CARBONDALE - Nearly lost in the wake of South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson's now infamous "You lie" shout during President Barack Obama's Wednesday evening address was a quieter act by another lawmaker.

Toward the end of the President's speech on health care, U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, walked out of the House chamber.

Shimkus left during the President's speech out of frustration that Obama was "not offering any new ground" and used a tone that "did not bring Republicans on board," he said in a news release.

On Friday Shimkus Spokesman Steve Tomaszewski referred further questions to the release and declined to comment on whether Shimkus leaving before the end of the President's speech was an act of disrespect.

"The congressman was frustrated because of the way the President was rehashing things that have been said for months before - the tone was almost campaign style," he said before adding that he did not "want to comment outside of the (previously released) statement."

On its own, Shimkus leaving might not have drawn much attention, said David Yepsen, Executive Director of the Paul Simon Public Police Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

But, in the wake of heated town hall meetings on Health Care and Wilson's yell, Yepsen said Shimkus is under heavier scrutiny.

"I don't think it was disrespectful, but he shouldn't have done it," he said. "It's impolite for a member of Congress to do that; it looks bad. Also, it's a distraction he (Shimkus) doesn't need. He's a fairly respected member of Congress; he just doesn't need the grief of this."

Yepsen added, "In fairness, one has to understand the frustration Republicans are under right now. They are in the minority and they don't have a lot to say about this plan."

Outbursts like Wilson's and acts like Shimkus' "don't help the Republicans get a place at the table" and, for Shimkus in particular, "It doesn't do him any good at the Whitehouse to have this story floating around."

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

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