Santorum stoops to the Hitler allusion
Rick Santorum is now polling within the margin of error in Arizona, pulling 33 percent of the vote compared to Mitt Romney’s 36 percent. He is leading by more than 25 percentage points in delegate-rich Texas, with 45 percent compared to just 18 percent for second-place Newt Gingrich. In Ohio, Rasmussen puts the former Pennsylvania senator up by 18 points. He also remains up in the latest poll from Romney’s native state of Michigan.
And the latest out of Gallup gives Santorum a 10-point lead over Romney among Republican voters nationwide, a two-point increase in the rolling five-day average.
In an appearance before thousands of conservative Georgians at a mega-church in Cumming last night, Santorum warned his audience that the stakes in the 2012 election were high, and he employed a highly volatile historical metaphor in driving home that point:
“…. our closest ally Britain was being bombed and leveled, when Japan was spreading its cancer through Southeast Asia, and America sat from 1940 when France fell to December of 1941, and did almost nothing. Why? Because we’re a hopeful people. We think, ‘Well, you know, it’ll get better. Yeah, he’s not, I mean, he’s a nice guy. I mean, it won’t be as near as bad as what we think. I mean, you know, this will be OK. I mean, you know, yeah, maybe he’s not the best guy.’ After a while you found out some things about this guy over in Europe, but he’s not so good of a guy after all. But you know what, why do we need to be involved. we’ll just take care of our own problems. Just get our families off to work and our kids off to school and we’ll be OK. That’s sort of the optimistic spirit of America. But sometimes. Sometimes it’s not OK.>”
Santorum now denies that he was comparing President Obama to Adolph Hitler, explaining that “It’s a War World II metaphor. It’s one I’ve used a hundred times.”
It’s hard to know how much weight to give Santorum’s denial. For example, he continues to paint Obama in dictatorial terms as “a privileged person who should be able to rule over all of you.” He portrays the incumbent as a dire threat to basic religious freedom, arguing that Obama seeks to limit that freedom only to actual worship.
In Obama’s America, he warned Sunday night, “you have the freedom to go into that church and do whatever you want, but once you walk out, you’re ours. You will do what we tell you, not what they tell you.”
Over the weekend, Santorum also attacked ObamaCare’s inclusion of prenatal testing as a mandatory insurance benefit, claiming it is part of a conspiracy to boost the number of abortions performed (Just to be clear, the testing itself is not mandatory. It is only mandatory that insurance companies cover the cost should the pregnant woman elect to have the tests performed.)
“One of the things that you don’t know about Obamacare — one of the mandates — is they require is that free prenatal testing in every insurance policy in America,” he said in Ohio. “Why? Because it saves money in health care. Why? Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and therefore less care that has to be done because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society.”
If you say and sincerely believe things like that about your opponent, then it is perfectly reasonable to take the Hitler comparison as if it was intended.
– Jay Bookman
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© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
428 comments Add your comment
TaxPayer
February 20th, 2012
4:21 pm
And Republicans are saying yeah well you know, this Santorum has his problems but maybe he’s a nice guy, you know…
Paul
February 20th, 2012
4:22 pm
“Santorum now denies that he was comparing President Obama to Adolph Hitler, explaining that “It’s a War World II metaphor. It’s one I’ve used a hundred times.”
It’s hard to know how much weight to give Santorum’s denial. ”
Nonsense. He repeatedly used “He.” As in “He’s a nice guy.” WWII is a nice guy?
Add ‘coward’ to the list of Santorum adjectives.
Okay, Mitt, time to stand back and let the MittPACs have at it.
And time to filet him at the Wednesday debate.
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 20th, 2012
4:27 pm
Don’t like Santorum and anyone using the old Hitler comparison is pretty lame but of course prenatal testing results in more Abortions.
To deny that Dr.s pressure woman with high risk health histories or woman over a certain age to get prenatal tests is naive. The results of these tests result in more Abortions.
Paul
February 20th, 2012
4:29 pm
I’m going to make a safe prediction and predict no Santorum supporters or anti-Obama types will put forth a convincing defense of Santorum’s statement or excuse.
kinda lazy
February 20th, 2012
4:30 pm
santorum is an idiot
Jefferson
February 20th, 2012
4:31 pm
Santorum says the president’s religion is phony, this cat is great representative of the GOP.
Paul
February 20th, 2012
4:37 pm
Looks as if no one cares to defend the indefensible.
Those who won’t defend Santorum still maintain he can beat Pres Obama?
Really?!!?
Granny Godzilla
February 20th, 2012
4:38 pm
Rick don’t have much learnin’ does he?
