SWANSEA, S.C. - In Washington, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina was sharply criticized by both Democrats and his fellow Republicans for shouting "You lie!" during President Obama's health-care speech on Wednesday night. But here in his strongly Republican congressional district yesterday, many of his constituents celebrated him for his outburst.
"Yeah, it was rude, but somebody needed to say it," said Susan Wahl, 41, a homemaker in this town of 800 outside Columbia. "Ordinary people can't just get up and tell Obama he lied. He said something we all wanted to say."
In a state famous for both its gentility and rebelliousness, Wilson earned praise from voters who admired his message, if not his delivery.