Inconvenient links of the week: Obama and the LaRouche poster

By Michelle Malkin  •  August 19, 2009 01:12 PM

John McCormack: CNN Fails to Report Woman Comparing Obama to Hitler is a Lyndon LaRouche Democrat.

Here’s the CNN video:

Seton Motley: NBC, CNN and MSNBC All Assign Communist LaRouche’s Obama-Hitler Poster to Conservatives, Limbaugh

Hot Air Pundit has video/screenshot of the LaRouche PAC poster/table outside the Barney Frank town hall.

Posted in: Health care

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Comments


  1. #101
    On August 20th, 2009 at 9:47 am, James Felix said:

    Setting aside the misattributed poster, are you really trying to claim that there is not a TON of Hitler/Nazi rhetoric coming from the right?

    No. What we’re saying is that it’s not nearly as widespread or mainstream on the Right as it has been on the Left. It’s not even close.

    On the Right we marginalize and disavow our nutjobs. On the Left you come within a few votes of nominating them for President.

    I’d also like to point out that even the worst rhetoric on the right, coming from the most isolated crazies, can’t compete with the hateful loonies that the President of the United States has sought advice from his entire adult life. Actual, unapologetic racists and violent terrorists.

    So we’re not saying the Right is 100% pure when it comes to irresponsible rhetoric. What we are saying is that the Left lives in the flimsiest of glass houses on this issue and really ought to stop throwing stones.

  2. #103
    On August 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am, chapoutier said:

    No. What we’re saying is that it’s not nearly as widespread or mainstream on the Right as it has been on the Left. It’s not even close.

    Really? I will admit the left has a rabid and prolific base in Kos and DU. However, like the Platte River, crap like that is a mile wide and a foot deep. Not too many people really care that a bunch of yahoos, on either side, sit around their computer and spew out silly stuff like this.

    But when was the last time you heard many of the most powerful members of the of the Democratic Party refer to Bush as Hitler or a Nazi, as Limbaugh and Coulter have done? What is really more damaging? 10 million posts from 10 thousand nobodies on a website no one reads or one comment from the most powerful conservatives out there, that not only reaches directly millions of listeners, but millions more when it is replayed by the media?

    On the Right we marginalize and disavow our nutjobs.

    I’m guessing we probably have differing definitions of “nutjob”. But in any case, I certainly haven’t seen the right disavowing itself of Rush.

    So we’re not saying the Right is 100% pure when it comes to irresponsible rhetoric. What we are saying is that the Left lives in the flimsiest of glass houses on this issue and really ought to stop throwing stones.

    And if this were only about hypocrisy, that argument would fly. But its not. Many here are justifying their rhetoric by claiming it is what the left did to Bush.

    It’s funny how quick people are to call lgm out when they think he’s arguing tu quoque but ignore it from other posters here.

  3. #104
    On August 20th, 2009 at 10:55 am, John Deaux said:

    There is a significant difference between describing a country heading down a road that is against it’s core founding document and potentially parallels one of history’s worst regimes and simply hurling the name “Hitler” as an insult.

    So exactly when is it acceptable to compare an administrations tactics and policies to Nazi Germany? How will we ever avoid a repeat if making the comparison is a crime in itself?

  4. #105
    On August 20th, 2009 at 11:02 am, Salt said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 10:29 am, chapoutier said:

    But when was the last time you heard many of the most powerful members of the of the Democratic Party refer to Bush as Hitler or a Nazi

    It wasn’t all that long ago that Pelosi (yes, I know you don’t like her) painted a picture of Obamacare protesters as being swastika carriers.

    And if this were only about hypocrisy, that argument would fly. But its not. Many here are justifying their rhetoric by claiming it is what the left did to Bush.

    On this I’ll agree. However, I don’t know if it’s justification or pointing out the irony of leaders from the left (or the MSM in this case) acting as if this is a one-way street.

    It’s funny how quick people are to call lgm out when they think he’s arguing tu quoque but ignore it from other posters here.

    That’s why we have you here. ;)

    However, isn’t this statement a bit of a tu quoque complaining about tu quoques?

  5. #106
    On August 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am, Dimsdale said:

    But when was the last time you heard many of the most powerful members of the of the Democratic Party refer to Bush as Hitler or a Nazi, as Limbaugh and Coulter have done?

    Pelosi comes to mind, but are you comparing the power and authority of commentators like Bush and Coulter to “the most powerful members of the of the Democratic Party”?

    That is a bit of a stretch.

  6. #107
    On August 20th, 2009 at 11:04 am, Salt said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 10:55 am, John Deaux said:

    There is a significant difference between describing a country heading down a road that is against it’s core founding document and potentially parallels one of history’s worst regimes and simply hurling the name “Hitler” as an insult.

    Agreed. Flinching from any comparison to history is a great way to ensure it’s repeated. Assuming there’s substance behind why the comparison is made.

