House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is "living in another world" if she thinks protests by conservatives recently could lead to violence, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor said Wednesday.
In an interview with Politico, the House's number 2 Republican cited remarks by Pelosi recently where she recalled the violence that plagued San Francisco in the 1970s.
To read the Politico story: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=E42B556C-18FE-70B2-A8A33AC4F1683117
“I think she’s living in another world — I really do,” Cantor, R-Va., said. "I’m not condoning any of the things that, you know, the media may catch in terms of messages on the signs and what have you. But I have not run into any violence. I have not run into crowds running over people. We should want spirited debate, although civil, ... and I’ve not been anywhere over the last several months where I would even think such a situation where violence is in the offing exists.”
Here's last week's exchange between Pelosi, D-Calif., and a reporter at her weekly news conference.
Reporter: How concerned are you about the tone of the political debate in terms of people talking about anti-government rhetoric and so on, and the possibility of violence?
Pelosi: Well, I think we all have to take responsibility for our actions and our words. We are a free country and this balance between freedom and safety is one that we have to carefully balance. I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw -- I saw this myself in the late '70s in San Francisco, this kind of -- of rhetoric was very frightening and it gave -- it created a climate in which we -- violence took place.
And so I wish that we would all, again, curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements that are made, understanding that -- that some of the people -- the ears it is falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statement might assume.
But, again, our country is great because people can say what they think and they believe, but I also think that they have to take responsibility for any incitement that they may cause.
So when are they going to change the name to the United States of Israel. By the Jewish for the Jewish.
Posted by: El Pearl | September 26, 2009 at 08:41 PM
As August said, before being a "true friend of Isreal", you do the job you were elected to by being a "true friend of America". Other than that, Isreal isn't being a "true friend of America".
Posted by: KarPearc | September 24, 2009 at 02:38 PM
In the article, Cantor criticizes Pelosi for not being "a true friend of Israel."
I thought US politicians had to be "a true friend" of the the United States of America, not of any foreign power.
Where do Cantor's true loyalties lie? With the USA? Or with a foreign power that takes its annual $4 billion entitlement of foreign aid from the America taxpayer and then spits in our faces by building more illegal colonies in the West Bank?
Posted by: August West | September 24, 2009 at 09:33 AM
Large ugly rallies, which the ones referred to certainly were, gives "permission" to on the edge wackos and psychopaths.
Posted by: Gerald Sutliff | September 23, 2009 at 11:40 PM
http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/09/23/D9ATC0FO0_us_census_worker_hanged/index.html
Hey Cantor, look over here!
Posted by: borisjimbo | September 23, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Cantor is the one living in another world if he thinks rallies by hard core right wingers can't lead to violence. He seems to have forgotten the events leading up to the JFK assassination and the MLK assassination.
Posted by: borisjimbo | September 23, 2009 at 07:50 PM