How About This!

Thankfully, Nancy Pelosi said all of the right things today:

One of President George W. Bush's fiercest political opponents at home took his side on Thursday, calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a "thug" for his remark that Bush is like the devil.

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is an everyday thug," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference, referring to Chavez' comments in a U.N. General Assembly speech on Wednesday.

"Hugo Chavez abused the privilege that he had, speaking at the United Nations," said Pelosi, a frequent Bush critic. "He demeaned himself and he demeaned Venezuela."

Charlie Rangel too (H/T RedState):

'You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president. If there is any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not. I just want to make it abundantly clear to Hugo Chavez or any other president, do not come to the United States and think because we have problems with our president that any foreigner can come to our country and not think that Americans do not feel offended when you offend our Chief of State'

Incidentally, Chavez is one of many heads of state the U.N. gave a stage too this week, joining such other proud examples of dictatorial strongmen Heads of State as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Raul Castro, Alexander Lukashenko, Evo Morales, and Robert Mugabe. Nothing screams "freedom and democracy" like that crew. At least Ahmadinejad managed to get thousands out to protest his attendance due to his insane ramblings about Israel.