  7. #109
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, chapoutier said:

    It wasn’t all that long ago that Pelosi (yes, I know you don’t like her) painted a picture of Obamacare protesters as being swastika carriers.

    Here is her quote:

    PELOSI: I think they are Astroturf — you be the judge — of carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town hall meeting on health care.

    She is not calling them Nazis. She is accusing them of going to town halls aiming Nazi rhetoric at Obama. Which is accurate, and entirely different.

    Next please.

    So exactly when is it acceptable to compare an administrations tactics and policies to Nazi Germany? How will we ever avoid a repeat if making the comparison is a crime in itself?

    When they are applicable and not used for shock value. There are dozens of countries that have health care systems in place that are actually analogous to what is being proposed.

    But all I am hearing from the right is: “You know who else was interested in “health care”? HITLER!” Same with “You know who else liked gun control? HITLER!” (N.B.: Gun rights for non-Jewish German citizens were actually greatly expanded during the Nazi regime). How is that even remotely apt or helpful? It is pure and simple a smear tactic without substance.

    However, I don’t know if it’s justification or pointing out the irony of leaders from the left (or the MSM in this case) acting as if this is a one-way street.

    If it were not justification, there would be more condemning from more than a handful of people here. Instead we have the opposite. Idiots like atheling actually adding fuel to the fire.

    Pelosi comes to mind, but are you comparing the power and authority of commentators like Bush and Coulter to “the most powerful members of the of the Democratic Party”?

    Link please. Or did you mean that non-example cited above?

  8. #110
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:21 pm, Salt said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, chapoutier said:

    Link please. Or did you mean that non-example cited above?

    Non-example? I believe I treat your comments with a bit more respect, Chap.

    Pelosi’s comment made sense to you because you included the dose of reality (although outside of one incident her office much later referenced, the swastika pictures weren’t as prolific as she suggested). Pelosi’s comment, to someone that isn’t paying attention, could have been interpreted as though they were acting like Nazis. It was a careless comment.

    They still haven’t proven the Astroturf claim, either, despite all the Astroturfing efforts being made on their own behalf. If anything, Big Insurers and Big Pharma have been in support of Obamacare for the increase of business expected from the mandates. It’s not in the insurance company’s interest to fund astroturfing operations.

  9. #111
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:32 pm, chapoutier said:

    Pelosi’s comment made sense to you because you included the dose of reality (although outside of one incident her office much later referenced, the swastika pictures weren’t as prolific as she suggested). Pelosi’s comment, to someone that isn’t paying attention, could have been interpreted as though they were acting like Nazis. It was a careless comment.

    Couple things, I apologize for the “non-example” I was not trying to be rude to you. I was just trying to indicate that I did NOT think the example that I think he was citing was applicable.

    And I agree that it was at best an overbroad comment. And I also agree that the whole “astroturf” claim is unproven (and actually not really relevant in my mind. Who cares if they are being organized at a higher level? It doesn’t make any point more or less salient.)

    But none of that changes the fact she was clearly, in the context of what she was asked and what had been occurring to at least some extent in these meetings, NOT comparing these people to Nazis. She was criticizing protesters that go to these meetings and accuse Obama of being a Nazi.

  10. #112
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, Salt said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:32 pm, chapoutier said:

    Couple things, I apologize for the “non-example” I was not trying to be rude to you.

    Appreciated.

    But none of that changes the fact she was clearly, in the context of what she was asked and what had been occurring to at least some extent in these meetings, NOT comparing these people to Nazis. She was criticizing protesters that go to these meetings and accuse Obama of being a Nazi.

    My point, I suppose, was that politicians have not been above engaging in the Nazi/Hitler rhetoric. It’s just become part of the landscape, so it’s curious when those same politicians suddenly become thin-skinned. In Pelosi’s case, she made the overbroad comment and tried to paint all protesters in the same brush. From her view, anyone that disagrees was someone that was either astroturfed or carried Nazi signs. That’s not even close to describing the majority of protesters and I believe she knows it. It was intellectually dishonest.

    Another example, although I concede that Baird is not necessarily a leader:

    “What we’re seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics,” Baird, D-Vancouver, said in a phone interview. “I mean that very seriously.”

  11. #113
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm, John Deaux said:

    It seems to me that Durbin made a Nazi comment back not too long ago.

    Also, You mention Limbaugh and Coulter. A more fair comparison would be Randi Rhodes and Franken when he was on the air. Liberal talk radio has had a great many inflammatory things to say, as have other non-radio personalities (comparable to Coulter).

  12. #114
    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm, John Deaux said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, Salt said:
    From her view, anyone that disagrees was someone that was either astroturfed or carried Nazi signs.

    That’s the plan. Get potential protesters to stay home, afraid they’ll be associated with Nazis if they show up.