Re: did almost nothing
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/fdr-foreign/
Santorum 2012
oh please oh please oh please
ty webb
February 20th, 2012
4:40 pm
Paul,
some of us “anti-obama” types are just as much “anti-santorum” types.
Peadawg
February 20th, 2012
4:43 pm
“santorum is an idiot”
That’s all that needs to be said.
New topic!
Brosephus™ - "Anything less would be uncivilized"
February 20th, 2012
4:43 pm
I’m going to make a safe prediction and predict no Santorum supporters or anti-Obama types will put forth a convincing defense of Santorum’s statement or excuse.
Do they ever?? (serious question intended)
Butch Cassidy
February 20th, 2012
4:44 pm
Jay, are you sure that you were quoting Santorum? There are those that believe when a GOP candidate is digging their own grave, that it is somehow the fault of the Democrats or Media Matters.
SportsFan
February 20th, 2012
4:45 pm
First the Jerry Sandusky scandal, then the death of beloved Joe Pa, and now loopy grad Rick Santorum. Can it get any worse for Penn State?
Aquagirl
February 20th, 2012
4:45 pm
This is the logical conclusion to the talk-radio driven party, people who are on the air 3-4 hours a day have to keep upping the ante. Pretty soon you’re saying a vote for Obama is a vote for Auschwitz. And in your little echo chamber, that sounds sane.
josef
February 20th, 2012
4:45 pm
It’s hard to know who’s more bat sh*t crazy in the GOP lot…Santorum comparing Obama to Hitler or Paul and his little brownshirts…Good L-rd, even the Dog Third seems sane by comparison to those two…all three of them are scary…
Jay
February 20th, 2012
4:47 pm
Pretty soon you’re saying a vote for Obama is a vote for Auschwitz. And in your little echo chamber, that sounds sane.
No worries, Aquagirl. As long as we have Newt around to save us from such horrors, that is….
Erwin's cat
February 20th, 2012
4:47 pm
overreaching a bit aren’t we?
Not a fan of Rick S but he was hardly comparing Obama to Hitler
A hammer sees a world of nails
josef
February 20th, 2012
4:48 pm
PAUL
“Really?!!?”
It wouldn’t surprise me…the electorate of this country has gone so unhinged, nothing would surprise me…
Generation$crewed
February 20th, 2012
4:48 pm
Paul
February 20th, 2012
4:29 pm
Not a big Santorum guy, but I do not agree with Obamas general political perspective as I see it, so I hope I will do.
From reading time and again especially the whole quote the one that preceded this portion Jay used (wonder why he skipped over the 1st paragraph) I came to a slightly different conclusion.
One I fear you and know many of the other left leaning types here will not agree with…. but you asked, or made a prediction anyway.
It seems to me Santorum is making an analogy of how a good people, WWII era Americans can overlook wrong doing of different degrees. Many times only being concerned about how their single family is doing. While at the same time being very optimistic things will get better if just left alone.
Could he be saying in his perception many Americans are doing exactly that and just making sure their family is takencare of now in the immediate while hoping things just get better. His message is that you cannot simply wait for things to get better because it has not effected you on your doorstep, but that when there is wrong being done, we must take action. (vote him in and others out)
Maybe over the top, but since in first paragraph he uses Japan specifically as a cancer, and talks of Brittian being bombed and France falling. Just seems to me he could have put Hitler in there if he wanted to make the analogy.
To me what he says in the first 3 sentances of this, but odly Jay chose not to include this in his piece…….
“Your country needs you. It’s not as clear a challenge. Obviously, World War II was pretty obvious. At some point, they knew. But remember, the Greatest Generation, for a year and a half, sat on the sidelines while Europe was under darkness, where our closest ally, Britain, was being bombed and leveled, while Japan was spreading its cancer all throughout Southeast Asia. America sat from 1940, when France fell, to December of ’41, and did almost nothing.”
Jm
February 20th, 2012
4:49 pm
Another tempest in a teapot
Good grief
ty webb
February 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
maxine waters’ echo chamber: Demons…Demons…Demons!
JohnnyReb
February 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
Metahors of WWII history are bound to bring Hitler into the equation whether intended or not. When Santorum draws a direct comparison, then the Left might have a legitimate objection.
Santorum is not afraid to call the Left out on their agenda and to stand up to the Legacy media talking heads who make up Obama’s propaganda machine. Unhappiness on the part of the Left means he is hitting home. The Left is willing to give up Liberty in favor of the nanny state. They want life without consequences and all taxpayers via the governmennt to pay for their bad decisions and irresponsibility. The Right is saying, enough of that.
