.
Feedback

Iowa Patch Poll: Grassley 'Tweet Watch' Update

Did Iowa’s Sen. Chuck Grassley trip up with a Twitter message that called the president “stupid?” Vote in the Iowa Patch Poll and share your comments.

Here's the latest on what we might call "@ChuckGrassley Tweet Watch:"

"If PresO wants ppl to pay their"fair share"he shld start w WhiteHouse staff 2.3percent of staff is delinquent by $830 000."

Earlier this month, Iowa’s senior senator and prolific Tweeter Republican Chuck Grassley got into some hot water earlier this month after he picked a Twitter fight with a dispatch calling President Obama “stupid.”

The tweet was part of Grassley's reaction after Obama it would be “unprecedented” for the Supreme Court to overturn the health-care law.

The message -- in Grassley's shorthand style with typos -- caused a stir online.

Here’s the gist of it:
On April 7, Grassley set off a 139-character blowup with this:

“Constituents askd why i am not outraged at PresO attack on supreme court independence. Bcause Am ppl r not stupid as this x prof of con law”

Was Grassley out of bounds or is this just part of the normal rough-and-tumble game of Washington politics? Vote in our Patch poll and share comments below.

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from West Des Moines Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Dr. Joe April 16, 2012 at 05:51 pm
This president and his att gen have repeatedly shown contempt for the rule of law and free enterprise. He ignores the constituition at every turn and he thinks that he can engage in wars without asking congress. His repeated lies (only use gov campaign $, no earmarks, no superpac $, close Gittmo, all legislation posted on internet, and on & on), stabbing Isreal in the back and pitting american against american (class warefare and the the 1%er's), should give him no credibility with americans. Stop listening to his hollow words and start judging him by his actions. If you think he is OK, either you are not paying attention or you are a 1%er (the bottom 1% that is). He may not be stupid, but he is a bad dude and causing real damage to our nation. Tweet away Senator Grassly!
Billy April 16, 2012 at 07:51 pm
Dr. Joe, please turn off the talk radio, which you seem to be regurgitating verbatim. Most of your comments would seem to apply more to the past administration, which was comprised of many stupid and/or bad dudes that caused seemingly endless damage to our nation and much of the remaining earth.
Terri Seibert Holmgren April 16, 2012 at 09:17 pm
go Chuck go! Keep calling it like you see it. You only tweeted what thinking people already know.
Caron Osberg April 16, 2012 at 09:22 pm
What a disrespectful question. Should he quit? Are you kidding me? How about all the people who called Bush an idiot? Of course, those broad-thinking, open-minded and tolerant liberals are out to put a stop to anything that doesn't sound like them, look like them or have their stamp of approval. What a STUPID question. Grassley can say what he wants. Now our politicians can't speak openly about politics? Just one more step toward the world Obama wants.
Stephen Schmidt (Editor) April 16, 2012 at 09:22 pm
I don't think a senator (any senator) calling a president (any president) stupid is a good idea. In fact, I would go as far as calling it a stupid idea.
This said, I adore Grassley's Twitter and hope he never stops.
Steve Wilson April 16, 2012 at 09:33 pm
"Thinking people" should think a little harder and give rational conversation a shot. This president has been trying hard to compromise. Democrats want a single payer healthcare system. The president realized the need to compromise and did. I haven't seen any real compromises coming from the republicans.
Try working with the president Mr Grassley. He is trying to work with you. You may have to vote for legislation you don't don't find 100% satisfactor to you.. But we have a country that needs men of action. the only way to keep moving forward is compromise.
Beth Dalbey (Editor) April 16, 2012 at 10:03 pm
I agree, Stephen. No senator should call any president stupid. And in criticizing the senator for that, we shouldn't call him stupid, either.
Stephen Schmidt (Editor) April 16, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Sen. Grassley is a very smart man, but smart people can have stupid ideas. Such as: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2kaetOZV01qzs1z5o1_400.jpg
Or: http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTU2MTA1NDMwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjQzNDM5MQ@@._V1._SY317_CR2,0,214,317_.jpg Or even more so: http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQ4NjEwNDA2Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDUyNDQzNw@@._V1._SY317_.jpg But I will amend my statement. A senator calling a sitting president stupid is: divisive and unwise. But that's politics on both sides these days.
Bob Young April 17, 2012 at 10:55 am
Our Senator Grassley has a lot to learn about what constitutes an attack on the Supreme Court and just another example of the reverse-of-fortune voters are barraged with from the right with the Karl Rove "were doing it" so, blame the Dems. It may confuses people in the middle but not Democrats who will always remember Grassley's roll in the Banking Scandal; Mr. Chairman.
Stephen Schmidt (Editor) April 17, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Doh I used direct links to pictures on IMDB (Godfather III and Phantom Menace 3D, respectively) and now they don't work. That was pretty dumb of me.
David Leonard April 17, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Did Senator Harkin ever call Bush an idiot or stupid? I seriously doubt it.
CFBusinessOwner April 17, 2012 at 01:08 pm
Politicians are supposed to represent us. I'm just asking Sen.Grassley to speak in a manner that is respectful and conducive to getting work done in D.C. Leave the snappy snarkish comments for the trash talkers.
