Clinton, McCollum, Blackburn challenge Bachmann’s ‘gangster’ remarks

Emit

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:44 AM
Original message

Clinton, McCollum, Blackburn challenge Bachmann’s ‘gangster’ remarks

Rep. Michele Bachmann is taking heat over statements she made at a Tea Party gathering in Washington, D.C., last week when she called the Obama administration and Democratic Congress a “gangster government.” Those remarks have prompted a strong rebuke from Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, and found at least one conservative Republican, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, distancing herself from Bachmann.

In an interview with the New York Times, Clinton said Bachmann’s statements were meant to “demonize” Obama and Democrats.

~snip~

“They are not gangsters,” Mr. Clinton said. “They were elected. They are not doing anything they were not elected to do.”

“There can be real consequences when what you say animates people who do things you would never do,” Mr. Clinton said in an interview, saying that Timothy McVeigh, who carried out the Oklahoma City bombing, and those who assisted him, “were profoundly alienated, disconnected people who bought into this militant antigovernment line.”

“Have at it,” he said. “You can attack the politics. Criticize their policies. Don’t demonize them, and don’t say things that will encourage violent opposition.”

And on Friday, Rep. Betty McCollum called Bachmann’s statements “dangerous name-calling.” In a statement, she said:

“With hate groups and violent anti-government militias on the rise in this country elected leaders must be mindful of the potential of their words to inspire violence. Constructive, passionate political debate is expected in our democracy, but harsh, dangerous name-calling that vilifies the President or Members of Congress is irresponsible. We must not ignore that the Oklahoma City bombing was an act of political violence perpetrated by deranged, anti-government extremists. It’s much too late after a bomb goes off to start condemning hate-inspired, violent rhetoric.”

On Meet the Press Sunday morning, Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee distanced herself from Bachmann’s statements and that type of rhetoric...

~snip~

http://minnesotaindependent.com/57751/clinton-mccollum-blackburn-challenge-bachmanns-gangster-remarks#more-57751

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Hong Kong Cavalier

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:49 AM
Response to Original message

1. ...that's exactly what Bachmann's trying to do.

It's just like when Malkin posted the names and addresses of anti-war protesters, then said she cannot take responsibility for what someone does with this information.

It's what the right wing does.

"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

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Blue Meany

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:52 AM
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2. Hmm...what ever happened to "you need to watch what you

say because we're in a war on terror and speaking against the government could strengthen our enemies?" Didn't they say that speaking against the president bordered on treason?

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BurtWorm

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:53 AM
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3. And these guys *weren't* gangsters?!

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gratuitous

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:54 AM
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4. Good on them

Bachmann's inflammatory remarks, as deserving of being ignored as anything, ought to be tied securely around her political neck. Let her either stand by her remarks or renounce them. Looks like some of Bachmann's colleagues aren't terribly anxious to be associated with those sentiments; will Bachmann back off (and alienate the very people she wanted to pander to) or will she double down?

Minnesota voters in her district, are you watching? Is this really what you are about?

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Qutzupalotl

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Tue Apr-20-10 10:55 AM
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5. Bachmann tries to deflect attention away from the fact

Edited on Tue Apr-20-10 10:56 AM by Qutzupalotl

that she's part of a movement that encourages people to descend on Washington brandishing weapons, gangster-style.

Reinforcing the premise of my sig line...

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yellowcanine

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Tue Apr-20-10 11:08 AM
Response to Reply #5

7. Certainly they are the ones using the rhetoric of gangsters. Gun talk, threats, "reload", "Break

windows with bricks" etc.

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whathehell

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Tue Apr-20-10 11:01 AM
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6. I wonder, too, if she's not slipping in a little racist "code"...like "gangsta rap"?

Thank God she's being called out, at least.

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Iggo

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Tue Apr-20-10 11:12 AM
Response to Reply #6

8. That is ABSOLUTELY what she meant.

If she coulda got away with "nigger administration", she'd've said that instead.

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tblue

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Tue Apr-20-10 11:38 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. Precisely. It's red meat to her KlanBagger crowds.

She probably wants to say the N word so bad.

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whathehell

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Tue Apr-20-10 01:15 PM
Response to Reply #8

11. Yeah...I'm just surprised that I've heard no one else

(inluding MSNBC pundits) interpret it that way...They may have but I haven't heard it.

Minnesota must be an interesting place...They elect someone like Al Frankin (not to mention the Jessie Ventura Governership)and before that, Paul Wellstone but also someone like Bachmann.

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DefenseLawyer

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Tue Apr-20-10 01:24 PM
Response to Reply #11

12. Gerrymandering is just grand. n/t

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malaise

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Tue Apr-20-10 01:34 PM
Response to Reply #6

13. Absolutely correct n/t

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Sheepshank

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Tue Apr-20-10 11:47 AM
Response to Original message

10. And Bachmann needs to be publicly rebuked

every single time until she tires of the public call out. This until she actually starts noticing her own words and measures them with a little scrutiny first. It isn't too much to ask that politicians say what they mean and not use unintended language (whether that be in error or intentionally.)

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