House Majority Whip DeLay and Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., almost came to blows Wednesday on the House floor when an angry DeLay shoved Obey, poked him in the chest and called him a "chicken-shit."
The brief confrontation -- only a month after many House members attended a retreat on civility -- took place off-camera and off-mike but in full view of reporters and others in the gallery. "He called me a chicken-shit and pushed me with his finger," Obey explained after the incident.
The confrontation took place after DeLay objected to Obey's attempt during floor debate to place in the record a 1995 Washington Post article claiming DeLay let lobbyists help him draft a bill calling for a 100-day moratorium on new business regulations. DeLay denied the report and asked Obey to name the lobbyists. Obey refused, later saying he does not attack people on the floor who have no ability to respond.
After his floor speech, Obey took a copy of the Post article to DeLay to show him the lobbyists' names, prompting the finger-shoving, name-calling confrontation. A DeLay aide separated the two and was seen pushing DeLay by the shoulders away from Obey.
NEXT STORY: Senator Wants SBA Lawyer Out