Is Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) losing his mind?
It’s unclear without a full psychological workup. But the evidence is pointing to some kind of memory loss. The nonpartisan investigative Tennessee Watchdog blog has unearthed the news that late last year Cohen insisted that using the term “Obamacare” for President Obama‘s Affordable Care Act was “falling for a trap.” And weirdly, just last week he went ahead and used it in one of his e-newsletters to constituents.
Really, Cohen? Can you not even remember your own outrage? Perhaps it’s time to add fish oil or ginseng to your diet. Or berries might do the trick.
Chris Butler, author of the Tennessee blog post, said he can’t speak to Cohen’s state of mind, but he does get the distinct sense that the congressman’s office isn’t terribly keen on communicating with him. “Cohen’s office won’t take my calls, but if Cohen or his press office called me I would ask him why he only now considers ‘Obamacare’ a term to be avoided, especially almost four years after the law passed in the first place,” he wrote The Mirror. “Is it possible that he’s used it so often that it’s become force of habit, even when he publicly says people shouldn’t say it? I’d love to hear Cohen’s response, if he’s out there reading.”
Asked if Cohen’s office ever responds to Butler or just not on this story, Butler replied, “That office hasn’t responded to my e-mails or phone messages in probably three years. I always call and e-mail his office for everything I write about that concerns Cohen, out of fairness, but I get nothing back — ever.
“The only time I got close to Cohen was in November at a press conference he held with Kathleen Sebelius in Memphis to promote Obamacare. While all the other mainstream reporters were asking Sebelius questions about the personal toll the criticism of the launch has taken on her, I asked Sebelius what she would say to people who have lost their health insurance or whose costs were going up because of Obamacare. Sebelius wouldn’t answer, but Cohen stepped in and was extremely angry, throwing daggers at me with his eyes. He basically said people upset with Obamacare need to get over it.'”
In other weird Cohen news, he once tried to join the Congressional Black Caucus even though he is, at least visibly, white. So there is a precedent of him doing things that make
On an unrelated note, please, Rep. Cohen, it’s officially time to unblock me on Twitter. I need to read your thoughts — hourly.
The Mirror reached out to Cohen’s spokesman Ben Garmisa for comment on whether his boss got amnesia and if he’ll use the word “Obamacare” going forward.