Common Sense isn't very Common - Papist Independent
February 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
Holy Crap – Is this the best that the GOP has to offer?
carlosgvv
February 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
Jay, this essay shows two things:
1. Santorum and the rest of the Republican leadership have the same fear, comtempt and hatred of women as Muslim leaders.
2. Santorum will stoop to any level, no matter how low, in order to get the nomination.
If remains to be seem if he will get his party’s nomination. If he does, the real question will be – has the American electorate dumbed down to the point of electing this ignorant bigoted politician?
Generation$crewed
February 20th, 2012
4:51 pm
Paul
February 20th, 2012
4:37 pm
dang only 8 minutes now to Know you have posted your prediction, formulate a response, and have it make some sense before you declare yourself correct?
Can you place some bets on the NCAA tournament with this guy I know, maybe he will let you collect winnings 8 days after tournament starts, who cares if it last longer huh?
kayaker 71
February 20th, 2012
4:52 pm
Second Santorum rant of the day…. you really must be worried about this guy Bookman. Your previous rant implied that if you elect a Republican in November, then you won’t mind them making you stick a rather large sonographic instrument up your vagina. So the uninformed out there grab onto this BS and say, “Well, we’ll never vote for that guy” Even provided a picture. So Republicans just don’t like women. They want women to go without contraceptives, they want to insert themselves into every American’s bedroom, telling them how and when they can have sex….. maybe they’ll resurrect some of those old Alabama laws about sodomy. That ought to scare a lot of those faithful clinging to their guns and religion. Now Santorum is comparing Bozo to Hitler…. tomorrow it’ll be Santorum doesn’t like anyone but Christians followed by that ever popular, “Those right wing Christian Jesus nuts don’t care about anyone but themselves”. They are going to take away your Social Security and then your Medicare….. then they’re going to push Granny over the cliff in her wheelchair. All blatant BS, conjured up by a desperate Democratic party who has nothing left but lies and fear.
josef
February 20th, 2012
4:52 pm
JAY
As you might expect, I’ve got a bit of a problem with that use of Auschwitz, but that’s just me. On the other hand, have you been following the number of educational institutions here and in Europe which are dropping the study of the Holocaust from the curriculum, and it’s not the right wing doing it either…we need to be paying a little closer attention, imuo…
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 20th, 2012
4:52 pm
Common – “Holy Crap – Is this the best that the GOP has to offer?”
Yes. We have a choice between the Stooges or Obama. I guess it is time to listen to what Roseanne Barr has to say.
St Simons - we're on Island time
February 20th, 2012
4:53 pm
25 and 18 points? wow
at 2% voter turnout, that’s gotta be like twelve people
Peadawg
February 20th, 2012
4:53 pm
“Second Santorum rant of the day…. you really must be worried about this guy Bookman.”
We all should be worried that Santorum is getting anywhere close to the White House.
Butch Cassidy
February 20th, 2012
4:53 pm
So to sum up the 2012 Presidential contest, we have the Left, which is basically Obama having to run on a weakened economy and a constant barrage of BS hurled at him.
Then we have the Right with it’s list of players that include:
Ron (Let the church pay for that guys medical care) Paul
Rick (Obama is coming for your daughters and their unborn children) Santorum
Mitt (Just because I’m an out of touch rich guy doesn’t mean I’m an out of touch rich guy) Romney
And Newt (we’re goin to the moon!) Gingrich
Seriously, am I being punked?
Jm
February 20th, 2012
4:53 pm
True santorum statement: “Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and therefore less care that has to be done because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society.”
Just a question of whether you believe in culling or not (no words in the previous statement were intended to insult any ethnic group current, Paleolithic, or during any other period of time)
DebbieDoRight
February 20th, 2012
4:53 pm
Jay honestly, what’s the big deal? Everyone knows that Sanitarium is on crack. Why is anyone suprised that what he said made absolutely no sense to anyone but the people in his imaginary world?
He didn’t make an allusion to Hitler, he made an illusion to the man on the moon. That rambling, incoherent, incomprehensible speech was nothing more than he, Sanitarium, getting his instructions via radio waves, straight into his brain.
Really, we should pity the man. Those voices he keeps hearing are killing what’s left of his sanity.
Mr. Snarky
February 20th, 2012
4:54 pm
I’d say that a demogogue, Santorum seems to have taken a few pages out of Adolf’s playbook.
Butch Cassidy
February 20th, 2012
4:55 pm
JohnnyReb – ” Unhappiness on the part of the Left means he is hitting home.”