  13. #115
    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm, chapoutier said:

    Also, You mention Limbaugh and Coulter. A more fair comparison would be Randi Rhodes and Franken when he was on the air. Liberal talk radio has had a great many inflammatory things to say, as have other non-radio personalities (comparable to Coulter).

    I actually had looked for some comparable quotes from either of them wrt Bush. Didn’t find any right off the bat. But in all honesty, comparing Rhodes to Limbaugh is apples to oranges. Limbaugh is one of the few people that you could seriously say represents the face of the Republican party (or conservative movement).

    The Baird example is good. And by good I mean bad for Baird. He should apologize for that.

  14. #116
    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:38 pm, Major O said:

    A key point for me is that when Conservatives use the comparison wrt Obama, the similarities don’t involve either Hitler’s genocidal attack on European Jewry or his aggressive war on Europe.

    Leaving out those two things, which is what every Conservative that I’ve heard use it does, what is so objectionable about the comparison? Rational arguments can be made to support the comparison so why the immediate and vehement outrage?

    When the Left uses the comparison, it was often to suggest that Bush was a bloodletter, a murderer and so on.

  15. #117
    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:48 pm, Major O said:

    It seems as if it’s just an attempt to discredit or invalidate a person as “serious” by making the Hitler comparison off-limits. Any mention of “Hitler” and {insert name here} is ironclad proof of your unseriousness.
    Of course, Al Gore can make a reference to “brownshirts” no problem.

  16. #118
    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:59 pm, John Deaux said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm, chapoutier said:
    Limbaugh is one of the few people that you could seriously say represents the face of the Republican party (or conservative movement).

    Trust me, those are two separate entities and they seem to be getting farther apart by the day.

    You need to find someone in an official party position to make a fair comparison. Like Michael Steele vs. Howard Dean.

  17. #119
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm, Major O said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 2:59 pm, John Deaux said:

    You need to find someone in an official party position to make a fair comparison. Like Michael Steele vs. Howard Dean.

    And as well, you need to look at the substance of the comparison. Saying that NO comparison whatsoever can be made between someone and Hitler is arbitrary.

    Make the comparison and judge the results, but to ban the comparison out-of-hand doesn’t make sense. From everything I understand, Stalin was every bit the scourge Hitler was and yet Levin routinely calls the Left Stalinists and there is no outrage (and I happen to agree with Levin).

    Hitler has just become a symbol, shorthand for “most evil political leader ever” and so ANY comparison between him and anyone else is immediately deemed over-the-top, nevermind the fact that real and substantive comparisons can be made between the political philosophy, policies, tactics, rhetoric, and style of Hitler and contemporary political leaders.

    Once the comparison is made, it can stand and fall on its merits, but to dismiss it out-of-hand doesn’t follow.

  18. #120
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:19 pm, chapoutier said:

    Once the comparison is made, it can stand and fall on its merits, but to dismiss it out-of-hand doesn’t follow.

    Yes I can dismiss it out of hand. Because they are not arguing merits. I have yet to see one actual point by point comparison of German Nazi health care to the current US proposal. (And, to be fair, neither have I seen a point by point comparison of how rude people at Town Halls are anything like the actual brownshirts). People are simply invoking Hitler exactly to invoke those irrelevant things you spoke of before. If that wasn’t their purpose, you could point to a hell of a lot of other places and governments that have a health care system closer to what is being proposed. But their concern is not a fair comparison. Their concern is pure sensationalism.

  19. #121
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:23 pm, chapoutier said:

    You need to find someone in an official party position to make a fair comparison. Like Michael Steele vs. Howard Dean.

    I don’t see why official vs non-official is at all relevant. I am talking about the difference between the powerful with real influence and hopefully a real sense of responsibility about that power (whether “official” or not) as opposed to a bunch of mouth breathers on a message board.

    Who is the most powerful figure on the left that made a claim about Bush as Limbaugh made about Obama?

  20. #122
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pm, Major O said:

    Yes I can dismiss it out of hand. Because they are not arguing merits. I have yet to see one actual point by point comparison of German Nazi health care to the current US proposal. (And, to be fair, neither have I seen a point by point comparison of how rude people at Town Halls are anything like the actual brownshirts). People are simply invoking Hitler exactly to invoke those irrelevant things you spoke of before. If that wasn’t their purpose, you could point to a hell of a lot of other places and governments that have a health care system closer to what is being proposed. But their concern is not a fair comparison. Their concern is pure sensationalism.

    That’s not what I’ve heard Rush doing, for example, and I’ve heard him say it on occasion. And he is one of the examples you mentioned, particularly as he is somehow supposedly the face of the Republican party. It’s not what Mark Levin or Jonah Goldberg have done, either. Not everyone who makes the Hitler comparison is part of the “they” you mention above. It’s not fair to the facts to conflate all comparisons as the same and then dismiss the entirety out-of-hand based on the actions of one of the parties that you conflated.

