Leading Bush critic at home calls Chavez a "thug"

[goreo8]

Leading Bush critic at home calls Chavez a "thug"

Sep 21, 12:43 PM (ET)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of President George W. Bush's fiercest political opponents at home took his side on Thursday, calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a "thug" for his remark that Bush is like the devil.

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

"Hugo Chavez abused the privilege that he had, speaking at the United Nations," said Pelosi, a frequent Bush critic. "He demeaned himself and he demeaned Venezuela."

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060921/2006-09-21T164325Z_01_N21334844_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-VENEZUELA-USA-SPAT-DC.html

[Balbus]

1. Thank you, Nancy!

:yourock:

[otohara]

10. Na, Na, Na, Nancy

please, she's only doing this for the camera and being political.

I think I'd rather be called "the devil" vs "incompetent' and lacking in judgment" as Ms. Pelosi, so correctly said about our Angel of the bottomless pit.

[Balbus]

13. I don't give a fuck what the reason she's doing it for!

She's right and it's the right thing to do.

[orleans]

18. yeah! if anyone calls bush names then we get to call THEM names!

:sarcasm:

[QuestionAll...]

34. I don't give a fuck what the reason she's doing it for!

She's wrong and it's the wrong thing to do.

nya nya nya

[yppahemnkm]

51. I agree, good point.

[davidinalameda]

2. waiting for the "Chavez is God" folks to start trashing Pelosi

[geek tragedy]

14. Well, they're already lynching Charlie Rangel in other threads.

The mob is out in force today.

[ronnykmarshall]

41. Go to LBN

Nancy is now the "new Hillary".

My fave responce "I'm voting THIRD party" ..... :eyes:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Oy.

So much for spines.

[TAPat]

4. Guess that Ms. Pelosi thinks that *

did not abuse HIS priveledge?

[NYCGirl]

8. I think she believes the old saying that "two wrongs don't make a right."

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. This just doesn't make any sense.

Why is it we have to have some guy from Venezuela to come to a UN to criticize this son of a bitch?

Why haven't the dems been saying these same things about Bush for the last six years?

Where are the dem leaders calling Bush a thug? Where are the dem leaders saying "no, you can't torture people in America?"

[NYCGirl]

17. Even if one thinks Bush "abused his privilege", one can still criticize

what Chavez did.

That's what I was saying. I'm so tired of the line of argument that goes, "Well, Bush did it too!"

[orleans]

20. and then calls him a THUG??

don't you mean 3 wrongs don't make a right?

[NYCGirl]

21. The language is harsh, but at least she didn't do it on the floor of the

UN.

[TAPat]

23. Forgive me if I missed the part where she said

(in the OP link) that "two wrongs don't make a right".

Is it wrong to criticize one without giving fair time in criticizing the other - if in fact she thought - as you are implying - that * comments were also wrong? Or does Ms. Pelosi simply think that Chavez' comments were *thuggish* because he spoke what we all know to be the truth?

[NYCGirl]

39. They're BOTH wrong.

Edited to add: It's not like Pelosi has not been criticizing Bush for a long time.

[QuestionAll...]

37. how can Bushs wrongs vs. Chavez wrongs even be

compared using the same measuring cups...

omg.

[QuestionAll...]

36. just shit on the constitution, etc., that kind of abuse is 'okey dokey'.nt

[longship]

5. This is a good thing. Here's why.

I support Pelosi and Rangel on this. I was most uncomfortable with Chavez's immoderate remarks. I am very worried that the Repukes will his words against Dems, who have been generally supportive of Chavez. Pelosi and Rangel are right on target here.

[otohara]

15. Yes, And It Came From Her Heart

yuck, yuck ....

"incompetent and lacking in judgement" sounds worse to me than "devil". Guess you have to be a X-tian to get all riled up about the devil remark. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/05/20/MNGK36OR7L1.DTL

[Liberal Dose]

6. I'll bet Nancy uses MadLibs

(Proper Name) fancies himself a modern day (Popular Leader's Name) but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

George W. Bush fancies himself a modern day Ronald Reagan but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

[Rex]

7. See? This is how you handle a sticky situation.

Nancy should give Charlie some pointers on how to criticize a foreign leader without looking like a brownshirt. Good job Nancy!

[MisterP]

33. calling someone a thug for not abasing himself before the King

is hardly non-brownshirt

[Rex]

46. Well, she did it with more class then Charlie ever could.

Yeah 'thug' really ain't the way to go, but at least she didn't sound like a nationalist goon.

