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Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler

Ok, let's wait and see how long it takes for the right to condemn Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)for his remarks comparing Democrats to Hitler today. My guess: forget the stop watch, you'll need a calendar.

Via Raw Story and Armando at Daily Kos - and of course, Crooks and Liars has the video:

Said Santorum: "What the Democrats are doing is "the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942 saying, 'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city? It's mine.' This is no more the rule of the senate than it was the rule of the senate before not to filibuster."

This was Santorum's view of Hitler comparisons three months ago:

"Senator Byrd's inappropriate remarks comparing his Republican colleagues with Nazis are inexcusable," Santorum said in a statement yesterday. "These comments lessen the credibility of the senator and the decorum of the Senate. He should retract his statement and ask for pardon."

Via Atrios and then Blogenlust, who adds some must-read right-wing condemnations of the left's use of Hitler comparisons, including this one from Time Magazine's blog of the year:

I, personally, would like to see a moratorium on all references to Hitler, the Third Reich, Nazism and the Holocaust in the context of domestic political debate. Such a rule would have no perceptible effect on conservative discourse, but it would render the left virtually mute.

Then there's Jonah Goldberg:

This has nothing to do with partisanship. It has to do with the fact that such comparisons [Bush = Hitler] are slanderous to the United States and historical truth and amount to Holocaust denial. When you say that anything George Bush has done is akin to what Hitler did, you make the Holocaust into nothing more than an example of partisan excess. Tax cuts are not genocide, as so many Democrats have suggested over the years.

Oliver Willis provides team coverage:

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  • Display: Sort:
    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#1)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:13 PM EST
    Yeah, this is sleazy. But it took Democratic Senator Salazar a day or so to back off from (not apologize for) calling Focus on the Family "the Antichrist of the world". Let's give Santorum at least that long as a grace period.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    If there really is or were to be an antichrist, Focus on the Family (ie Dobson) would have to be among the top contenders.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#3)
    by BigTex on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    He shouldn't have done it. Congress needs to lay off the name calling. Whether it's Reed calling Bush a loser, or Santorum giving Hitler allusions, it shouldn't be done. THe parties should be beyond such petty actions. -BigTex

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#4)
    by BigTex on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    That should be Reid in the post above.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#5)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    No in fact old santorum is the long lost son of hitler, saying that democrats are like hitler is nuts. bush is also a son of hitler his father was never told about bush's real dad.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#6)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    Tex, I'll call a loser a loser, but I rarely see someone who can justifiably be called a Hitler.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#7)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:14 PM EST
    I agree with scar, Tex. Taken on their own merits, calling someone a loser is not in the same galaxy as invoking Hitler to smear the opposition in a congressional debate. The difference is like that between jaywalking and gross negligence. The former deserves a slap on the wrist, the latter some serious psychological treatment.

    Re: Santorum Compares Democrats to Hitler (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Sad to think that a Republican Senator is resorting to this type of behavior. After all aren't the republicans trying to change the rules so they can bully the Minority Senate into losing any leverage of balance of power which will lead to the complete control of the Senate by the Republicans. Republicans are guilty of blind partisanship. They're not interested in negotiations or compromises. Their hidden agenda is nothing more then a prerequisite to a dictatorship.