[identity profile] paft.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] talkpolitics
Recently, Eric Cantor provided a textbook example of how the GOP has been countenancing (and therefore encouraging) extremist rhetoric while pretending not to countenance (and therefore encourage) extremist rhetoric.

Right Wing Heritage Foundation Speech 5/4/10

Audience member at Heritage Foundation:
My question is – and this is something I personally don’t understand…. in light of what Obama has done to leave us vulnerable, to cut defense spending, to make us vulnerable to our outside enemies, to slight our allies. How…what would he have to do differently to be defined as a domestic enemy?”

(Laughter and applause from audience.)



Eric Cantor (smiling, after waiting for the claps to die down) Listen, let me respond very forthright to that. No one thinks that the president is a domestic enemy. (boos) It is important, it is important, it is important for us to remember, we have the freedom of discourse in this country. And the president’s policies, the administration’s priorities, in my opinion, do not reflect the common sense conservative traditions on which the greatness of this country was built…





Here, Cantor makes a statement that’s been demonstrated to be untrue in the seconds before he made it, and is again demonstrated to be untrue by the audience reaction after he makes it.

“No one thinks the president is a domestic enemy.”

No one? Someone just said he did -- and a bunch of other people just applauded him for it.

A “forthright response” would be to say, “No, the president is not a domestic enemy merely because we disagree with his policies.”

But Cantor just couldn't say that. He knew being that "forthright" might have gotten him booed off the stage by those "no ones" who've been incited by the inflammatory rhetoric the GOP has been banking and encouraging for twenty years.

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 21:52 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
"No one" is clearly "no one serious." And it was a forthright response - those applauding the guy who claimed it or booing Cantor aren't anybody worth noting.

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 21:53 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mahnmut.livejournal.com
I thought everyone is worth noting.

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 22:40 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mahnmut.livejournal.com
I'd love to read a page or two of that Guideline Manual for defining who's worthy of note and who isn't, that you've been reading. ;-)

(no subject)

Date: 9/5/10 00:29 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] the-rukh.livejournal.com
It is his sequel to what is constitutional.

(no subject)

Date: 9/5/10 10:10 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mahnmut.livejournal.com
This one (http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page)?

(no subject)

Date: 9/5/10 12:35 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ghoststrider.livejournal.com
No this one. (http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/)

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 22:06 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
Some of those "no ones" have a national audience.

Right right.

If they were really "no ones," Eric Cantor would have unequivocally stamped that "domestic enemy" crap flat. He didn't because he knew those "no ones" are now the Republican party base.

And had he stamped it out, you would have posted this same thing, replacing the last part with asking why Cantor didn't call the guy out. Nothing is enough for you.

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 22:23 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
But he could never, ever stamp it out to your satisfaction.

(no subject)

Date: 8/5/10 23:13 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
And then you would have condemned him for not slapping down the guy who started it. He can't win.

On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:12 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telemann.livejournal.com
I find it so interesting that Senator Bennett lost the GOP nomination today in Utah. Watching the GOP move even more to the right is such a fascinating exercise to behold.

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:24 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
Whoa, he did? Awesome.

The GOP needs to move to the right to survive. Even if it didn't, Bennett was not conservative enough for Utah. You at least have to admit that.

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:33 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telemann.livejournal.com
Yeah Jeff, that's why the head of the Utah GOP was raising hell about outside conservative groups spending shitloads of money on ads to get Bennett out (including Club for Growth).

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:34 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
Am I supposed to care about what the head of the Utah GOP has to say about anything?

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:42 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mahnmut.livejournal.com
Not really. He's no-one of note. Right?

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:43 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telemann.livejournal.com
Oh, ok. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the teabag this morning.

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:43 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
That was actually a serious question. What makes the Utah GOP head an arbiter?

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:46 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] telemann.livejournal.com
Because he knows the state and would know who's conservative enough I suppose, since he has a pretty informed opinion. Moreso than the out-of-state right wing PACs buying up all the ad time against Bennett.

Re: On a sidebar

Date: 8/5/10 22:47 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com
Or is it more that the state GOP would prefer the guy who's the incumbent, the well-known name, and a proven fundraiser?

Re: On a sidebar

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Re: On a sidebar

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