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NRCC escalates rhetoric against Casten, calling him “an asset for China’s Communist Party”

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* From the NRCC on April 1…

Casten sides with Chinese Communist Party

Turns out China lied (shocking!) about the number of cases and deaths their people suffered from coronavirus.

But that’s not stopping Sean Casten from praising China’s response to the virus, including during yesterday’s telephone town hall.

That’s nothing new, however. Casten has been spewing Communist Party propaganda to bash the president since last week.

NRCC Comment: “It is disturbing that Sean Casten, a member of the United States Congress, continuously chooses to use Chinese Communist Party propaganda to attack the President of the United States.” -NRCC Spokeswoman Carly Atchison

* Washington Post on April 3…

For months, national Republicans hoping to wrest back control of the House this fall have targeted first-term Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), hitting him on his vote to impeach President Trump, his criticism of the U.S. drone killing of an Iranian general and his opposition to a federal ban on fentanyl.

This week, they opened a new front — accusing Casten of “spewing Communist Party propaganda to bash the president” over Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Casten’s sin, in the National Republican Congressional Committee’s view, was a pair of conference calls during which he told constituents that China had acted “quickly” and “to their credit … shut down the entire province that this was in, and they seem to largely have isolated the cases.” […]

In an interview, Casten defended his position that China, along with other Asian nations, including South Korea and Japan, which had dealt with a SARS virus outbreak in the early 2000s, had moved with more urgency to shut down schools and take proactive measures to contain the virus.

“A reasonable critic of China might say if they had moved more quickly it might have constrained it even more,” Casten said. “But leaving that aside, our own president was saying less than a month ago this was the same as the flu.”

* From the NRCC yesterday…

Americans are dying but that’s not stopping Sean Casten from continuing to spew Chinese Communist Party propaganda.

In case you missed it…

Dem Rep Spreads Chinese Propaganda While Blaming Coronavirus Deaths on Trump
Washington Free Beacon
Yuichiro Kakutani
April 5, 2020
https://freebeacon.com/coronavirus/dem-rep-spreads-chinese-propaganda-while-blaming-coronavirus-deaths-on-trump/

* The story…

An Illinois Democrat who accused President Donald Trump of killing Americans by lying to the public about the coronavirus also spread pro-China misinformation about the deadly disease during a townhall with constituents.

As COVID-19 spreads across the nation, Rep. Sean Casten (D., Ill.) has repeatedly attempted to blame Trump and Republicans for the death toll, accusing them of spreading fatal misinformation about the pandemic. Casten himself, however, has misinformed the public about China’s role in the pandemic. When one of his constituents asked about the early Chinese response to the outbreak at a March 21 electronic town hall, the congressman refused to talk about the regime’s coverup of the virus. Instead, he incorrectly said that China had successfully isolated the outbreak in Wuhan.

“China, to their credit, once they realize they had a problem, shut down the entire province that this was in and they seem to have largely isolated the cases in China,” Casten said. “We have missed that window in the United States.”

In reality, however, China has failed to isolate the cases in the province of Wuhan, the origin of the illness. The virus has spread to nearly every part of the country, killing thousands in distant provinces such as Guangdong and Zhejiang. And while China’s self-reported data indicate the worst has passed, reports of funeral homes overflowing with urns have led critics to believe that the regime is grossly underreporting the impact of the pandemic. One media report, for instance, estimates China’s coronavirus deaths are in the tens of thousands, as opposed to the officially reported count of 3,308.

* Greg Hinz took notice and posted this yesterday…

An already heated campaign for Congress in the western suburbs has exploded in swarm of invective and bitter words, with Democratic incumbent Sean Casten and GOP challenger Jeanne Ives battling over how the COVID-19 epidemic is being handled.

Ives says Casten allies have accused her of being “a killer” and her campaign charged that he is “stoking anger, fear and division.” Meanwhile the Republican National Committee circulated copies of an article by a conservative Washington newspaper that accused Casten of “pushing Chinese propaganda.” […]

Casten said he also has been critical of the Chinese government. “I’m not saying for a second that they didn’t distort things.”

