I thought it was pretty funny actually. However, if the unions can beat Cantor over the head with it, go for it.

First saw that at The New Republic a few months back. All my activist Democratic friends think it's hilarious. Chillax.

Eric Cantor is a slightly more polished version of Tom Delay. Essentially a hack, and a stupid one at that. Chris Matthews has essentially ripped him a new one on his lack of knowledge of...well, really anything. However, the word "appeasement" comes to mind.

Actually, by my calculations, Eric Cantor now scored enough LimbPoints to get the blow-up Rush doll, full with the action of bending over and grabbing his ankles! Rush must be sooo proud!

It's an old pro-union clip, and the voice is the original voiceover guy for the official version, not a new voiceover.

The original voiceover guy wrote an alternate script for the original AFSCME ad and recorded it. Apparently, it was an underground union hit for decades before someone uploaded it to youtube.

The fact that Cantor thinks it's anti-union shows how completely out of touch the Republicans are.

Aside from the profanity, it was a pretty positive image of union activities. I guess the drooling frat boy brigade that came in with Gingrich and Rove are still employed with what's left of the Republican party. Too bad for them.

It's funny as shit. And Cantor not getting it makes it even better.

The blogosphere getting all outraged is just dumb.

What's really hilarious about this whole thing is that Cantor is supposed to be the next leader of the House GOP and their big hope for the future. If you put him and their other great hope, Mike Pence, together, you probable couldn't get one workable brain cell from the two of them.

I wish the unions would start uploading more ads like this. It really is time to start telling the people what's really going on and who really does the work.

>>It's an old pro-union clip, and the voice is the original voiceover guy for the official version, not a new voiceover. The original voiceover guy wrote an alternate script for the original AFSCME ad and recorded it. Apparently, it was an underground union hit for decades before someone uploaded it to youtube.>>

That's exactly right. My uncle worked for AFSCME and used to pull out a VHS tape w/ both versions, clean and parody, and play them in that order. I hadn't seen the "tha $*&)#!(@! yoon-yun" version in more than 20 years until I saw it online a few weeks ago. And yes, it's still awesome.

Maybe Cantor thought he was doing ju-jitsu - useing a clip in which a union spoofs itself to discredit the pro-stimulus union ads? That approach seems not to have worked for him.

Agreed, it is funny and has existed for a long time before Cantor's people started sending it out this week.

It still indicates an incredible childishness on Cantor's part to make this part of his response to the union ads targeting him for his oppossition to the stimulus bill.

I agree with other commenters, first saw this a few months back and thought it was pretty funny. And it's pretty ridiculous to classify this video as anti-union. Cantor's just an idiot.

Republicans; they're always good for a little shock-value, just so long as it's "them" dishing it out. Speaking of the "Focus" folks and their fellow fundie otherkin---I'd be asking them to go on the record regarding Cantor's little "stunt."

Let's find out who's really "pro-family-values...."

I do agree that laughter and ridicule are a better response to Cantor than outrage.

Regarding your questions, the answers are "No" and "No".

Cantor's just an idiot.

Yep. One of the only dark spots last Election Day here in Virginia. That embarrassing moronic buffoon was the red exception to the blue rule. Ah well. I'd much rather have an obvious clown like that in than someone more clever and evil like Gingrich. :)

Does Cantor think it's anti-union in the same way that Andy Card thinks shirtsleeves disrespect the presidency?

These guys are like something out of the last century plus one. Now is such an excellent time for Republicans to remind jobless, evicted, foreclosed upon, healthcare-lacking Americans that the GOP thinks the real problem with this country is profanity and lax dress codes.

You know, I think a lot of people will see this and sympathize with sentiment.

Everyone I know feels like they are unappreciated for doing shitwork, why wouldn't this resonate?

This could be the left's version of Archie Bunker. A caricature that was meant to ridicule but instead was seen as a hero.

I've seen this parody before. Isn't it essentially pro-union? The message being, "yeah, we may be crude assholes, but we do all the necessary dirty work the rest of you take for granted."

Steve, instead of feigning disgust, you should be laughing at Cantor for completely missing the point.

...and now that I read the comments, I see others have already pointed this out.

Papajino:

In Steve's defense, I think his concern may derive from the fact that "missing the point" spreads like Ebola on the right. From Malkin's keyboard to the mouth of the annoying, gullible dumbasses I work with. Ugh.

The blogosphere getting all outraged is just dumb. -calling all toasters

I don't think the blogosphere is outraged at the video, but rather that the video was used as an official response by a sitting US Congressman, in a leadership position no less, to a serious inquiry as if it were valid.

