Emanuel calls on GOP to condemn comments

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday condemned anti-Democrat comments from three House Republicans in recent days.

The Illinois Democrat said the comments show the GOP "is at risk of being taken over by the voices of fear and division," The Hill reported.

Emanuel, who chairs House Democratic Caucus, called on House Republicans to repudiate recent remarks made by Reps. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Robin Hayes of North Carolina and Randy Kuhl of New York.

"A party so intent on dividing America is unfit to lead all of America," Emanuel said. "And so I call on my Republican colleagues to disavow these statements. These statements are not worthy of a great nation and a great institution like the United States Congress."

In an appearance last week on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," Bachmann said Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama held "anti-American" views, and Hayes said Saturday at a John McCain rally that "liberals hate real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God."

Kuhl, in an August interview taped by a local television station, said that "the Democratic majority wants the American public to suffer and to hurt so that they can make some political gains at election time."