’t be happier.
“I was very surprised when I was told afterwards, ‘The president walked by you,’” Engel told NBC News on Wednesday. “He shook my hand with his left hand.”
“I was very shocked when they said to me that he walked by me, because he didn’t,” the congressman said.
Indeed, video coverage of the president’s procession down the aisle did cut to a shot that blocked the view of both men’s hands just as the president passed Engel – making it look to everyone at home as though Obama passed Engel by and left him to exchange a few words with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
But Engel tweeted at Williams, MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell and NBC News on Tuesday night: “No swing and miss. Shook POTUS’ left hand as I introduced [Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA)] to him. The streak continues. #ny16.”
The encounters between the president and lawmakers on the way to the podium typically last a few seconds at the most.
Engel is one of a group of legislators somewhat unkindly called the “aisle hogs” or “aisle huggers” – congressmen and women who lay early claim to seats along the aisle. Seats are awarded first come, first served basis, and whiling away the hours before the president’s 9 p.m. entrance has become a routine for some intent on getting the best seat in the house.
But Engel says he was able to get plenty of work done on Tuesday after making his way to the chambers at 10 a.m. to lay an early claim to an aisle seat.
“It’s not a day that I’m stuck in my seat,” Engel said. There’s also a code of ethics observed among early arrivers, Engel said, as one or another of them leaves the chamber to walk around or conduct business: “You leave, they watch your seat. They leave, you watch their seat.”
This year, the speaker’s office sent a note to members of Congress tightening up some of the rules regarding seat-saving. Calling dibs with a jacket or stack of papers would no longer be enough, according to the note.
“Members are requested to be on the floor and seated no later than 8:25 p.m.,” read a note from the Speaker of the House’s office to members. “As has been the practice in the past, Members will not be allowed to reserve seats prior to the joint session by placement of placards or personal items. Chamber Security may remove these items from the seats. Members may reserve their seats only by physical presence following the security sweep of the Chamber.”
To Engel, his quick squeeze with the president remains all about the voters in the district where he’s lived since he was 12 years old.
“The frosting on the cake is my constituents enjoy it,” Engel said. “I found that when I did it initially, which was a total fluke, I found people in my district coming up to me saying, ‘I saw you on TV, you were great, I saw you with the president.”
And on the way out, Obama stopped and signed a campaign poster for Engel.
Leave a Comment:
Note to Engel: Own the snub. Wear it as a badge of honor.
It's an honor and a privilege to meet any US president, regardless of politics.
You confuse us! This was a Black child???
To Troll""""
Really ...he said that ..huh ..
"Hypocrite + Lies "= Regressive
TrollHarder - you should get your ears examined. Virtually every time the President has talked about gun safety issues he has mentioned the daily violence on our streets as something we need to fix. He specifically mentioned the violence in Chicago last night and in no way said it didn't matter. Think with your head, not your hate.
Sounds like a bad Republican media report to me, what awefull tea-bagger reporters we have to get our news from!
What a bunch of pathetic sheep camping out for a place in line like freaking teenage groupies. Who the hell cares if you happened to get close enough for a fake greeting from the president who wouldn't give you the time of day if you didn't jump out and practically accost him. And then when he was speaking, the morons were jumping up and down like jack-in-the-boxes so he couldn't even finish a sentence. Idiots.
Who gives a sh_t? At least he did not get his hands dirty, Engel that is.
Mr. Engel: YOU WERE snubbed.
Don't worry, there are a lot of other folks who have been placed on Mr. Obama's snub list: Oprah, the Kennedy family, and other non-producing Progressives.
Actually, "Hypocrite + Lies "= Hypocritelies, which kind of doesn't make sense.
This is great news. Everyone should sleep better tonight.
Wow. Silly routine makes the poor fellow look like a lighweight that needs to get a job. This is what I call too much time on your hands.
So true!
You really didn't read the article, did you?
Typical idiotic media. What a bunch of childish imbeciles. They had to manufacture a controversy out of an event that did not occur because they had nothing serious to say or do. If the media wanted a story worthy of their collective foolish attention, they had that maniac, Ted Nugent, honored assassination-threatening freak, honored guest of the Christo-Fascist right-wing ninnies of the Republican Party, right there in their midst. He was actually there, unlike the manufactured "snub" they attributed to the President.
Andrew you really hit it on the head!
You mean Ted Nugent still isn't "in prison or dead"?
Andrew Smith-2783286......
Don't bite the hand that helps feed you.
Actually, Ted has been dead for several years, just no one has told him.