    As far as pointing to a lot of other places for comparison, that’s ALL I’VE HEARD since Day 1 from most every prominent Conservative: “Look at Canada! Look at the UK! Their systems suck!” In fact, it seems to me that that has been the BULK of comparisons being made with respect to the healthcare issue.

  21. #123
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:44 pm, Major O said:

    Who is the most powerful figure on the left that made a claim about Bush as Limbaugh made about Obama?

    Why is the explicit mention of the name “Hitler” the litmus test? What about other equally odious or over-the-top comments?

    Cynthia McKinney said Bush knew about 9/11 and let it happen anyways, suggesting he was willing to see Americans dead in order to start up the war. Ted Kennedy said the war was cooked up in Crawford, TX, also implying that the President was willing to sacrifice the lives of American soldiers for his own ends. Prior to those two, Al Gore suggested Bush had “digital brownshirts” working for him to support what he deemed a reckless war and said that the administration supported torture of detainees. And that’s just off the top of my head.

    Point being, a lot of really, really hateful things said about Bush and about Republicans in general that in my opinion, rise to the same level as trying to insinuate that a person is as terrible as Hitler was to the Jews. Why no outrage about that? Why is the actual use of the Hitler comparison somehow sooo much worse than all those things?

    If we’re going to be outraged, then by all means, lets be outraged and contemptuous of ALL over-the-top rhetoric.

  22. #124
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:46 pm, Major O said:

    That’s not what I’ve heard Rush doing, for example, and I’ve heard him say it on occasion. And he is one of the examples you mentioned, particularly as he is somehow supposedly the face of the Republican party. It’s not what Mark Levin or Jonah Goldberg have done, either.

    Let me clarify that what I mean is that they attempt to substantiate the comparison. I have not heard any of those gentlemen discuss the healthcare issue by way of comparison with Nazi Germany’s healthcare system.

  23. #125
    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:53 pm, chapoutier said:

    That’s not what I’ve heard Rush doing, for example, and I’ve heard him say it on occasion.

    So when Limbaugh said that Obama’s health care reform symbol was “right out of Adolf Hitler’s playbook” he was making a substantive argument on the merits? Please. He was being purposely provocative and sensationalist. And slimy. Again, if you can point me to an actual detailed study of health care in Nazi Germany as compared with the proposed plan and explain to me why it is an apt comparison, I will be happy to listen.

    As far as pointing to a lot of other places for comparison, that’s ALL I’VE HEARD since Day 1 from most every prominent Conservative: “Look at Canada! Look at the UK! Their systems suck!” In fact, it seems to me that that has been the BULK of comparisons being made with respect to the healthcare issue.

    That is not ALL you’ve heard, obviously. Because you have also heard the comparisons to Nazi Germany. I have no problem with comparisons and studies to Canada or England or whatever, even though those are not entirely on the mark either.

  24. #126
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:01 pm, chapoutier said:

    And, point of order. The fact that something was instituted by an evil regime does not make the policy in and of itself evil.

    Assume you live in a world before Heller. You live in State X that had incredible restrictions on gun ownership. You had to be twenty years old to own a gun. All ammunition and guns had to be registered. Certain classes were exempt from registration laws, but not many. You had to apply for a new gun permit every year.

    Now, say your governor proposed a law which:

    Dropped the minimum age to 18;
    Increased the life of a valid permit to 3 years;
    Deregulated ammunition, rifles and shotguns;
    Greatly expanded the number of classes of people exempt from handgun registration.

    My bet is that you would not run around comparing that policy to the Nazi’s 1938 Weapons law. You may not think it is enough, but my guess you would not spit on it and start claiming we are on the same road as Nazi Germany.

  25. #127
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:11 pm, Major O said:

    So when Limbaugh said that Obama’s health care reform symbol was “right out of Adolf Hitler’s playbook” he was making a substantive argument on the merits? Please. He was being purposely provocative and sensationalist. And slimy. Again, if you can point me to an actual detailed study of health care in Nazi Germany as compared with the proposed plan and explain to me why it is an apt comparison, I will be happy to listen.

    I don’t think it was slimy at all. Did Hitler not have a technique or an approach to how he attempted to influence the masses? Why is it out-of-bounds to say that Obama looks as if he is copying those techniques? “Slimy” is your reaction to it but I didn’t see a single “slimy” thing in it at all. Whether the comparison is apt is another question. Rush has also made comparisons between Obama and FDR on a similar note. So what?

    Again, if you can point me to an actual detailed study of health care in Nazi Germany as compared with the proposed plan and explain to me why it is an apt comparison, I will be happy to listen.

