And It Turned Into A Town Hall Blitz!

And the man in the back said "Everyone attack!" and it turned into a Town Hall Blitz!

Town Hall Blitz! (drum solo) (emphasis mine:)

Bitter divisions over reforming America's health care system exploded Thursday night in Tampa amid cat calls, jeering and shoving at a town hall meeting.

"Tyranny! Tyranny! Tyranny!" dozens of people shouted as U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor struggled to talk about health insurance reforms under consideration in Washington, D.C.

"There is more consensus than there is disagreement when you get right down to it,'' Castor offered, immediately drowned out by groans and boos.

She pressed on, mostly unheard among the screams from the audience of more than 200.

"Tell the truth! Tell the truth!"

"Read the bill!"

"Forty-million illegals! Forty million illegals!"

The spectacle at the Children's Board in Ybor City sounded more like a wrestling cage match than a panel discussion on national policy, and it was just the latest example of a health care meeting disrupted by livid protesters. Similar scenes are likely to be repeated across the country as lawmakers head back to their home districts for the summer recess.

Thursday's forum/near riot was sponsored by state Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, and the Service Employees International Union, who apparently had hoped to hold something of a pep rally for President Obama's health care reform proposal.

Instead, hundreds of vocal critics turned out, many of them saying they had been spurred on through the Tampa 912 activist group promoted by conservative radio and television personality Glenn Beck. Others had received e-mails from the Hillsborough Republican party that urged people to speak out against the plan and offered talking points to challenge supporters.

But I thought the state Republican parties had nothing to do with these totally spontaneous outpourings of people that were not organized by guys like Glenn Beck.

U.S. Rep. Castor said a strong debate is healthy but suggested that many of the protesters who have shown up at town hall meetings in recent weeks would have staunchly opposed the creation of Medicare and Social Security a few decades ago.

"The insurance industry and … Republican activists are manufacturing a lot of these phony protests,'' said Castor, who has been closely involved in the health care debate and said she won't support any bill lacking a government-run insurance option.

She left before the forum ending, which drew more boos. State Rep. Reed said she encouraged Castor to leave because nobody could hear her any way.

Protesters said there was nothing phony about their strong showing, just a bubbling of grass roots anger.

"It's the backlash to the arrogance of our government that you're seeing here,'' said Brad Grabill of Temple Terrace.

Sure it is, Brad. These are the same hardcore GOP activists that refused to bat an eyelash at Bush's warrantless wiretapping program or Cheney's near violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.

They instead yell "Tyranny! Tyranny! Tyranny!" at the government trying to design an affordable public health care option for all Americans...and notice that Rep. Castor had to leave because the protesters wouldn't let her speak. You have to love the tyranny of the mob.

It won't be long now until they step over that line, folks.

Town Hall Blitz.

[UPDATE 9:48 PM] Josh Marshall has much more at TPM, including this video from the local Tampa FOX affiliate.

And the girl in the corner said "Boy, I'm gonna warn ya!" and it turned into a Town Hall Blitz...