OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

Hoyer Statement on Karl Rove's Shameful Remarks
June 24, 2005

MR. HOYER: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE. REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. THE GENTLEMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR ONE MINUTE. MR. HOYER: ON WEDNESDAY, THE PRESIDENT'S TOP POLITICAL ADVISOR, KARL ROVE, STATED, AND I QUOTE, LIBERALS SAW THE SAVAGERY OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS AND WANTED TO PREPARE INDICTMENTS AND OFFER THERAPY AND UNDERSTANDING FOR OUR ATTACKERS. THIS STATEMENT IS OFFENSIVE, DIVISIVE, AND PATENTLY FALSE. THREE DAYS AFTER THOSE BARBARIC ATTACKS, THIS HOUSE VOTED 420-1 TO USE ALL NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE FORCE AGAINST THOSE RESPONSIBLE. THE SENATE PASSED THE SAME MEASURE 98-0. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER MR. ROVE'S STATEMENT WAS CALCULATED TO EXPLOIT COLLECTIVE NATIONAL PAIN FOR PARTISAN POLITICAL GAIN. ALL THOSE HIS SLASH AND BURN TRACK RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. BUT MR. ROVE SHOULD APOLOGIZE AND RETRACT IT. AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WHO REPRESENTS NOT REPRESENTS, NOT DEMOCRATS BUT ALL AMERICANS SHOULD REPUDIATE IT TODAY. THE PRESIDENT CAME TO OFFICE STATING HE WANTED TO CHANGE THE TONE IN WASHINGTON. TODAY, TODAY HE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT HE MEANT IT.