Who’s unhappy? From the posts I read here, I’m surprised that the Left hasn’t started a Rick Santorum nomination fund.
josef
February 20th, 2012
4:56 pm
Johnny Reb
“Metahors of WWII history are bound to bring Hitler into the equation whether intended or not. When Santorum draws a direct comparison, then the Left might have a legitimate objection”
We may not be of the same interpretation, but we’re reading the same text…
John
February 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
From reading the text, it sounds more like Santorum was referencing FDR. Although FDR was far from sitting idle.
DebbieDoRight
February 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
one of the mandates — is they require is that free prenatal testing in every insurance policy in America,” he said in Ohio. “Why? Because it saves money in health care. Why? Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and therefore less care that has to be done because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society.”
Honestly, does that sound like a SANE person?
gotta go — everyone please remember to be kind to your local republican, they’ve had a hard time of it and now, looks like, it’s just gonna get harder.
Fred ™
February 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
Brocephus: I just saw the Chik pics. LOL I clicked the link before I read the post so I though you were the fat dude bald dude at around pic 6 first. Man did I have some SERIOUS ammunition for about 3 minutes……… then I read the post.
We found out about that to late to get in one here dammit. Glad you had fun. Gotta split, ya’ll be cool
Jay
February 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
Ken, who exactly is pressing this particular debate theme? Who’s making the speeches on this topic, who’s holding the congressional hearings, who’s proclaiming it the end of religious liberty, etc?
Butch Cassidy
February 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
DebbieDoRight – “He didn’t make an allusion to Hitler, he made an illusion to the man on the moon”
Hey now, Gingrich hasn’t been elected yet.
JohnnyReb
February 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
josef – I think Santorum was playing to a deep rooted belief of the base likely within the audience. That is, this is it. We can’t let Obama be relected. If he is, there may be so much damage by the end of his second term it will be difficult to impossible to fix. We can’t be like Britian at the beginning of WWII, etc, etc.
Brosephus™ - "Anything less would be uncivilized"
February 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
Common – “Holy Crap – Is this the best that the GOP has to offer?”
Yes. We have a choice between the Stooges or Obama. I guess it is time to listen to what Roseanne Barr has to say.
Steve
What you’ve just said is scarier than watching every Friday the 13th movie while sitting in a camp cabin in the middle of the woods by a lake where people have mysteriously been killed in years past.
Meanwhile...
February 20th, 2012
5:01 pm
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) referred to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as “demons” in a recent speech.
“I saw pictures of Boehner and Cantor on our screens. Don’t ever let me see again, in life, those Republicans in our hall, on our screens, talking about anything,” she said toward the end of her speech at the California Democratic Party convention over the weekend in San Diego. “These are demons. These are legislators who are destroying this country rather than bringing us together, creating jobs, making sure we have a good tax policy, bringing our jobs from back offshore, incentivizing those who keep their jobs here. They are bringing down this country, destroying this country, because they can.”
JohnnyReb
February 20th, 2012
5:02 pm
“..who exactly is pressing this particular debate theme? Who’s making the speeches on this topic, who’s holding the congressional hearings, who’s proclaiming it the end of religious liberty, etc?”"
Of course it’s coming from the Right. If we said nothing, then the transgression would stand unchallenged. Plus, it’s a perfect example of Obama’s arrogance, over-reach, and disregard for the oath.
Brosephus™ - "Anything less would be uncivilized"
February 20th, 2012
5:02 pm
Fred
According to some earlier ranting, I am a liberal White guy. I don’t know how I’m gonna break it to the rest of my family.
kayaker 71
February 20th, 2012
5:03 pm
Santorum might just have a point. Without the checks and balances of the judiciary and the Congress, who knows what kind of an oligarchy we might have in this country with Bozo being left to his own desires. He cares next to nothing about the Constitution, although he is supposed to be some kind of Constitutional scholar. He has written off white working America because he knows he doesn’t have a chance with them in November. He’ll stick with those on the dole, the black vote, the university academics, the Hollywood crowd and the unions. Oh, and Bookman’s vote…. in a class all by itself.
Jm
February 20th, 2012
5:04 pm
Jay 4:57
You remember how upset you were over civil liberty incursions regarding us citizen military detention?
Well that’s how upset religious people are with Obama right now.
Government sucks. Vote libertarian or republican.
Midori
February 20th, 2012
5:04 pm
a hammer sees a lot of nails: http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/421875_10150570484276275_177486166274_9433106_2068938667_n.jpg
md
February 20th, 2012
5:04 pm
“Those who won’t defend Santorum still maintain he can beat Pres Obama?”
When it comes to the general, everything is still possible Paul……..it’s still a ways off.
Let’s see where we stand with the economy later in the summer…….