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Harkin defends Venezuelan
President's UN speech against Bush,
Chevaz called Bush "the devil"
"Yesterday, the devil came here. Right here.
Right here.
And it smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in
front of."
– Hugo
Chavez, United Nations speech, Sept. 20, 2006. [LINK]
Even the most liberal politicians are
lashing out at Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for his speech Sept. 20,
2006 at the United Nations:
Rep.
Charlie Rangel
(D-NY):
"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, 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" [watch video of Rangel's comments on
YouTube.com]
House Minority Leader Rep.
Nancy
Pelosi (D-CA):
"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." [LINK]
But what is
Iowa's Sen. Tom Harkin
saying in response to Chavez's UN speech? He's DEFENDING Chavez:
[From
RadioIowa.com, Sept. 21, 2006:]
Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a democrat, today
defended Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's United Nations speech in which
Chavez called President George Bush the devil. Harkin said the comments were
"incendiary", then went on to say, "Let me put it this way, I can understand
the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world
because of George Bush's policies." Harkin continued what has been frequent
criticism of the president's foreign policy.
Harkin says Bush came to office saying he
wanted a new humility in foreign policy in reaching out to other countries,
but Harkin says Bush's actual policy has been heavy handed. Harkin says the
anger against Bush is generated from the Iraq war, which Harkin says was
"unnecessary."
Harkin says, "We tend to forget that a few
days after 9-1-1 thousands, thousands of Iranians marched in a candlelight
procession in Teheran in support of the United States. Every Muslim country
was basically on our side. Just think, in five years, President Bush has
squandered all that." Harkin says the U.S. has put billions of dollars into
the Iraq war, when it could be helping poor countries with things like clean
water, medical aid and education.
AUDIO: Excerpt from
Harkin conference call (3 min MP3)
Harkin has repeatedly,
for decades taken the side of America's enemies. This latest disgrace points
to the need to oust Harkin permanently from the U.S. Senate. Harkin is a
disgrace to America. Harkin must go in 2008.
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