    I’m not following why the focus is on Hitler and the healthcare issue? Is that somehow the only legitimate comparison? Last I checked, Obama was the president, a leader of a country, and Obama has a philosophy, tactics, and so on. So was Hitler. Some folks are saying they see similarities. Why are those not fair comparisons?

    That is not ALL you’ve heard, obviously. Because you have also heard the comparisons to Nazi Germany. I have no problem with comparisons and studies to Canada or England or whatever, even though those are not entirely on the mark either.

    Of course it’s not all I’ve heard and I never said it was. I am saying it is the vast MAJORITY of what I heard with respect to the healthcare issue. When I talk with other Conservatives about the proposed healthcare reform legislation, when I visit Conservative web sites where that issue is being discussed, when I listen to Talk Radio on the topic, 95% of the comparisons used to show the wrongheaded nature of Obama’s proposed healthcare reform use Canada and the UK as examples, not the Nazi’s healthcare system.

    The comparisons to Hitler that I’ve heard have been about Obama’s technique at “crowd control” (his use of oratory and large crowds) and so forth. They have not been comparisons relating to healthcare.

  26. #128
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:24 pm, Major O said:

    And of course I get the too-obvious-to-mention point that just because (evil) Guy “A” did “X” and Guy “B” does “X” does not absolutely mean that Guy B is on the road to all that (evil) Guy A became. It’s possible they are doing similar things but headed toward totally different outcomes. No brainer there.

    In fact, I’m not making the Hitler comparison at all!!

    I’m just saying that to outright say, “It’s ‘disgusting’ to make a comparison between Hitler and Obama” isn’t intellectually fair.

    My position is to go ahead and make the comparison and judge the effort. If it is facile and weak, well then the attempt to show similarities fails and the attempt is exposed for the fraud that it is. And there are folks who feel that they can show a number of similarities between Obama and Hitler such that they think they have a real cause to be concerned Obama might partake of some of Hitler’s approach as his term unfolds. Fair enough. But it’s to the point now where someone says, “Obama” and “Hitler” and there is an immediate chorus of “You can’t do that!!” And, given the reaction, as a debate tactic, it’s probably wise to concede and let the comparison go if there is that much heat around it.

    Personally, I don’t make that comparison. I see Obama as much, much closer to FDR, whose policies I think were debilitating (ultimately) to the “American experiment.” In my mind, that’s a much more telling similarity because Obama seems to borrowing a great deal out of FDR’s “playbook.”

  27. #129
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:27 pm, chapoutier said:

    Rush has also made comparisons between Obama and FDR on a similar note. So what?

    I agree. So what. But you know that is not even in the same league as saying someone is like Hitler. That is a carefully chosen comparison meant to cause a visceral reaction. And it is absolutely slimy when he makes up some contrived comparison of a stupid symbol Obama uses on a freaking web page to a Nazi Insignia, and does it for one reason only: So he can have any sort of justification to throw out the word “Hitler!” and watch his rabid little base get all frothy.

    Some folks are saying they see similarities.

    Yeah. Atheling pointed out these “comparisons” which she surely cut and pasted from some chain email she got, a page ago. You can read my comments to them there or just skip below to find my comments in general.

    The comparisons to Hitler that I’ve heard have been about Obama’s technique at “crowd control” (his use of oratory and large crowds) and so forth.

    And you think giving a good speech and drawing a large crowd are legitimate bases of comparison?

    The only thing this is about is simply glomming on to any irrelevant, superficial and/or pitifully thin comparison between the two men to provide some justification for invoking Hitler’s name, and thus associating Obama with the horrible atrocities of that regime. It is NOT about any serious sort of debate on the merits.

  28. #130
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:27 pm, John Deaux said:

    On August 20th, 2009 at 3:23 pm, chapoutier said:

    I don’t see why official vs non-official is at all relevant.

    Well then, can I change my party affiliation and speak for the Democrat party? No. Just as Limbaugh and Coulter don’t speak for Republicans or even conservatives. They’re pundits. That’s all, not spokespersons.

    Just look at the DNC distance itself from LaRouche. Does he speak for the DNC?
    It does make a difference.

  29. #131
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:28 pm, chapoutier said:

    I’m just saying that to outright say, “It’s ‘disgusting’ to make a comparison between Hitler and Obama” isn’t intellectually fair.

    It is to do so and then not provide any sort of actual justification for it. Or to invoke purposely superficial comparisons just so you can try to equate the two men in any way.

  30. #132
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:31 pm, Major O said:

    One more run at the mouth and I’ll stop going on so much about it but I think I have a better way to put it. To me, it’s analoguous to the argument about “support the troops but not the war.”

    I’m one of the troops (a reservist, though) and I have to say I can totally see how someone can hold that position. On that score, I have no end of grief from my Conservative friends. But their argument makes NO SENSE to me.

