• February 16, 2012

He is blameless and free of sin!Ugh you people David Denby is rolling in his grave, tut-tutting at the lack of fact-checking and basic research going on at the Huffington Post. Yes, we have seen this thing about how Eric Cantor allegedly distributed some video spoof about the union coalition AFSCME after they ran ads about what a bad person he was for opposing the stimulus bill. “The House whip reacted with an ad of his own, depicting AFSCME workers as curse-spewing bullies,” writes HuffPo’s Rachel Weiner, no relation to our own Juli Weiner (as far as we know! Ha, fact checking).

Oh by the way here is the ad, not safe for most workplaces on account of the curse words.

Number one, this is not an ad of Eric Cantor’s “own.” According to the easily viewable information right next to the ad on YouTube, we see that “This is a rare gem. This was a PSA that the voice-over person decided to record an ‘alternate’ version of for fun. This comes from the archives of a local tv station.” The ad was posted on YouTube two years ago — before Eric Cantor was even born.

Number two, Eric Cantor did not “react with” this ad; his spokesman Brad Dayspring emailed it around as a joke. And as we all know, Republicans should never email jokes of any sort. It never ends well.

So anyway Cantor’s spokesperson has now apologized for this ad that Cantor didn’t make or distribute. It’s not even a bad ad, really — just some guy talking in a Jersey goon accent about all the nice things AFSCME workers do, like filling potholes and pushing around old people in wheelchairs.

Hilariously, a couple of important union reps have responded with furious outrage to the circulation of this harmless video, which is just what you would expect a union bully to do.

GOP Rep. Cantor Attacked For Profanity-Laced Web Video [Huffington Post]
Cantor’s Spokesperson Apologizes For Labor Goon Video [The Plum Line]
AFSCME [YouTube]

{ 32 comments }

sowbelly February 11, 2009 at 4:50 pm

The ad was way too funny to be from a Republican, even a Republican could figure that out.

Serolf Divad February 11, 2009 at 4:55 pm

And, oh yeah… also: that ad made me want to join AFSCME. For real.

KilgoreTrout_XL February 11, 2009 at 5:02 pm

Ok, lotta names and words up there.

Just tell me who I should be pissed off at.

nestor February 11, 2009 at 5:04 pm

[re=241524]KilgoreTrout_XL[/re]: David Denby

SayItWithWookies February 11, 2009 at 5:07 pm

I thought that was the kinda tough talk that Republicans respected. But maybe it doesn’t do anything new or inventive with language. Like put it in the East River — boom!

snideinplainsight February 11, 2009 at 5:08 pm

He looks constipated to me.

Dr Tobias Funke February 11, 2009 at 5:10 pm

Virginia Republicans should all just quit the internets- yesterday the chairman of the VA Republican party / house of delegates member ruined his parties chance to take over the senate b/c of his twittering / smoking the reefer:

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2009/02/social-media-saves-senate-for-democrats.html

Come here a minute February 11, 2009 at 5:12 pm

I thought I saw this very ad right here on the Wonkette within the last year or so–must have been one of those other libruls’ weblog thigies.

nrkeyqueer February 11, 2009 at 5:13 pm

AFSCME is not a coalition. It is a single union representing federal, state, county, and municipal employees. Also.

nosnikreplliw February 11, 2009 at 5:13 pm

good thing i work in an office where we cuss all the time!

actor212 February 11, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Right. And George Allen didn’t say “macaca” he said “macarena”…

salt_bagel February 11, 2009 at 5:18 pm

Everyone who actually belongs to AFSCME loves this fucking video. You got me?

chascates February 11, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Yet Eric Cantor remains a dick, video or no video.

nmmagayar February 11, 2009 at 5:25 pm

fucking fantastic

Judas Peckerwood February 11, 2009 at 5:25 pm

I think I peed myself.

102415 February 11, 2009 at 5:26 pm

[re=241524]KilgoreTrout_XL[/re]: What Nestor says- Denby. I just read some insane crap he wrote in some magazine I found at the dentist.

One Yield Regular February 11, 2009 at 5:33 pm

I find it hard to believe that lovable old “Banjo Eyes” would be involved in something this slea-…

Oh wait a minute. Did you say ERIC Cantor?

rev_matt_y February 11, 2009 at 5:40 pm

[re=241545]nosnikreplliw[/re]: I work for a government agency. The head of the agency swears like a sailor.

GaragePunkNYC February 11, 2009 at 5:41 pm

greatest union PSA ever. on another topic, are we sure that david denby isn’t, in reality, the elusive robert denby? the illuminati and some TPM interns know what i’m talking about.

WadISay February 11, 2009 at 5:41 pm

This video ought to make 5 or 6 on the NRO’s list.

DeLand DeLakes February 11, 2009 at 5:51 pm

Huh, could this be the Libtard solution to Joe the Cummer? Fat Eddie the Union Boss?

Jukesgrrl February 11, 2009 at 6:07 pm

Tweety just managed to ruin this by running it on his show with beeps over every word except “and,” “the,” and “water fountain.”

DangerousLiberal February 11, 2009 at 6:33 pm

[re=241541]Dr Tobias Funke[/re]: The web site’s name itself is enough to make it every American’s duty to visit it. Where’s Larry been these days? I thought I might miss him. Sure.

DangerousLiberal February 11, 2009 at 6:34 pm

A rare gem? Nay, it’s fucking gold, and you don’t fuckin’ give that away.

Sorry, has that meme already expired? Damn.

lawrenceofthedesert February 11, 2009 at 8:12 pm

How anyone could believe anything distributed by someone claiming to be Bradley Dayspring (a character name obviously stolen from “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle”) defies reason. I hope it turns out that the Daysprings changed it from Wolfowitz. What bubala lets her grandson be named Eric? Are there Hasidic Vikings in Virginia? And that Jersey accent also sounds stolen from Bullwinkle. The entire mishigas is traif.

ALIVE! February 11, 2009 at 9:42 pm

[re=241595]GaragePunkNYC[/re]: Agreed. This is better than the ones they do on purpose.

gurukalehuru February 12, 2009 at 12:54 am

It doesn’t matter that Cantor didn’t make the video, or distribute it himself, or that it was actually a pretty funny video.
Cantor APOLOGIZED for the video. That’s change we can believe in.

bago February 12, 2009 at 4:06 am

If you ain’t cussin, you ain’t codin.

PineyWoodster February 12, 2009 at 6:33 am

That’s a pro-union message we can believe in!

Seriously, if unions had been running ads like that over the past 30 years, every worker in this whole damn country would be union members.

Dr Tobias Funke February 12, 2009 at 10:59 am

[re=241646]DangerousLiberal[/re]: Actually that site is run by a long time NOVA political hack who consults on campaigns / works at New Media Strategies- no relation to the actually Larry

Dr Tobias Funke February 12, 2009 at 11:00 am

This was the #1 story on countdown last night- the bleeped version of the AFSCME video is actually funnier- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/29149020#29149020

supremecourtjester February 12, 2009 at 4:21 pm

[re=241552]salt_bagel[/re]: As an attorney who frequently represents AFSCME, I’ve gotta say everyone in AFSCME I showed it to loved it. I’m going to suggest they put the new motto, “We don’t take no shit from anyone” on the letterhead.

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