The name Joe Wilson brought a sour taste to Republicans after Karl Rove’s scandal outing CIA agent Valerie Plame, and now the outburst of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) is being called by some an example of Republicans being “the party of No.”

When President Obama said the health care bill would not provide for illegal immigrations during Wednesday’s nationally televised speech before Congress, Wilson shouted out “you lie!” Trying to behave like a town hall heckler brought condemnation from senior Republicans. Although Wilson received a copy of the speech in advance, he apologized claiming he was surprised by the reference to the illegal aliens rumor and had a spontaneous emotional response.

Republicans are trying to cut this in the bud before he becomes a stereotype of cantankerous conservatives that Obama spoke against.

When asked about the subject at a press conference Thursday, Obama was his usual composed self when he accepted Wilson’s apology.

“I’m a big believer that we all make mistakes, and he apologized quickly and unequivocally,” said Obama. “I hope that some of the fever breaks a little bit. The media can be a big help by not focusing all the attention on the loudest and shrillest voices.”

However this is not the first time Wilson has personally slandered Democrats, and a litany of examples were made in Politico. One such example has inadvertently brought Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) into the Web and YouTube spotlight. In 2002, Wilson accused Filner of hating America when the anti-war Democrat opposed Wilson’s arguments with references to the First Gulf War.

“Wilson apologized, but that’s not an anomaly,” Filner told Scoop44. “That’s how some of them operate, by slandering people. And Wilson is probably going to get support back home because of this whole thing. ”

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