[William769]

9. I love Nancy Pelosi more & more every day!

:)

[ronnykmarshall]

42. FREEPER!!

You, you .... HILLARY LOVER! :loveya:

:sarcasm:

[Cha]

11. So did chimp demean himself and

did he demean the US? Just askin'.

[Sensitivity]

16. MSM twisted main thrust of Chavez, and DEM play the positioning game

Disgusting all around.

[MrCoffee]

19. Because ignoring MSM spin of non-stories has worked out well before?

I don't understand your contempt.

[KharmaTrain]

50. Disgusting Or Do We Let The Corporate Media Run Wild?

IMHO, I'm with Charlie Rangel...Chavez is grandstanding now. His taunting and name calling is theatrics and a pissing match with our corporate media. I wouldn't like boooosh going to Caracas and calling Chavez names and I don't appreciate him coming here and doing the same. His criticisms with this regime...which for the most part I agree with...are not getting across when they're distorted with baiting and name-calling. The old saying is "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar". Chavez could get his message out in this country...which its obvious he's trying to do...and do so more effectively.

The corporate media has made him a story and he's playing along with the story-line of him being some ruthless, reckless "commie" (all the Castro references)...they have something they love...a character they can demonize, and Chavez seems to be enjoying the game.

Just like how we can support the troops and not the war, Democrats have to distance and/or denounce what Chavez is saying or doing. Avoiding this turns him into a campaign issue this regime desperate needs...and a useless one. They're looking for a Michael Moore or another strawman to create a distorted image that Rove and his ilk will use to distract from other more imporant issues and scandals.

[Leopolds Ghost]

53. So we should distance ourselves from any leader that is on the left

Lest they be tarred as "commie" by the MSM.

Remember, they aren't OUR president. King Fahd, anyone? Jiang Zemin? Ahh, it's OK to be respectful of them because they aren't "leftists".

In the Dem primaries in my area, two candidates won who the media -- on nightly news -- promptly declared "fringe-y" because they were on the left. They won by significant margins. :eyes:

[KharmaTrain]

55. This Is More Someone Sticking Their Nose Where It Isn't Needed

What good is Chavez is doing by ridiculing booosh the way he is? Is he trying to prove something to us or the 90% of the rest of the world that has detests him? This is pure grandstanding. If Chavez wants to shoot his mouth of, so be it, but this has nothing to do with his politics, it's protocol.

As much as I'm offended when booosh attempts to meddle in the politics of other countries, this is Chavez sticking his nose into ours.

Chavez's name-calling distracts from any good message Chavez stands for...and gives red meat to a corporate media and hate radio that avoid issues of substance when things get personal. This has nothing to do with being a "leftist"...it has a lot to do with protocol. With 5 weeks to go to an important election, the last thing we need is to let things get personal...get off the messages about how corrupt, inept and callous this regime is. Many of us have worked hard to open minds that Democrats aren't all those stereotypes the corporate media and right wing have effectively painted on us for so long. Chavez's antics bring up too many of those old stereotypes that have nothing to do with ideology but have a profound effect on the sheeple...the 10% or so of the electorate that will determine on Nov. 7th if there's a Democratic majority in the House and/or Senate.

Peace...

[deutsey]

22. "I know you are, but what am I?" retorts Chavez

:evilfrown:

[orleans]

24. it's like saying "You can't call him an asshole, you fucker!"

give me a break

the other day bush said "it's unacceptable to think"

and now pelosi & rangel are saying it's unacceptable to speak in a way THEY find unacceptable?

give me a fucking break!

[TahitiNut]

25. So, "Axis of Evil" isn't thuggery??

How many countries has Venezuela invaded and occupied, Nancy? How many hundreds of thousands of deaths is Chavez responsible for, Nancy?

:eyes:

Washington, DC, is its own primary "interest group" and they're pulling their wagons into a circle.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

26. It's "demeaning" to speak the truth? Try it sometime, Nancy.

We sure wouldn't want anyone daring to say that our beloved ignoramus of a fuhrer is anything but a statesman and humanitarian.

I once thought that Pelosi had backbone.

[QuestionAll...]

38. you must mean Sulphfuhrer-ick. ;) nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

27. Why the hell doesn't she have the courage...

to say the same thing about BUSH??? :eyes:

[ButterflyBlood]

30. You think she has never criticized Bush?

Think again.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

31. She's my Rep. and...

I know exactly the level of criticism she's leveled against Bush.