    Of COURSE you can support someone but not a specific action they take! I supported George Bush, but hated his spending and his softness (as I see it) on illegal immigration. I supported him in that I voted for him twice, thought well of him, wished the best for him and his family, and generally spoke well of him to others, but I totally disagreed with those things mentioned.

    So, contrary to a lot of Conservatives, I absolutely can see how you can support the troops (send cookies, wish them safety, wish them happiness and be proud of their service in general) but also feel they should be disengaged from Iraq.

    I know it seems tenuous, but I see a similarity with the Obama/Hitler discussion. You want to make a comparison between the two with a goal of showing, ultimately, their similarities? Go for it! Whether your argument is successful remains to be seen. But, JUST TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT IS NOT IN ITSELF WRONG. That, in a nutshell, is all I’m saying.

  31. #133
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:36 pm, chapoutier said:

    Well then, can I change my party affiliation and speak for the Democrat party? No. Just as Limbaugh and Coulter don’t speak for Republicans or even conservatives. They’re pundits. That’s all, not spokespersons.

    However they, and especially Limbaugh, knows he is one of the most powerful and influential voices on the right. Name someone more powerful. There is not even anything close to a Rush Limbaugh on the left in terms of power and influence until you start getting into elected officials in the Democratic Party (except maybe Bill Clinton, but when he calls someone a Nazi or Hitler, you can get back to me). So in that sense, Limbaugh does deserve to be compared with elected officials. And I would argue he is more powerful than 90% of them.

    My basic point is that it is not accurate to compare the potential damage of a bunch of geeks on DU or Kos posting on a message board to Limbaugh saying the same thing. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a right to say it. But his right doesn’t make his actions any less damaging or contemptible.

  32. #134
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:48 pm, Major O said:

    I agree. So what. But you know that is not even in the same league as saying someone is like Hitler. That is a carefully chosen comparison meant to cause a visceral reaction. And it is absolutely slimy when he makes up some contrived comparison of a stupid symbol Obama uses on a freaking web page to a Nazi Insignia, and does it for one reason only: So he can have any sort of justification to throw out the word “Hitler!” and watch his rabid little base get all frothy.

    I’d say over 20 million listeners is a lot more than “a little base”. Sounds like you have issues with Limbaugh beyond this topic. Love him or hate him, he is the greatest radio phenomenon to date.

    But anyways, it’s NOT just the “speaking”, it’s the whole theatre of Obama that was compared. The greek columns (insert a huge “what the??” here) and the symbols (which, some are saying are very similar. I haven’t looked at comparisons of those side-by-side so I don’t know) and so on.

    I have seen lists like that in this thread where someone notes things that Hitler’s regime did and what Obama proposes, and frankly, I find some of them spot on. Big whoop. I don’t think Obama is purposefully mimicking Hitler at all. I think he is doing a number of things that the “Left” in general has done in the past and some of those are what Hitler’s regime did as well.

    And I have also seen for over 8 years, people evoke all KINDS of associations about George Bush and Republicans in general to evoke reactions in people and those associations have been EVERY FREAKIN’ BIT AS HATEFUL as what you suggest here about Obama and I haven’t heard a DAMN official Democrat or pundit decry those. So, even if we find someone purposefully sliming Obama with the comparison, why exactly are we supposed to be uniquely upset about that?

    And finally, lest it be forgotten in all the yakking, Conservatives weren’t the first to bring up the Hitler comparisons. Al Gore was quick to bring it up years ago and the Left continued it relentlessly for the 8 years of Bush’s administration. I certainly don’t remember any “Clinton is like Hitler” arguments…

  33. #135
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:51 pm, Major O said:

    My basic point is that it is not accurate to compare the potential damage of a bunch of geeks on DU or Kos posting on a message board to Limbaugh saying the same thing. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a right to say it. But his right doesn’t make his actions any less damaging or contemptible.

    My basic counterpoint would be that they can be JUST AS powerful in the aggregate as Rush is by himself. Just because you can’t point to a single person as popular and influential on the Left (not even poor Jon Stewart) doesn’t mean that as a whole, the collective voice of HuffPo, Kos, DU, endless comedians, movies, movie stars, television show hosts and academia don’t wield an influence at LEAST as powerful (if not more so) than Limbaugh.

  34. #136
    On August 20th, 2009 at 4:58 pm, chapoutier said:

    My basic counterpoint would be that they can be JUST AS powerful in the aggregate as Rush is by himself.

    I’m trying to recall a major Bush initiative that was at best being significantly distracted from and at worst in danger of being totally derailed, by KosKidz calling Bush Hitler.

  35. #137
    On August 20th, 2009 at 5:01 pm, Major O said:

    It’s been fun. I have to run. I left something on in my car and now the battery is dead. Sigh.

  36. #138
    On August 20th, 2009 at 5:08 pm, Major O said:

    I’m trying to recall a major Bush initiative that was at best being significantly distracted from and at worst in danger of being totally derailed, by KosKidz calling Bush Hitler.

