Americans United for Change are running this ad in various Republican districts and states about the "Just Say No" Republican leadership:
"Republican leaders? They’re just saying No. No to changing the failed economic policies of the past eight years," the ad intones. "We’re in an economic crisis, and Republican leaders are playing politics instead of doing what’s right. Call the Republican leadership. Tell them no is not an option."
Republican Minority Whip Eric Cantor freaked out by sending a You Tube of a profanity filled "spoof" of supposed "union goons." Cantor thinks losing jobs and homes is just a joke.
More, after the fold.
GOP House leader Eric Cantor’s office has come up with an intriguing response to the AFSCME ad bllitz targeting GOP leaders: Sending over a video that portrays AFSCME union members as 1970s-era goons.
Cantor spokesperson Brad Dayspring emails me the vid, stressing that it’s meant as a joke
The Plum Line
Cantor sent this You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/...
(had to use the link. The embed would not work for me)
"On your way to work tomorrow, instead of sittin’ around with your finger up your a**, look around," the voice-over says. "There’s a union out there called AFSCME and they’re busting’ their balls doing a lot of sh*t work you take for granted. For example, we pick up your f–kin’ garbage."
"We don’t take sh*t from nobody," the vid concludes. "You got that, a**hole? AFSCME — the f–king union that works for you."
AFSCME chief Gerald McEntee responded:
"Eric Cantor may think the greatest economic crisis in seventy years is a joke, but we don’t. He should talk to the people in Virginia who are losing their jobs, health care and homes."
The Plum Line: AFSCME Chief Hits GOP Leader Eric Cantor Over Labor Goon Vid
And Brad Woodhouse, the head of Americans United for Change, is demanding that Cantor apolgize:
This is a childish and disgusting response to one of the most serious crises facing America in our lifetimes. This spoof of AFSCME has been floating around on YouTube for years — but its use in this context shows how completely and utterly out of touch with the current economic crisis and the lives of Americans Eric Cantor and the GOP leadership really is. Cantor should apologize.
The Plum Line
Greg Sargant at the Plum Line is all over this.
Perhaps we should add our voices and call on Cantor to apologize to working Americans. Here's his numbers:
Richmond
4201 Dominion Blvd, #110
Glen Allen, VA 23060
P: 804.747-4073
F: 804.747-5308
Culpeper
763 Madison Rd #207
Culpeper, VA 22701
P: 540.825-8960
F: 540.825-8964
Washington, DC
329 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
P: 202.225-2815
F: 202.225-0011
Let this bozo know that his days are numbered and the days in which Republicans can make war on America and Americans are over. We're sick of you and Limbaugh and George Bush.
Every job lost and home foreclosed is a testament to the failure of your policies. How do you sleep at night, Mr. Cantor?
Update I: AFL-CIO President John Sweeney responds:
During these tough economic times the last thing hard working Americans need is to be ridiculed by a member of the Republican leadership. Rep. Cantor should apologize for insulting America’s workers with this profane video.
Ben Smith's Blog
Update II: Looks like the video went to at least Politico and the Plum Line (Washington Post blog). An apology from Cantor's spokesperson, but not Cantor. Instead, a denial that the good Mr. Cantor even knew about this You Tube message or agreed with it. Hmmm. Seems to me that Dayspring well reflected his boss' mindset.
It appears that Dayspring did not intend for the video to be an official response, but Politico quotes Dayspring saying: "You could post this as my response."
Dayspring later issued this apology: "I would like to apologize for a joke that was in no way an official response from Congressman Cantor, but instead an inappropriate email.
I apologize to AFSCME for my inappropriate email containing an old video. Let me be clear, we know people are hurting in these trying times and House Republicans completely agree that we must pass an economic recovery bill that preserves, protects and create jobs for Americans facing these economic challenges."
msnbc, First Read: WHEN YOUTUBE VIDEOS BACKFIRE