And the world Obama wants? Dial back the paranoia and you'll have my attention. Obama may have his share of flaws but here's why he has my vote: he's intelligent---a leader who looks at the big picture. He has earned back respect for the U.S. from the rest of the world and he's shown himself to be a moderate. This doesn't please all of the Democrats but in this current world of political extremes, he's holding fast to being fair and balanced.
Marlin Cayton April 17, 2012 at 02:31 pm
Stupic may not have been the best adjective - ignorant applies. Or, as one wag put it, Obama is "book smart, sidewalk stupid." This is a dust-up over nothing. Politics is not about "getting along". It is war. One side wins, one loses. Name calling is a time-honored tradition, and is used by both sides. Grow up.
CFBusinessOwner April 17, 2012 at 02:51 pm
Sidewalk stupid got us into two wars and in debt for eons to come. I'll take book smart. Thanks---from a grown up.
Steve Wilson April 17, 2012 at 03:27 pm
That is truly a sad perspective. Politics has become war. It doesn't have to be. All of this nonsense prevents government from being as effective as it should be.
Arguing and calling names like 3rd graders on a playground hardly seems honorable. I don't think Grassley needs to quit twitter... Bu I think he needs to remember the honor of his position.
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 05:55 pm
hahahahaha! I love Chuck. He calls 'em as he sees 'em! He is so right on. Our "liar-in-chief" needs to keep his hands off of the SCOTUS. They are a separate judicial branch not under his jurisdiction - at least according to the Constitution - which is an piece of paper the head liar-in-chief hasn't read. Those appointed to the Supreme Court during this administration have been bought and sold by the communist party of Amerika! So, Mr Liar-in-Chief - knock off your crap and Chuck wouldn't have to tweet to the world what is really happening! Keep on 'em, Chuck!
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 05:56 pm
Right on, Terri!!!! Key words there - thinking people! :)
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 05:57 pm
That is exactly correct, Dr. Joe! Those who can't open their eyes and see what is happening right before them need to move to China and get a clue!
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 05:58 pm
But what if the president is stupid???
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 06:01 pm
No, Chuck doesn't owe an apology. He is telling the truth. We expect an apology from the imposter-in-chief who told 7 lies in 7 minutes in his inauguration speech. "I will get rid of all lobbyists" - whoops there are now more! "I will post all documents a minimum of 5 days so the public can review them before they are voted on" - whoops not done and nancy pelosi says you have to pass stuff before you know what's in it. "I will work with the republicans" said as meetings were held EXCLUDING republicans on purpose! Really? You need to rethink who owes the apology...
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 06:03 pm
Hahahahah! Embarrassed? Really? You should be embarrassed that our head liar in chief is bowing to muslim countries and dissing our allies. You totally have it wrong! Mr Imposter in chief doesn't even put his hand over his heart for the pledge!!! Talk about embarrassing.......
Tired of Big Government April 17, 2012 at 06:09 pm
Mr Leonard, you need to do some research into Sen Harkin - if you could see what he and his wifey, Ruth (major lobbyist) have been up to to make so much money, you wouldn't put his name in any sentence.
Steve Wilson April 17, 2012 at 09:49 pm
Be realistic. You are tired of big government. I am tired of big corporations. There is a middle ground. If Obama is a communist he is a poor one. Frankly most democrats feel like he is compromising too much.
Try to see beyond the pundant BS and realize. That you can't always get exactly what you want. There is a lot of common ground that we all have. Everyone wants the debt down, Everyone wants healthy living conditions, fair wages, and national safety. When the government branches can't get any work done, It doesn't help any of us. Let's stop being so reactionary, and get some work done!
David Leonard April 18, 2012 at 12:15 am
Why is that those who make the most outrageous, hateful comments tend to hide behind a pen name like Tired of Big Government instead of using their actual names?
Roy Park April 21, 2012 at 01:38 pm
When I first saw Senator Grassley's tweet on the Jon Stewart show, I thought Jon was joking. To find that such a tweet really occurred is disappointing to say the least. If that were not bad enough, the comments above cause me to ask, what is happening to our society? What value does name calling have in today's world? If we choose not to play well together, we all lose.
Iowaish April 21, 2012 at 02:12 pm
I'd take a million Obamas over that moron Bush, anytime ....
Ides of March April 21, 2012 at 08:49 pm
The president already set the bar on using the word "stupid" when he butted in saying the police who arrested a professor "acted stupidly" in 2009.
W July 31, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Thi poor excuse for president does not deserve any respect.
David Leonard July 31, 2012 at 02:28 pm
If Senator Grassley isn't careful in his grumpy old age, his tweets will start to sound all too much like the remarks of Rep. Steve King.
David Nova October 27, 2012 at 06:49 pm
d nova ‏@n0vadust
@ChuckGrassley 'stupid...x prof of con law' got 100k more votes in ur state than u did last time
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Karl T June 4, 2013 at 10:12 am
Is the site now as dead as it appears to be? Doesn't seem to be anyone commenting/responding, andRead More since the convenient 'Recent comments' bar was taken away, it's impossible to now know what, if anything, people are speaking about.....
Beth Dalbey (Editor) June 4, 2013 at 03:02 pm
Hi Karl, Thanks for the feedback. We appreciate your patience as we work through some of theseRead More issues and make the Patch sites more responsive.