Not enough, not nearly enough. :mad:

[ronnykmarshall]

44. Maybe she should eat some twinkies ...

worked for Dan White.

:sarcasm:

[Bake]

28. Dem leaders are smart to condemn Chavez' grandstanding

Some of you in oh-so-liberal-and-superior-land may love what Chavez said, but it won't play in middle America. If Dems had applauded Chavez, the Pukes would KILL us with it and we'd lose whatever chance we had to retake the House and/or Senate come November. Pelosi was smart to take that ammo away from the Pukes.

Bake

[QuestionAll...]

40. jesus! then let them duct tape their mouths completely shut then...

because we wouldn't want the pugs to 'use' anything against us.

omg. I've heard this so often I'm about to get sick.

sit down, be quiet, don't play into their hands, we're the nice guys, remember, we don't play dirty like they do, be nice, sit down, don't be combative, shut up, we have manners and they don't.

and look what has happened in the last 6 years. Democrats are sitting nicely with their napkins folded properly and whisperly reading etiquette books while hell is unleashed on the people they are supposed to represent.

everyone in the whole country should have a shoutout.
stroke of midnite tonite. lean out your windows, go out on your front yard and scream out.

Bush is a Fucking Devil!

[Bake]

45. Horse crap! We OUGHT to be playing hardball

and far too often we don't. But if EVER there were a wrong side to be on, siding with Chavez is it. I don't know where you live, but you need to talk to some real people -- regardless of their feelings about Bush, they don't like it when a South American socialist calls the POTUS the devil. Hell, I'm a pretty damn progressive Democrat (but I'm not a socialist by any means) and I don't much care for it. Look beyond DU and talk to real people, and they don't care much for it either.

Unless you LIKE losing elections, applauding Chavez is the WRONG thing to do.

Bake

[QuestionAll...]

48. I'm from socialist commie pinko Canada.

and a big chunk of us have been calling B the devil for a long time now.

and if I had to move, I would take Venezuela over the US.
so send the dogs after me.

[Leopolds Ghost]

54. So are all socialists thugs? Is it unfair to call Bush a thug?

I'm a religious person, mind you, which puts me closer to "socialism" than "capitalism". I am opposed to statism of the sort that Huey Long pioneered and Chavez adopted, but I don't challenge the idea that they improved their respective states' economies.

[StraightDope]

29. Where was Pelosi's righteous indigination when...

Pat Robertson was calling for Chavez's assassination? Oh, right, she didn't consider calling for someone else's murder Thuggish enough. Fuck you, Nancy. Poltical opportunism at it's finest.

Oh, and I'm with Chavez, insofar as I agree that * is the devil if there ever was one. If it walks like a duck... you know the rest.

[DiverDave]

49. I agree 100%!

You NAILED it, WTF is she doing?

Fuck georgie, he's the devil, alright.

[Leopolds Ghost]

56. Pelosi was silently cheering when Venezuela's MSM staged a coup

with Bush's backing.

[Bad Penny]

32. So...

the CIA tried to overthrow Chavez so Cheney can get his oil, and Bush crony Pat Robertson openly called for his assassination and it was wrong for Chavez to basically say fuck you to the bush administration, by calling a duck a duck.

OK.

[StraightDope]

35. Amen.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[verse18]

43. I think I missed something here.

Why all of a sudden is it Democratic leaders who are bashing Chavez and coming to *'s defense? Are the repug congress critters speaking out too, or did I miss that?

[earth mom]

47. WTF?!

:wtf:

This is the kind of reaction we get from Dem leaders?! No wonder the U.S. is in such deep shit! They don't have the balls to say it themselves and instead go along with every evil and criminal thing * & his thugs do to this country and it's people! And then they bash someone like Chavez who is brave enough to say what needs to be said!

My gawd! Now I get it. Most of the assholes in DC want to kill the U.S. off! They want the public to shut the hell up and live with and eat whatever shit they dish out! Wow. Just Wow. We are all just so fucked! Stick a fork in the United States of America, because she's done!

:nuke:

[Justice Is Comin]

52. Yeah right on time Pelosi...what the fuck took you so long?

you couldn't lead a girl scout troop.

[DURHAM D]

57. The thing about Chavez vs. the Dems -

it sure does expose who the children are that are playing in the
DU sandbox.

If I wanted children I would of had some or spend time on MySpace - I want to talk with adults.