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The Spectacle Blog

AFSCME Says Cantor Should Apologize for "Promoting Profanity"

By Philip Klein on 2.11.09 @ 2:26PM

A dust up has broken out between Eric Cantor and big labor. It started when the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the liberal group Americans United for Change produced ads featuring Cantor targeting Republicans who opposed the stimulus. As a joke, Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring sent Greg Sargent a parody video that mocked AFSCME, with some choice language.

AFSCME and Americans United for Change are now huffing and puffing and demanding an apology.

“Eric Cantor may think the greatest economic crisis in seventy years is a joke, but we don’t," said AFSCME President Gerald McEntee in a joint statement. "He should talk to the people in Virginia who are losing their jobs, health care and homes.”

Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change, added: "Does Eric Cantor believe that peddling profanity-laced filth around the Internet is consistent with the values of the people of Virginia or the country? This is childish, inappropriate and disgusting behavior from someone who is supposed to be a leader in Congress and a role model to others. Eric Cantor’s response to one of the most serious crises facing America in our lifetimes is to spread this filth, denigrate government employees and treat the current economic crisis like a joke. This video has been floating around on YouTube for years – but Eric Cantor’s use of it in this context shows how completely and utterly out of touch he is with the current economic crisis and the lives of his constituents. Eric Cantor should be ashamed and he should apologize.”

Here is the AFSCME ad attacking Republicans:

And here is the parody video (warning, lots of profanity):

View all comments (13) | Leave a comment

Interloper| 2.11.09 @ 5:26PM

Will Republicans never learn that their ham-handed, bigoted 'parodies' inevitably backfire?

Tony Soprano| 2.11.09 @ 6:59PM

I loved it. It looks like something from Red Eye!

ruth| 2.11.09 @ 7:50PM

Intergroper, go Blago yourself.

WendyG| 2.11.09 @ 7:53PM

Stop apologizing GOPers!

Alan| 2.11.09 @ 8:26PM

Lighten up, Gerry!

JohnH| 2.11.09 @ 8:55PM

O.K., the thing is this...its funny as hell. And I mean, are we to believe that the rep for AFSCME went to charm school, hosts tea parties to discuss labor issues with management, and blushes like a girl at the faintest echo of an f-bomb?

Where was AFSCME when Tony Soprano was living high off of trash collection?

Interloper| 2.11.09 @ 10:01PM

The previous comment is why I visit this site for observation. Where else does one find people who do not know Tony Soprano was a fictional character?

ruth| 2.12.09 @ 5:18AM

Interloper, I wish you were a fictional character, and your posts just bad dreams.

Deborah| 2.12.09 @ 7:22AM

Just another liberal group with no sense of humor. I thought it was hilarious.

Unions are parasites. Liberals are parasites. A marriage made in...somewhere.

chucky| 2.12.09 @ 10:57AM

Interloper,

What's bigoted about this? If this -- a parody which has some basis in fact given extensive historical ties between unions and the mafia -- is objectionable, what do you consider fair game anymore? I mean, besides engaging in incivilities against right-wingers, mocking GWB, etc.

smc| 2.12.09 @ 11:10AM

Funny video -- the truth hurts.

Nobody likes unions except unions. They are a bunch of bullies (usually connected to O.C.), they have no individual voices -- are told who they can vote for, get twice the market rate for a job when others would be willing to work for less, take more breaks than any human being could possibly need, and they'd rather destroy a whole industry than have it any other way.

This is why nobody respects them.
(Hope they don't send someone to come break my legs here -- I'm just telling the truth).

Lady| 2.12.09 @ 12:00PM

Liberals like Interloper have NO sense of humor. Your crowd dished it out for eight years with vile stuff that was FAR worse than this. What a bunch of hypocrites.