* The NRCC reacted to the Hinz story by sending out an email today with the subject line: Casten keeps siding with Chinese Communist regime…

Hi –

Once again, Sean Casten is peddling lies, this time about how he’s been critical of China’s handling of the deadly coronavirus.

But Casten has not been critical of China.

He’s been an asset for China’s Communist Party by helping spread their propaganda repeatedly.

Meanwhile Casten accuses the administration’s press briefings of killing Americans.

NRCC Comment: “It is staggering that Sean Casten continues to side with the Chinese Communist regime, which is responsible for the current global pandemic, and blames official United States press briefings for killing Americans.” - NRCC Spokeswoman Carly Atchison

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:28 pm

Comments

Casten has two things going for him right now…

Jeanne Ives and Trump.

Can’t talk health care, so talk “Chinese”

These attacks are to gin up the angry white base.

No solution to anything, but… Trump’s GOP isn’t big on solutions.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:38 pm
They had to add the word Communist, the ancient buzzword that riles up the aging and shrinking GOP base.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:42 pm
It’s a wash. I don’t believe the NRCC or China.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:43 pm
Casten is a hypocrite who is using the crises for political gain but then turns around and gets mad at Rs calling him out.

Comment by Lord of the fries Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:44 pm
OW: No solution to anything, but… Trump’s GOP isn’t big on solutions.

Sure they are. They just see the problem differently. The problem isn’t “how do we address this health crisis.” The problem is “how do we win this election?” And their solution is McCarthyism

Well, it worked once, for a time. And besides, what else have they got, with a nominee like Ives?

Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:44 pm
Great talking points for moving votes in a Republican primary, but a general election in a suburban swing district?

Maybe they’re prioritizing turning out the base over persuading moderate women? Or maybe the national GOP just reflexively cranks out this hyperbole with little thought of strategy.

Comment by Roman Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:46 pm
=== “how do we win this election?” And their solution is McCarthyism===

You’re not wrong.

Dunno how that will help with suburban women… with Ives…

Yep, you’re not wrong.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:46 pm
This will put off many potential Republican voters in that suburban area, if not simply ignored.

NRCC should let Jeanne Ives determine the political messaging that could work in that district. She was the best all-around critic of Rauner.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:54 pm
I read this garbage and I’m just so happy that we have a Democratic governor. Imagine an R governor, siding with Trump, no matter how many lies he pumps out to the public. I use to be able to see the positive and negative points of each party, but Republicans have gone so far off the rails, they’re beyond redemption.

Comment by Lake County Mom Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:56 pm
Nice chutzpah from the National Russian Congressional Committee.

Comment by Northsider Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 12:59 pm
This reeks of desperation. I’m sure there is video of Trump praising China.

Look forward to voting for Casten. Doubt I will be able to knock on doors.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:00 pm
=== She (Ives) was the best all-around critic of Rauner.===

They went “one” ad too far from taking the governor out in the primary.

What you’re so right about, is that Ives is seeming so close to tapping something that can be far reaching but seemingly chooses to retract to a base she can’t build on by pandering, by pandering directly to it so crassly, and so often needlessly.

I’m glad she makes that continued mistake.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:02 pm
this goes with Trump of yesterday. treating a report, from Hong Kong, weirdly. asking her if China owned her newspaper. also, double standard. does Ivanka still have her business making things in China?

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:09 pm
Cool, so does this mean we can go back to pointing out how trump said that he had everything under very great control and that the US would go from fifteen Covid—19 cases to zero by late February and that this would all disappear once warmer weather arrived? Or is that conversation still off limits? I ask because I was told repeatedly that no one should be “politicizing this tragedy”, but the NRCC seems to think otherwise.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:21 pm
I have been teaching international students and business representatives from China for the last 12 years. My experience is that they are wonderful people. We understand that we have different forms of government. The Chinese are coping well with the virus, so by-the-way are the South Koreans. Casten’s remarks were accurate. The Republican’s attack just displays how much the Republican Party a degenerated in the last 20 years. Twenty years ago this type of rhetoric would have been called out by the Republican leadership.Where have they gone?