What struck me was that when Obama noted the 102 year old lady everyone stood but Boehner. Why would he not acknowledge her. It showed the lack of compassion by the Republican Party. I know the Republicans want to make voting difficult and want to rearrange the states to win but Really????
To super""""
Do you really have to ask why....
What really struck me was that Obama has ran out of options. He basically stated the same things he did in 2009 EXCEPT he replaced TAX with INVESTMENT (14 times).
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Yep, voted again for Mr. Obama ? Embarrassed yet ?
and the Republicans basically stated the same thing they have since 2009: "no".
super x:: If Bonehead hadn't blinked every once in a while there at the first, I would have figured he was dead. In fact, I asked if he was dead. As for respect for the 102-year-old woman, why would you think that Bonehead would show respect for anyone. He doesn't know the meaning of respect.
ldo
I am confused and let me explain why. I am an independent I dont support either party and i dont usually involve myself in partisan politics. But I remember when Bush took office and after he decided to invade Iraq I actually supported the invasion at first thinking it would help liberate the people of Iraq. But after investigating the war and coming to a realization it was more about oil then WMD and the people of Iraq. For years the republicans chanted if you go against our president you are not a true American and not supporting our president is not American! regardless of what party you belong to that was the right wing mantra for years. But when president Obama was Elected not only did the right not support any of his endeavors but they went against some of the same policies as past republican presidents to the point of hurting themselves and the american people. I like to reach out to republicans and ask them to start looking at the bills and policies themselves and not listen to hear say.
This is now to the point that Republicans now vote against their own bills. Not just against Republican bills, but they have voted against their OWN proposals.
And Ido asks us if WE are embarrassed.
I thought it was a decent night. Hell even McCain wore the Green Ribbon!
The Obama haters finds eevry thing to cmplain about that Obama does or not do. Of course Boner wouldn't stand to revere any one that Obama would praise.
Yep, those "Arab Spring Rebels" might be someone Mr. Obama could rub elbows with.
I wonder if Mr. Obama read that book Mr. Chavez gave him AFTER the secret handshake. Heck, he should have asked Chavez to sign the thing, then he could sell it for more money after Chavez kicks the bucket.
He thought it was for St. Patrick's Day. He had his green beer before the show.
I think sequester will happen!
If it does President Obama will be able to say it was all my idea.
Why are all the Republicans complaining? According to Boehner he got 98 percent of what he wanted. Please give the man the credit he foolishly bragged about would ya.
who cares?
Note to NBC: If ya cant blind them will brilliance, baffled them with bull****! Must be a slow news day. Posting a false story makes you look like a Republican!
showing that they are neutral
I would be glad not to have the cold clammy feeling left behind on my hand.
flake
Too bad the only day of the year we ever hear Engel's name is during the State of the Union address. Maybe he should be that eager to work for his constituents every other day of the year.
Engel works tirelessly for his Israeli constituents. He has sponsored legislation to place sanctions on Iran and garner aid for Israel. His first and only loyalty is to Israel. I cannot understand why he gets reelected, unless his entire constituency is Jewish.
It wasn't a snub at all - he was screwed royally, by the King of the USA! All smiles publicly, but screwed privately!
weird
I'll have to include myself in this for reading the blog and contributing, but it looks to me that too many people have too much time on their hands.
tracy-957476, just keep your hand out of your crotch
Good for Obama if he did ignore Engel. This is the Number 1 Israel Firster in Congress.
weird comment
LOL, another conspiracy theory for the kooks on the right. I am sure this will be all over Freepers Daily, ATS, Fox Snooze, Not So Brietbart, the Daily Crawler, WND, Sludge et al quicker than 3......2....1.
And do you know what? I don't frakin care! What's really telling is saving your seat all DAY. This guy is a representative of ours and all he can think about is getting face time like some God's damn groupie?
First, who cares?
Second, apparently President Obama can't do anything right, and Engel is a liar. Seems like everyone knows what happened except the participants themselves.
Why are you here if you don't care?
that was definitely a snub......
he doesn't think so.
tromboner, don't ruin HopeisGone's fantasy. If reality isn't acceptable just make something up or just deny the heck out of it.
It's in the Republican Handbook.
Did the senior GOP members duct tape 'you lie' Joe Wilson?
This is considered news????
It's the simple things in life. Ha. NBC went more than a little overboard on this.
Don't care
Left handed shake. Of course.
He snubbed me and every woman in this nation.
I am offended.
Who Cares? Find some news!
I wish these legislators where as eager to solve even one of the problems this country faces as they are at worshipping this worthless President.