    Again, it doesn’t HAVE TO BE HITLER. Why are you limiting the vilification to just Hitler? How about the Iraq war as a major initiative that was ’significantly distracted’ by the Moveon, Kos, DU, HuffPo, et al ranting about “atrocities” and “war crimes” that never happened?

    You have utterly lost me on the requirement that the word Hitler has to be involved somehow in order for it to warrant condemnation. I would think charging that the President was a murderer and torturer were pretty hateful in themselves would be enough.

  37. #139
    On August 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pm, chapoutier said:

    I am focusing on Hitler/Nazi etc…because that is what the thread is about. And I think it is particularly offensive.

    How about the Iraq war as a major initiative that was ’significantly distracted’ by the Moveon, Kos, DU, HuffPo, et al ranting about “atrocities” and “war crimes” that never happened?

    Wait…how again was the Iraq War thwarted? Aren’t we STILL there? Was any appropriation bill for military spending ever not passed with exactly how much the White House asked for?

  38. #140
    On August 20th, 2009 at 5:28 pm, Morgan said:

    On August 19th, 2009 at 3:13 pm, chapoutier said:
    Left Anti-Jewish — Nazi Very Anti-Jewish
    And yet the political affiliation of Jewish people is HEAVILY slanted to the Democratic Party. I guess you just know what’s better for them than they do.

    There’s two likely reasons for continued Jewish support of the Democratic Party: 1) party loyalty runs deep in families 2) some Jews are leftists; as anti-Israel as some leftists are anti-American. But hey, I guess you know everything.

    Left Anti-Individual gun ownership —Nazi Very Anti-Individual Gun ownership
    Yeah…the Nazi’s 1938 gun law that: deregulated completely rifles and shot guns, deregulated ammunition, lowered the age of carrying a firearm from 20 to 18, increased the time for a valid permit from one to three years, increased the classes of people exempt from gun permit requirements…
    Sounds really anti-gun to me. Of course it did exclude the Jews from owning guns, but that is more about the antisemitism than any sort of anti-gun stance.

    And yet, gun registration remained the law of the land, with manufacturers & dealers having to keep records on who bought the guns and the serial numbers of the guns. Sounds really like a pro-gun stance to me.

    Left Pro Abortion/Eugenics — Nazi Very Pro Abortion/Eugenics
    The Nazis did not believe in a woman’s CHOICE for abortion. If you were Aryan, it was forbidden. If not, it could be forced. Sounds to me like Pro life people have a lot more in common with the Nazis in this respect. It is the State’s decision, not the woman’s.

    And if they weren’t perfect Aryans, policies of abortion and eugenics were readily employed on everybody else. Your comparisons of pro-lifers to Nazis is flimsy, for pro-lifers (like me) don’t support abortion or eugenics. Human life is something we value greatly.

    Nazis have more in common with leftists; in fact, they are leftists.

  39. #141
    On August 20th, 2009 at 5:46 pm, chapoutier said:

    There’s two likely reasons for continued Jewish support of the Democratic Party: 1) party loyalty runs deep in families 2) some Jews are leftists; as anti-Israel as some leftists are anti-American. But hey, I guess you know everything.

    So you are saying that they aren’t smart enough to put heir own self interests ahead of some nebulous concept of “party loyalty”? You don’t think much of Jewish people, do you? Or at least not their capacity for rational thought.

    And yet, gun registration remained the law of the land, with manufacturers & dealers having to keep records on who bought the guns and the serial numbers of the guns. Sounds really like a pro-gun stance to me.

    Well, they were clearly more anti-gun control than the previous regime, weren’t they? Just like Bush was more anti gun control than Clinton. That means…BUSH IS LIKE HITLER!!!

    Your comparisons of pro-lifers to Nazis is flimsy, for pro-lifers (like me) don’t support abortion or eugenics.

    Exactly. You think the state should control it… JUST LIKE HITLER!!!! Never mind that your basis for doing so are entirely different. I will glom onto a superficial comparison and use that to demonize you.

    See what I did there?

    See how easy, and ultimately shallow, all these stupid Hitler references are?

  40. #142
    On August 20th, 2009 at 6:01 pm, Morgan said:

    So you are saying that they aren’t smart enough to put heir own self interests ahead of some nebulous concept of “party loyalty”? You don’t think much of Jewish people, do you? Or at least not their capacity for rational thought.

    I simply stated a likely reason for so many Jews to still support the Democrat Party. Party loyalty is something that’s been around for a long time and transcends ethnicities and races.

    Well, they were clearly more anti-gun control than the previous regime, weren’t they? Just like Bush was more anti gun control than Clinton. That means…BUSH IS LIKE HITLER!!!

    Since when was George W. Bush in favor of national gun registration? Aside from having no objections to keeping the Clinton gun ban, where else did he support gun control? Another flimsy comparison.

