Regardless of what you think about Chavez

[Mass_Liberal]

it is a bit ludicrous to be furious at the Democrats for not commiting political suicide.

"Actually, I think that the communist leader who frequently proclaims hatred for the U.S had several valid points while calling our leader the Devil"= Republican victory.

Now believe me, I have nothing against socialists (I'm something of a democratic socialist myself), and I think its incredibly shitty that the word/idea carries such negative connations among most Americans, but the fact is that it does. We cannot be shocked and appauled that Pelosi and Rangel criticized Chavez, it would have been idiotic not to (regardless of the actual legitimacy of Chavez' comments).

[nuxvomica]

1. I generally admire Chavez but I agree with you

Foreign leaders can call the president anything they want but we shouldn't condone it. As much as I despise *, it would strike me as unseemly for an American politician of any stripe to agree with Chavez' name-calling. Chavez has valid criticisms of the current administration and he should stick to making them. The plain truth is bad enough without invoking comparisons to Hitler or mythological creatures.

[East Liberty Denizen]

2. Standing up for Bush is the political suicide

The Bushtapo seized power in a coup in 2000, and the 2004 election in Ohio has been proved to be illegitimate as well.

For Rangel and Pelosi, to refer to the chimperor as our "leader" or our "president" is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. Chavez had every right to call him the devil, and Rangel and Pelosi's objections to it really shows that the party needs shaken up at the top, and not all of the Democratic Party's problems and defeats are caused by outside factors, but also inside factors such as wishy-washy leadership as well.

We're past the primary season in CA and NY for 06, but I see challenges to both of them in 08.

[BurtWorm]

3. Did you expect them to call Bush the Chimperor?

Maybe that would put the Dems way over the top? (It would but maybe not in the way you might expect.)