It's the level of discourse Cantor is putting out there that is the problem. Not the video.

It's the level of discourse Cantor is putting out there that is the problem. Not the video.

Yeah. It's just a notch above mooning the president.

Not that I think Bush didn't deserve to see my fat, hair ass.

Republicans Swoon and Get Out the Smelling Salts

whenever they hear/see foul language. This has been going on for so long that now they've got the lefties doing it, too.

Note to liberal/progressives: most Americans are not your dowager auntie or a Republican. Ya got that?!?

Not to go all Bob Somerby on everyone, but I feel that most commenters are missing the point of this little exercise (which Steve does allude to). I'm not particularly offended by this piece of juvenile fratboy-ism (I'm already well aware of the "views" of Cantor and his ilk, which do offend me). But imagine if a Democratic office on the Hill had sent out a similar piece--whether newly created or 30 years old--targeting the NRA, the Club for Growth, or--horors of horrors--Rush Limbaugh or Billo. The Versailles Villager's pearl clutching hissy fit would be a 24/7 news cycle staple for days and the perpetrators would likely be hounded out of job and office. Yeah, I know this is an old refrain and can be raised daily concerning dozens of stories. But the slanted double standard of the MSM, with its deeply internalized IOIYAR meme, is the single most important factor damaging Democrats and liberals (Exhibit No. 1--the "coverage" of the stimulus bill). Pushback against this is essential.

Good thing Cantor didn't call union workers "bitter" because that would have been seen as elitist.

WTF?

I can't help but be curious what the response would be if a member of the Democratic congressional leadership promoted a video attacking, say, Focus on the Family or the National Rifle Association with a profanity-laced video.

Fuck Focus on the Family!
Fuck the NRA!

I agree with many others. It's funny and pro-union. Not what you want on network TV, but so what?

That Cantor doesn't get the joke really makes him look like a doofus.

One, does anyone really expect President Obama to make headway negotiating with the Republican leadership when this is their level of discourse?

Yes. SASQ.

The so-called "liberal media" only punishes Democrats, not Republicans, for partisanship, let alone excessive partisanship.

I thought it was hilarious. Thanks for posting it.

"...intended to make unions look like mobbish goons. "

We just saw some of those mobbish goons in action. Their leader was Sully Sullenberger and wouldn't ya know he crashed his plane into the Hudson River. I'll bet those 155 people on board, that all survived, wished there were less highly trained non-union personnel flying that plane.

Cantor sent out a pro-union video that normal Americans have been finding entertaining for many years? And not only cantor but some members of the press find this to be a stinging rebuke to the unions? Truly the beltway is filled with the clueless.

Cantor sent out a pro-union video that normal Americans have been finding entertaining for many years? And not only cantor but some members of the press find this to be a stinging rebuke to the unions? Truly the beltway is filled with the clueless.

@ shortstop: These guys are like something out of the last century plus one.

Hence their fetish for a return to the Gilded Age.

Truly the beltway is filled with the clueless.

In related news, water is wet.

Republicans hate Unions, Police, Nurse, Teacher all of them... they just hate them.

I can't imagine how anyone can think a Republican would be looking out for the average worker... they are the party of rich, white males (and billionaire predatory control freaks like Rupert Murdock).

The want Big Business to tell you what's best for the the worker, like Walmart does.

They hate Social Security... remember Bush trying to privatize social security when the stock market was at all time highs?

If Bush would have been successful... Social Security would have all but been wiped out.

Marlowe,

"... The Versailles Villager's ...."

A bit sublime, but yeah, I'd support that.

'Let them have cake.'

Kudos to you, Steve, and Eric Cantor for bringing this video to my attention. In my opinion (as an ex-filmmaker and ex-union member) this is powerful filmmaking. It tells the truth, the way you sometimes here it if you happen to be with certain people at certain times when they think no one is listening. It is a minute of film (and it is film, by the way) worthy of debate. Its honesty stings 24 frames a second (I stole that from some French filmmaker).

Thanks again, Eric.

haha, i'm impressed! after listening to what passes for humor in conservative circles for years, this is genuinely kind of funny! now they just have to work on reading and thinking.

Apparently, nobody here spent time at Pudgies Bar and Grill with their dad the Teamster and his friends.

This is actually pretty tame.

And it's a HELL of a lot better than the POS ads by the "Center For Union Facts".

I always wondered if Eric Cantor was somehow related to famed comic/entertainer Eddie Cantor, and now I'm guessing the answer is no. Eddie would've gotten the joke.