House Majority Leader Eric Cantor , R-Va., has canceled his planned speech today in Philadelphia at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia; a collection of liberal groups and unions – including Occupy Philadelphia – planned to target him with protests. When I think about the kind of country I want, when I think about the kind of country I want to leave my kids, I think about my grandmother’s story, and how my family got to America in the first place. "The office of the majority leader was informed last night by Capitol Police that the University of Pennsylvania was unable to ensure that the attendance policy previously agreed to could be met,” Cantor spokeswoman Laena Fallon said in a statement. Perhaps you are wondering how in the world are you going to pay off your student loans? "I respect their right to organize, but this isn't the right time and the right place. "There are politicians and others who want to demonize people that have earned success in certain sectors of our society. They claim that these people have now made enough, and haven’t paid their fair share. But pitting Americans against one another tends to deflate the aspirational spirit of our people and fade the American dream," Cantor's text read. There were no plans to disrupt the speech, Morrill said. It appears he does not want to have a conversation with the 99 [percent]." “Wharton is an educational leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, and the majority leader appreciated the invitation to speak with the students, faculty, alumni, and other members of the UPENN community,” she said. Sean Kitchen, a protester and a member of the Occupy Philly outreach committee, said Cantor's cancellation "shows cowardice."
– Eric Cantor canceled a planned speech today on the gap between America's rich and poor after learning it was going to be open to the public—and that Occupy protesters planned to show up in force. Cantor had been due to speak at the Wharton Business School in Philadelphia but pulled out when "informed last night by Capitol Police that the University of Pennsylvania was unable to ensure that the attendance policy previously agreed to could be met," reports the National Journal. Cantor apparently thought it would be open only to students and people associated with the university. Despite his no-show, the protest was still going on, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We want make sure Rep. Cantor knows he can run, but he can't hide," said an organizer. Outside Wharton, chants were going up: "Eric Cantor, can't you see what this movement means to me?" and "Get up, get down, there's a revolution in this town!" The Daily Pennsylvanian has the text of what Cantor was going to say here. Cantor has previously walked back comments referring to OWS protesters as "mobs."