Raise Your Glass - Get a Deal?

We know, we know . . . let the wine age already.

But, let's recap: On October 31st, Obey made an impassioned speech on the House floor about a back room middle of the night deal he thought he'd sealed with a sacred toast of Merlot. Then, on November 1st, Obey reminded Members of Congress and all of America watching on C-SPAN that he had toasted the deal with Merlot.

OK, maybe those comments were made in the heat of the moment on the floor. Obey was upset that the Merlot toast was no longer the deal sealer he thought it was.

Surely, he would let it go and get back to work.

Then on December 8, 2000, according to the Congressional Record, page 12051, Obey, still bitter about the de-valuing of the Merlot toast, reminded the House of Representatives:

I am starting at the conference agreement that we reached agreement on and shook hands on and toasted with Merlot

If toasting with Merlot is an accepted practice for cutting a middle of the night deal, then Obey is definitely out of touch with us. Talking about it, repeatedly, on the House floor, shows that Obey doesn't believe we'll hold him accountable for just how out of touch he is.