    Exactly. You think the state should control it… JUST LIKE HITLER!!!! Never mind that your basis for doing so are entirely different. I will glom onto a superficial comparison and use that to demonize you.

    I believe life begins at conception, and that nobody has the right to deprive unborn children of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Hitler didn’t care about that at all.

    See what I did there?
    See how easy, and ultimately shallow, all these stupid Hitler references are?

    Wow. What an accomplishment. What else can you do? And it doesn’t change the fact that leftists have more in common with Hitler than rightists do.

  41. #143
    On August 20th, 2009 at 6:10 pm, chapoutier said:

    Party loyalty is something that’s been around for a long time and transcends ethnicities and races.

    So what are the traditional party loyalties for white people?

    Another flimsy comparison.

    It’s almost like you are thiiiiiiiis close to getting my point. It is just within your reach like a feather floating in the sky, and then -BAM!!!- you trip and fall on your face and the feather floats away on the breeze.

  42. #144
    On August 20th, 2009 at 6:17 pm, Morgan said:

    So what are the traditional party loyalties for white people?

    Depends on the families; can be Democrat or Republican.

    It’s almost like you are thiiiiiiiis close to getting my point. It is just within your reach like a feather floating in the sky, and then -BAM!!!- you trip and fall on your face and the feather floats away on the breeze.

    I got your point the second you brought it up, but I wonder if you got my point on the irrelevancy of it, and on the fact that Nazis and leftists are one and the same.

  43. #145
    On August 20th, 2009 at 6:28 pm, chapoutier said:

    Depends on the families; can be Democrat or Republican.

    No no. Don’t back off now. You say that Jews have traditional political loyalties. And, I’ll bet you would say the same of blacks or Latinos. Why not whites as a race? Are whites just better able to think for themselves?

    I got your point the second you brought it up,

    This:

    and on the fact that Nazis and leftists are one and the same.

    clearly indicates you didn’t.

  44. #146
    On August 20th, 2009 at 7:07 pm, Morgan said:

    No no. Don’t back off now. You say that Jews have traditional political loyalties. And, I’ll bet you would say the same of blacks or Latinos. Why not whites as a race? Are whites just better able to think for themselves?

    How many Jews have supported the Democrats over the Republicans? How many blacks and Hispanics have supported the Democrats over the Republicans? The answer is a clear majority on all counts. The Democrats have done a good job in the past of projecting the image of themselves as the party of minorities.

    As for party loyalty, it has in the past depended on families, regardless of race or ethnicity, and it still does with particular families.

    This:
    and on the fact that Nazis and leftists are one and the same.
    clearly indicates you didn’t.

    Wrong. You do not get it.

  45. #147
    On August 20th, 2009 at 9:02 pm, zeroangel said:

    Wow. I will never catch up with this thread, but I will just throw in my two cents and leave.

    Barney Frank is right. I didn’t like the Bush is Hitler nonsense and I don’t like this either.

    I don’t care what party the lady hailed from. She was wrong and Frank was right.

    OK see you guys.

  46. #148
    On August 20th, 2009 at 9:05 pm, zeroangel said:

    In addition. Anyone that reports this and tries to give the impression this woman is representive of Republicans as a whole is wrong also.

    There. That should cover all my bases.

  47. #149
    On August 21st, 2009 at 12:34 am, chapoutier said:

    The Democrats have done a good job in the past of projecting the image of themselves as the party of minorities.

    And I guess the poor dumb minorities are too thick to see through the obvious ruse?

    Wrong. You do not get it.

    I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I probably get the point I myself was trying to make.

    Goodnight. Don’t let the brownshirts bite.

  48. #151
    On August 21st, 2009 at 2:46 am, Morgan said:

    And I guess the poor dumb minorities are too thick to see through the obvious ruse?

    I don’t blame them for falling into the trap, but I blame them for not seeing the truth about the party they have supported over the years, and that goes for the white people that have supported the Democrats blindly as well.

    I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I probably get the point I myself was trying to make.

    That’s a given, but I also got your point, too; it’s irrelevant to me.

    Goodnight. Don’t let the brownshirts bite.

    You, too. And don’t let the purpleshirts bite.

  49. #152
    On August 21st, 2009 at 8:39 am, John Deaux said:

    On August 21st, 2009 at 12:34 am, chapoutier said:

    The Democrats have done a good job in the past of projecting the image of themselves as the party of minorities.

    And I guess the poor dumb minorities are too thick to see through the obvious ruse?

    I know people who actually think of public assistance as “free stuff from the government.” They will never work to better themselves, so they will never repay that assistance through taxes. They believe that the rich should pay more, mostly so they can get more without having to work for it. They would vote for Osama bin Laden if he promised to double their benefits. Needless to say, they voted for Obama.

    And they’re not minorities.

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