Axelrod: No House outburst to Obama speech unusual

[February 01, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- A top White House adviser says it's gotten to the point where almost any unusual reaction or outburst to a speech by President Barack Obama in the House chamber isn't really that unusual.

Obama aide David Axelrod was talking about Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's reaction to Obama's State of the Union address last week.

The justice made a dismissive face, shook his head repeatedly and appeared to mouth the words "not true" or possibly "simply not true" when Obama criticized the high court over a campaign finance ruling.

Axelrod says that "in this weird political season, we have become accustomed to unusual outbursts" in the House during presidential speeches.

In September, GOP Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouted, "You lie," during Obama's health care speech to Congress.

[Associated Press]

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