Civility Watch
On Meet The Press yesterday Erick Cantor embarrassed us all with his call for civility.
GREGORY: This is a leadership moment here. There are elements of this country who question the president’s citizenship, who think that his birth certificate is inauthentic. Will you call that what it is, which is crazy talk?
CANTOR: [laughs] David, you know, a lot of that has been an issue sort of generated by not only the media but others in the country. Most Americans really are beyond that and they want us to focus —
GREGORY: Is somebody who brings that up engaging in crazy talk?
CANTOR: David I don’t think it’s nice to call anyone crazy, OK?
GREGORY: Alright. Is it a legitimate or illegitimate issue?
CANTOR: I don’t think it’s an issue that we need to address at all. I think we need to focus on trying –
GREGORY: His citizenship should never be questioned in your judgment, is that what you’re saying?
CANTOR: It’s not an issue that even needs to be on the policymaking table right now.
GREGORY: Because it’s illegitimate? Why won’t you just call it what it is? Because I feel like there are a lot of Republican leaders who don’t want to go as far as to criticize those who –
CANTOR: I think the president is a citizen of the United States.
See – it’s not nice to call birthers crazy. Don’t you feel bad now? Plus, David Gregory only had to ask Cantor three times before Cantor reluctantly conceded that President Obama is a natural-born citizen. Don’t you feel the love now!
Tags: Birthers, Civility, Eric Cantor, Meet The Press
Did you notice he never called the issue “illegitimate”?
I definitely noticed. He basically signaled he’s going to do nothing to reign in the birthers. Steve Benen pointed out that Cantor also didn’t say “natural born citizen” either. It’s extremely dishonest for Cantor to blame the media for birthers. The media has debunked it repeatedly. Republican leaders won’t signal to its base that it is illegitimate.
He basically signaled he’s going to do nothing to reign in the birthers.
RWNJ Congressman is civil to his RWNJ base and refuses to rein them in – this is news?
Whereas the White House is openly reining in all portions of its base who support Obama 2008, calling them effing retards who need to be drug tested.
Maybe Cantor is onto something – at least Cantor’s style doesn’t produce an enthusiasm gap. Obama should give it a try.
Being civil to your base – what a novel idea!
And CRI continues their local civility by having their “economist” say we should throw in the towel on people who worked for Delaware manufacturers:
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/delawareinc/2011/01/24/economist-no-bailout-for-del-manufacturing/