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Rangel to Chavez: Don’t Come To My Country And Attack My President


Even as Chavez was being applauded in a Harlem church, Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY), one of President Bush’s harshest critics , condemned Chavez’s hateful “Bush is the devil” speech to the U.N. yesterday. I applaud Rangel for being the example and saying what all Democrats should be saying.

From Rangel’s official website:

    I want to express my extreme displeasure with statements by the President of Venezuela attacking U.S. President George Bush in such a personal and disparaging way during his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly.

    It should be clear to all heads of government that criticism of Bush Administration policies, either domestic or foreign, does not entitle them to attack the President personally.

    George Bush is the President of the United States and represents the entire country. Any demeaning public attack against him is viewed by Republicans and Democrats, and all Americans, as an attack on all of us.

    I feel that I must speak out now since the Venezuelan government has been instrumental in providing oil at discounted prices to people in low income communities who have suffered increases in rent as heating oil prices have risen sharply. By offering this benefit to people in need, Venezuela has won many friends in poor communities of New York and other states. I am surprised that American oil companies have not stepped up to provide that kind of assistance to the poor.

    Venezuela’s generosity to the poor, however, should not be interpreted as license to attack President Bush. Those who take issue with Bush Administration policies have no right to attack him personally. It was not helpful when President Bush referred to certain nations as an “axis of evil.” Neither is it helpful for a head of state to use the sacred halls of the United Nations to insult President Bush.

More from Drudge:

    ‘You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president. If there is any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not. I just want to make it abundantly clear to Hugo Chavez or any other president, but do not come to the United States and think because we have problems with our president that any foreigner can come to our country and not think that Americans do not feel offended when you offend our Chief of State’…

Dread Pundit Bluto sums it up:

    And now, some words I never thought I’d write: Bravo, Mr. Rangel, well done.

Update: Pelosi joins in speaking up for the President:

    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.”

I can’t believe I’m saying this but…Bravo Democrats! Lets hear some more join the chorus!

Allah Pundit is more reluctant to give out praise:

    No one has a big problem with foreign dignitaries insulting the home team — except when we’re two months out from a midterm election and the backlash from those insults is apt to swing a few voters the “wrong” way. Rangel’s noisy display of patriotism this morning was his attempt to blunt that effect.

    Still, it’s always nice to see a lefty put country over party. Even if he really isn’t.

Awww! Of course it is most likely grandstanding during election time to prevent backlash from all the Hugo love from the far left nutroots , but I would still like to hear more. I’m waiting patiently to hear the script from Howard Dean, but I won’t hold my breath. It may be a political defense play, but it was the right one. It will be interesting to see how fast those at DU and the KOS kids who were applauding Hugo’s speech change their tune now.

The Anchoress:

    I wrote yesterday, This is not going to play well and the dems will not be able to respond well to it. Smarter newsies will try to bury it and change the subject. Stupid ones will air it and think it’s a joke. Smart conservative bloggers will stuff as much of this into their harddrives as they can and haul it out ’round mid-October.

    I assumed the Democrats would be busy trying to triangulate the issue (as Clinton did) with a mush-mouthed remark that would “sort of” criticize Chavez while not gotcha6 off the far-left netroots - a tactic that clearly would not work. Instead, they did the right thing, albeit 24 hours later. Had their responses been more immediate, that would have been even better for them.

Sister Toldjah says don’t be fooled:

    Insults about “his” President and “his” country don’t concern Charlie Rangel one bit - he’s just gotcha8ed that Chavez got off a few lines he wished he himself had been clever enough to use already.