New York's Two Loudest Democrats Dead Silent on Ground Zero Mosque
Rep. Anthony Weiner and Sen. Chuck Schumer are two of New York's loudest Democratic politicians. They love to opine on everything! Except, strangely, on the issue of the Ground Zero Mosque. Why such deafening silence from these two flappy-mouths?
The Washington Post's Greg Sargent has been hounding both Weiner's and Schumer's offices after noticing the bizarre silence from both regarding the proposed Islamic community center two blocks from Ground Zero. Why, for example, would Anthony Weiner — who enjoys shouting on the floor of the House of Representatives and then writing New York Times op-eds about the experience — not want to chime in during this National Conversation on Muslims?
But there's one thing Weiner doesn't seem willing to talk about, or at least he hasn't yet: The highly controversial plan for an Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero.
I can't get Weiner's office to say whether he defends plans to build the Islamic center or whether he sides with many Republicans and with the Anti-Defamation League and opposes it. I've been asking for two days now, and his office was promising yesterday to make him available to discuss the issue. But suddenly, his spokesman went quiet and stopped answering calls and emails.
I asked Chuck Schumer's office for his position on the Islamic center this morning. All his spokesman would say is that he "not opposed" to the plan. Asked for Schumer's views of the opposition, and asked if he actively supports the right of the center's builders to put it two blocks from Ground Zero, Schumer's spokesman declined to elaborate and said Schumer was declining an interview.
Schumer is also refusing to answer direct questions from reporters about this topic. This isn't good enough.
Sounds like these two folks are worried about hurting people's feelings — especially Weiner, who wants to be mayor in 2013. They should get over that. Michael Bloomberg gave a rigorous, eloquent defense yesterday, and the city's still standing.
Related: Let's Give Michael Bloomberg a Hand
[Images via AP]