Presidential Assassination No Joke

by: Ray Buckley

Mon May 12, 2008 at 10:05:42 AM EDT
(Ray is absolutely correct. This sort of violent fantasy that our worst people enjoy has no place in our political culture. - promoted by elwood)

McCain, Sununu, Gregg, Republican Leaders Should Tell GOP Chair Cullen To Step Down for Promoting Violence as "Family" Humor

CONCORD - Senators John Sununu and Judd Gregg, and other Republican leaders should ask GOP Chair Fergus Cullen to step down for promoting a violent joke about presidential assassination as "family-appropriate" humor, Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said today.

"There is nothing funny - or family friendly - about the assassination of a President. No matter the political affiliation of the President, promoting that type of violence is outrageous and unpatriotic," Buckley said. "John McCain, John Sununu, Judd Gregg and the leaders of New Hampshire's Republican Party must take a stand and tell Fergus Cullen it's time to go."

In last week's NH Republican Party newsletter, NHGOP Chair Fergus Cullen included the following:

HUMOR (Send your family-appropriate political jokes to fergus@nhgop.org):

Almost seven years ago I sat, as did millions of other Americans, and watched as our government underwent a peaceful transition of power. At first, I felt a swell of pride and patriotism as I watched George W. Bush take his oath of office. However, all that pride quickly vanished as I later watched the Clintons board Air Force One for the last time. I saw 21 Marines, in full dress uniform with rifles, fire a 21-gun salute to the outgoing President and first lady. It was then that I realized how far America's military had deteriorated under the Clinton administration. Every last one of them missed.
Below is a letter from NHDP Chair Ray Buckley to Senators Judd Gregg, John E. Sununu, and John McCain calling on them to withdraw their support of Fergus Cullen.  

###

May 9, 2008          

Senator Judd Gregg

393 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Senator John E. Sununu

111 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator John McCain

241 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators Gregg, Sununu and McCain:

In a New Hampshire Republican Party Newsletter dated May 8, 2008, New Hampshire Republican Party Chair Fergus Cullen included a joke suggesting that former President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton should have been assassinated upon the inauguration of President George W. Bush.  The text of the joke is as follows:

HUMOR (Send your family-appropriate political jokes to fergus@nhgop.org):

Almost seven years ago I sat, as did millions of other Americans, and watched as our government underwent a peaceful transition of power.  At first, I felt a swell of pride and patriotism as I watched George W. Bush take his oath of office. However, all that pride quickly vanished as I later watched the Clintons board Air Force One for the last time. I saw 21 Marines, in full dress uniform with rifles, fire a 21-gun salute to the outgoing President and first lady. It was then that I realized how far America's military had deteriorated under the Clinton administration. Every last one of them missed.

This instance of humor is distasteful, inappropriate, and shows incredibly poor judgment on the part of Fergus Cullen.  It is in no way, "family friendly" as the criteria for included jokes is implied in the newsletter.  There is nothing humorous about assassinating a President, regardless of political affiliation, and such jokes should not be tolerated from a leader of your Party.    

I urge you to immediately and publically call Chairman Cullen to resign.  

Sincerely,

Ray Buckley

Chair, New Hampshire Democratic Party

 
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