Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare - Hardcover

Reacting to CNN’s false reports, many Republicans were ebullient. Chants of ?USA, USA” erupted on the Courthouse steps. Across the street from the Court, Ohio Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt, a proud member of the Tea Party?who had lambasted Bart Stupak for accepting President Obama’s executive order?was captured on film listening intently to her cell phone. Moments after CNN’s report, Schmidt screamed at the top of her lungs, ?Yes, Yes.” A blogger at CrooksandLiars said the yelp reminded her of Meg Ryan’s orgasmic outburst in When Harry Met Sally.

?What else?” Schmidt demands of whoever is on her phone. A man on the street yells to her, ?Speak!” Schmidt continues, ?Thank God. They struck down the individual mandate. They took it away.” People on the street start screaming. One yells ?Oh my god.” Another yells, ?The mandate is struck down. The mandate is struck down.” The cheering outside the Court gets louder and louder. In the backdrop, you can see people waving Gadsen flags, celebrating. They chanted ?Constitution wins!” This joy would be short-lived.

A number of politicians tweeted out, celebrating the victory. Michigan Republican Rep. Justin Amash tweeted ?This is a big win for #liberty and the #Constitution.” California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, promptly retweeted that message. Florida Republican Rep. Dennis Ross tweeted, ?Let Freedom Ring.” North Carolina Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx tweeted, ?#Unconstitutional: #SCOTUS overturns #Obamacare’s individual insurance #mandate. Developing...” All of the tweets were deleted within ten minutes.

Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, watched with trepidation the initial reports from CNN and Fox News. The president was still in the dark.