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WASHINGTON — When Sen. Ben Nelson stopped for a bite at Dante Pizzeria Napoletana in west Omaha recently, the Nebraska Democrat apparently got a jumbo slice of public opinion.
The confrontation has made headlines in political blogs, and Politico reported that a woman yelled, “Get him the hell out of here!” and other customers started booing.
Two men who were present, one who spoke on the condition that he not be named, each gave The World-Herald a different account.
Both said the scene wasn't quite as rowdy as described by Politico.
But a man who was present, who spoke on the condition that he not be named, gave The World-Herald a different account:
He said one woman let it be known that she didn't like the senator or his vote on health care because she thinks it will affect her retirement, and she wanted him to leave.
He disputed that many diners were heckling Nelson.
“It was generally just the one person,” the witness said. “I think everybody had their own opinions, but it was only one person that let her feelings be known.”
He added, “He definitely heard her.”
The witness said a number of other patrons approached Nelson to politely say hello.
The other witness, Mark Swanson of Kearney, said he had a polite conversation with Nelson after the senator finished eating about Swanson's opposition to the health care bill.
Swanson said he walked to the front of the restaurant next to Nelson and they passed diners who were expressing disappointment with Nelson at a normal volume. He said one man then loudly booed Nelson, one woman yelled for him to get out of the place and the number of people expressing negative comments overall increased.
He said no one else was yelling and it was more of a murmur of negative comments, but Nelson clearly noticed.
"He was hearing it," Swanson said.
Nelson spokesman Jake Thompson said Nelson did not hear anyone boo while he was in the restaurant and did not hear the comment cited by Politico. Thompson said Nelson did hear someone say “bad vote.”
Several people thanked Nelson for his vote, Thompson said.
Nelson friend and local trial attorney James Martin Davis was part of Nelson's group at the restaurant that night. Davis said he heard no booing or heckling of Nelson.
A public booing would run counter to Nelson's characterization of his interactions with constituents back in Nebraska since his decision to cast the crucial 60th vote to advance the Senate health care bill. Nelson has said that nine out of 10 constituents he's encountered have expressed support for his decision.
“It may be the 10th one,” Thompson said of the woman at the pizzeria.
Thompson said that as Nelson has traveled around Omaha recently, the senator has encountered people on both sides of the issue.
Meanwhile, an Omaha surgeon complained Thursday that Nelson will not commit to attending a meeting with Nebraska physicians before the final health care vote. Dr. Tom White, not related to the state senator with the same name, said that polls indicate strong opposition to the bill among Nebraska doctors and that Nelson needs to listen to them.
Thompson said the senator's schedule is booked well in advance, but he may be able to accommodate White's request.
Thompson said Nelson has held many town hall meetings across the state, heard from thousands of constituents and met with Nebraska health care providers and patients.
“It's not like they haven't had an opportunity to express their thoughts.”
Contact the writer:
202-662-7270, joe.morton@owh.com
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