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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLV0NYs2Xl0
Posted on YouTube: March 26, 2010
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Posted on DU: March 26, 2010
By DU Member: Turborama
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SANCHEZ: What is the -- what kind of threats or instances have been leveled at you and/or your staff or family, sir?
STUPAK: Oh, there's been quite a few, many.
But, basically, the ones that concern you is the: We will kill you. We know where you live. We know where your family is. Those are the types that, that's crossing the line.
It's -- it's -- you know, and you played a little bit on the teaser in the show there. Those were the mild ones. We couldn't really give you the -- the strongest ones.
SANCHEZ: Well, for those of us -- who are joining us now, they may not have seen what we showed a little earlier during our 3:00 hour, because we're going to continue thematically on this throughout, let me play some of those...
STUPAK: Sure.
SANCHEZ: ... so the viewers can see it again, if you don't mind.
STUPAK: Sure.
SANCHEZ: Go ahead, Rog.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congressman Stupak, you are one big piece of human (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
And think about this. There are millions of people across the country who wish you ill. And all of those thoughts projected on you will materialize. We don't have to do anything but sit back and wish, go to hell, you piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Congressman, when you hear that, what -- what -- what are you thinking about?
STUPAK: Well, again, that -- that's really mild, Rick, I mean, really.
SANCHEZ: Really?
STUPAK: You know, the ones -- the ones that -- the ones that get you is, you know, we're going to grab you, and we're going to put a gun to your head and just pull the trigger.
Those are ones that you would have to take serious. And those are the ones we're turning to threat assessment. We have received well over 50 rather serious threats in the last several days.
SANCHEZ: And you're a cop, right?
STUPAK: Yes, I was a police officer for 13 years.
SANCHEZ: You got a -- you got -- your -- I know you're married. You have a wife. Do you have children as well?
STUPAK: Yes.
SANCHEZ: What about them in all of this?
(CROSSTALK)
STUPAK: Well, my son -- my son is grown up. He's in another part of the country. I'm not going to say where.
And -- you know, but he's affected. I mean, the staffs, the staffs are taking abuse, abusive language. It's -- it's -- it's -- just reflective of where we're at as a society, I think.
We can disagree on issues, but you don't have to send white powder, like they apparently have at Congressman Anthony Weiner's, put coffins in front of an office, put bricks through windows, threats.
You know, local law enforcement and federal law enforcement have been great. They have -- I know they have stepped up their surveillance patrols and -- and trying to provide as much protection for -- for members, their families, and our staffs.
SANCHEZ: When -- when -- when you try to use fear or intimidation directly with either...
STUPAK: Sure.
SANCHEZ: ... calls or, you know, affecting people's lives, some people are going as far as saying that that is very close to, if not actual, terrorism, maybe not the terrorism that we're used to seeing that we see in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and certainly the horrible thing that happened on 9/11.
STUPAK: Sure.
SANCHEZ: But some people would describe it that way. How would you describe it?
STUPAK: They're -- they're trying to intimidate us. And I do believe that, under federal law, it is a crime to threaten or -- or try to coerce, intimidate a -- a federal official, especially...
SANCHEZ: Is it terrorism?
STUPAK: ... on -- on an -- on an issue.
SANCHEZ: Is it -- is it terrorism?
STUPAK: I guess you might as well call it domestic terrorism, sure. Sure.
I mean, this -- you know, the -- the things you saw this weekend when we were going back and forth for votes, members being spat on, racial slurs at some of our colleagues, sexual things at our colleagues, that's just totally uncalled for. It's -- there's no reason for it.
SANCHEZ: Well, you know, by the way, I -- I wanted to invite someone from the GOP to be with us here during this conversation.
STUPAK: Right.
SANCHEZ: And -- and this is not to say, and I don't believe that you would say that this is representative of the Republican Party...
STUPAK: No, it's not.
SANCHEZ: ... or that all Republicans are like that.
However...
STUPAK: No, no, no, it's not.
SANCHEZ: However, there has been an awful lot of palaver today coming from some of your colleagues saying, you know what, to a certain extent, the heated rhetoric from Republicans has instigated some of these actions.
What's your take on that?
STUPAK: Well -- well, the thing that outraged a lot of us was, while the demonstrations were going on, the Republicans were on the second floor with signs urging the crowd below. Some of them said, "Kill." Some of them had a picture of -- of the speaker, and they would hold it up and slice their hand across the speaker's throat. To the crowd, they would all cheer.
I mean, it almost became a -- a mob mentality here. And then, when you have members, same members of Congress, encouraging it with signs and pictures and gestures, that -- that's -- that's really uncalled for.
SANCHEZ: I want to let you -- I want to let you listen to something, because...
STUPAK: Sure.
SANCHEZ: ... you know, some would argue -- and we have gone back and done our research -- that this is not just now...
STUPAK: Right.
SANCHEZ: ... this is not brand-new, that this type of rhetoric has been used by some, not all, some Republicans in the past. Listen to this from Michele Bachmann. This is months and months ago...
STUPAK: Right.
SANCHEZ: ... having, I believe, nothing to do with health care. Play it, Rog.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax, because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us having a revolution every now and then is a good thing.
We, the people, are going to have to fight back hard if we're not going to lose our country.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Armed and dangerous and wanting a revolution.
What do you think when you hear those words, and are they appropriate, and do they instigate?
STUPAK: Yes, I think they instigate. Are they appropriate? No. We do have revolutions in this country. You just saw one with the last election.
We do our revolution through a ballot box. If you are upset with the way Congress is working or your local official, go to the ballot box. I mean, I got involved because I was frustrated with my state representative way back in 19 -- in the mid-'80s.
And, so, instead of complain about it and doing crazy things, I went out, and worked hard, and defeated the incumbent representative. And here I am now in Congress. That's the way it should be.
That's what Jefferson meant. That's why the value of a vote is so critical and should be a sacred obligation that we all have as Americans. Go out and vote.
SANCHEZ: Does this make you want to stay in there, fight, and even use it, as some of your colleagues have done to maybe get more funds and support from your constituents? Or does it make you wonder whether you really need all this grief and go get a job as a cop or a lieutenant or a detective or something?
STUPAK: Well, you sort of -- you sort of wonder, is it all worth it from the personal toll? I mean, if you want to threaten me, fine. But you don't have to be calling my house at 2:00, 3:00 in the morning and yelling obscenities at my wife, or threatening me at my home, where you know I'm not there because I'm in Washington.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
STUPAK: You don't need that. You really do have to wonder, why would anyone go and take a job like this to the personal abuse you put up with? It goes with the territory, to a point.
SANCHEZ: Bart Stupak, thank you, sir. I know it's...
STUPAK: You betcha.
SANCHEZ: I know it's tough. And my thanks to you for coming on and taking us through your ordeal, your story.
STUPAK: My pleasure.
SANCHEZ: Appreciate it. All right, likewise.
STUPAK: OK.
Dairy about this in Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/3/25/162121/319">Stupak calls it what it is: "Domestic Terrorism"
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