Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst during Obama’s address to Congress was a perfect illustration of just how much the public conversation has deteriorated in recent years. I suppose that it was inevitable that the deliberate rudeness of the town hall meetings held this summer would not end there. Although Wilson immediately apologized, he didn’t recant his position, which is flat-out wrong. Every version of the health care reform bills moving through both houses specifically exempts illegal aliens. What’s funny about all this, if it weren’t so despicable, is that it’s the Republicans who have have shamelessly misrepresented the contents of the reform bills, and it’s the Republicans who have so gleefully promoted the disrespectful shout-downs we witnessed this summer. Perhaps the embarrassment over Wilson’s public moment will finally bring a little civility back to the debate. For a day or two, anyway.