Republican leaders called Rep. Joe Wilson's "You Lie" outburst to President Barack Obama disrespectful and unacceptable, but the party apparently sees the presidential heckling as an asset rather than a liability.
The party's congressional fundraising arm is sending out a national plea for donations under Wilson's name asking conservatives to help combat Democratic efforts to "spin and mislead the public" on health care reform. Wilson, who previously was little known outside his South Carolina district, also is sending out solicitations for individual candidates.
Andy Sere, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, defended the strategy, saying Wilson is now a "national figure" who is raising important concerns.
"I think the substance of his argument is correct, and that's why we're working in tandem with him to raise money," Sere said.
Wilson already had used his outburst during President Barack Obama's address before Congress to raise money for his own campaign. But he argued that was necessary to match the windfall that flowed into his little-known Democratic opponent's campaign from people offended by Wilson's outburst to Obama.
"If we can raise more money than the Democrats, we'll send a message to (House of Representatives Speaker Nancy) Pelosi, Obama, and their friends that the American people are firmly behind the Republicans in opposition to government-run health care," he wrote in the new national plea.
Wilson's shout came as Obama said illegal immigrants would not be eligible for low-cost health care. The Democratic proposals on health explicitly prohibit spending any federal money to help illegal immigrants get health care, but Republicans say the legislation needs stronger citizenship verification.