Comment by Professor Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:27 pm
So are we done calling Democrats socialists? I need to update my notes … Communists are bad, socialists now not a “thing”

Comment by The Real Captain Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:30 pm
The comment sections on this blog have become a fetid swamp of Trump derangement syndrome cultists. It is widely known that China kept vital information under wraps for months. They are the true villains, and any elected officials siding with them in any way should be called out. When the crisis fades and this becomes abundantly clear, Casten’s pro-China stance will leave a lingering stain on him.

Comment by Bored Chairman Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:30 pm
==The comment sections on this blog have become a fetid swamp of Trump derangement syndrome cultists. ==

Then leave. Nobody is forcing you to be here. There are plenty of sites out there that will tell you what you want to hear about our Dear Leader.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:34 pm
”China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President XiI”

-President Trump on Twitter, March 2020

Wonder when Ives and NRCC are going to call Trump a Communist propagandist

Comment by ItsMillerTime Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:35 pm
- Bored Chairman -

=== When the crisis fades and this becomes abundantly clear===

You mean when it magically disappears, it’s like the flu.., I thought the administration had a handle on this…

The very last think Trumpkins want is a rehashing of the responses to the virus.

Heck the President’s campaign is trying to keep the President’s own words off the air.

You can find lots of blogs that ignore Trump’s ridiculousness…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:38 pm
Bored Chairman: This is the difference. Having read the above comments, I don’t see any evidence of “Casten’s pro-China stance”. I guess I need to go get that partisan lens I hear so much about.

Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:52 pm
Sean Casten is a Communist.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha

I mean, having spent a good amount of time with Sean, I think it’s fairly clear that…

nah I’ll just stick with
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahahhahhhahahahha

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 1:57 pm
I was just sent a recording of a man who worked on the 5G Network. He claims Corona is caused by high freqencies. Has anyone else?

Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 2:01 pm
There is a deep, deep well of Trump praising Chinese authoritarianism and of trusting President Xi’s word over the American news media’s. If anyone wants to go Google searching for it. A bit off topic, so I’ll leave it there.

Comment by ZC Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 2:05 pm
This whole thing about trying to pin this all on China now is hilarious.

On the one hand they lied, and because of their lies we were prevented from acting effectively to prevent the spread of the virus. On the other hand the travel restrictions he put on China at the very beginning of February, a whole two months ago, were a miracle for us which prevented untold deaths.

Which is it. Were we helpless and unable to act because the Chinese were hiding the virus, or did we act and save lives because we were aware of it.

Comment by Nick Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 2:08 pm
— which is it?—

Probably some of both.

Comment by Captain Who Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 2:48 pm
Jeanne Ives does realize that she’s running in the northern and western suburbs of Chicago right? This messaging doesn’t work with an educated and informed electorate.

Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 3:29 pm
@Generic Drone

=I was just sent a recording of a man who worked on the 5G Network. He claims Corona is caused by high freqencies. Has anyone else?=

I have not heard the recording, but this is utter nonsense. 5G doesn’t “cause” coronavirus, nor does it give children cancer. And it won’t make people taller, have brighter teeth, or grow a 3rd eye.

The anti-5G people have reached their conclusions about 5G not through science, but from the internet, you know, as in “I know it’s true because I read it on the internet”.

5G is safe, people.

It’s easier to scare people into believing a falsehood than it is to convince them otherwise.

Comment by Colin O'Scopy Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 3:42 pm
You mean PF Flyers really didn’t make you run faster or jump higher?

Comment by Captain Who Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 4:12 pm
Captain who- they do. Just ask Benny The Jet Rodriguez.

Comment by Ike Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 5:34 pm
@Generic Drone -

That is false, and dangerously so.

It results in this sort of thing: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/06/at-least-20-uk-phone-masts-vandalised-over-false-5g-coronavirus-claims and this https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/03/broadband-engineers-threatened-due-to-5g-coronavirus-conspiracies

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Apr 7, 20 @ 7:21 pm