Congressman sorry for likening Obama to Hitler
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/12/art.broun.ap.jpg caption="Rep. Paul Broun is sorry for seemingly comparing Obama to Adolf Hitler."]
(CNN) - Republican Paul Broun is sorry for calling President-elect Barack Obama a 'Marxist' and comparing him to Adolf Hitler, the Georgia Congressman said Tuesday.
“I regret putting it that way,” he told WGAC radio in Augusta, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I apologize to anyone who has taken offense at that.”
In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this week, Broun admitted to calling the future commander-in-chief a 'Marxist' at a recent Rotary club meeting, and said Obama has expressed support for policies similar to those of Hitler.
"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Broun told the AP. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may– may not, I hope not - but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."
Broun was specifically referring to a July speech by Obama, where the then-Democratic presidential nominee said he supports a civilian force helping the military when it comes to national security: "We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded [as the military]," Obama said in the speech that was largely a call to national service.
Responding to those comments, Broun told the AP Monday: "That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did. When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."
"We can't be lulled into complacency," Broun added. "You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential."
The Obama transition office did not respond to Broun's comments, and in his interview Tuesday to WGAC, the first term congressman said, “The point I tried to make is that he is extremely liberal, he has promoted a lot of socialistic ideas, and it just makes me concerned."
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Yeah don't tell the people from WWII that served in the civil defense that they were like hitlers ghestapo. You might get a black eye.
"Socialism" when it's not in your favor, "Trickle Down" when it is..
Beautiful double standard. Time to get to the back of the line!
JERK!!
wow....the scary thing is...he's not the only one that thinks this. People need to step into 2008 and stop this close minded way of life.
This is what has become of the Republican party. All you devoted repubs should be so proud of what you have become and what you have done for our country.
Do us all a favor, Republicans – Dig a huge hole, get all of your Republican friends (I'm sure you have a phone tree of some sort lying around), and all of you get inside, bury yourselves, and in four years we will let you come out and see how much nicer things have become.
If the shoe fits then wear it. I think it's true and all who voted for him will find out the hard way.
Perhaps this ignorant fool has never heard of the NATIONAL GUARD. Perhaps he is for the disbanding of the National Guard because it is the product of a Hitler-like philosophy. What a moron.
Gee, did he apologize to Obama personally, since the remark was made directly about him? When does this idiot come up for re-election?
This comes from a Georgian!!!!! And a member of the GOP!!!! Look what a majority of Georgia and the many other states in the south did on Election day!!!! SORE LOOSERS!!!!! and OBSTRUCTIONISTS, that is their next and only call to duty.
If a Republican had proposed that same idea you'd call him or her a "country first" patriot
Marxist, Socialist, Terrorist, Celebrity, Unpatriotic .....
How is this for a title .......President Of The United States. Don't like it LEAVE or DEAL WITH IT..... Clowns!!!!!
So why did they loose the election? Idiot. All of you who are the same types, please leave my Republican party now. Also, Hitler was given the Chancellor position he was not voted in.
"Obama Thought Police", you may want to pay closer attention to the actual content of the article on which you're commenting. Obama's team made no attempt to "police" this moron's statements, let alone his thoughts – they didn't bother to respond to something so inane. Let him blather his historically inaccurate drivel, it's too ludicrous to do any harm.
As my grandad used to say " A fool and his brain are soon parted" Ladies and Gentleman here is your fool: Republican Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia. What a genius (sic)! I cant wait to hear his theories on global warming, stem cell research and nuclear proliferation. With the incredible intelligence that this man posseses, we should have the economy fixed by next weekend! Rest easy Georgia and America, we have good 'ol Paul Broun to unite us and fix everything.
This guy is a mental midget. When Obama talks about a strong national security force, he does not mean go forth a create a new force of civilians. What he means is that the current civilian resources that comprise our national security, for example, airport security, DEA, Coast Guard, state guards, etc. need to be as strong and well supported as the military. In other words, he is referring to the disintegrating civilian resources we have that comprise our "national security force."
People like this either (i) know this but want to play words games and gotcha politics, or (ii) he is truly an idiot. If this is the best Georgia has to offer, they should be ashamed of themselves.
THE FACT THAT OBAMA WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT DOES NOT MEAN THT RACISM IN AMERICAIS DEAD, RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON !!! I LOVE THIS PART ((( YES OBAMA DID )))!!!!
Jack Carlson November 12th, 2008 10:43 am ET
He's very closeJack Carlson Seattle WA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If so Jack, then what would you call the current war criminal administration who, by global media sources, has caused the deaths of over a half-million innocent Iraqi civilians in an undeclared war of occupation?
I guess uneducated poor white trash like you overlooks these kinds of details?
What an idiot this guy is. He obviously doesn't know his history. Hitler was a right-wing extremist...more closely aligned with the views of neo-con republicans than anything else. Calling Obama a Marxist and Hitlerr is a paradox since the two are dimentrically opposites. Hiter hated communists and vice versa. Maybe this moron should educate himself on history before he opens his pie hole!!
I have no respect for this kind of people. I hope the Georgia people don't elect next time. The fact is that he will not be elected next time, his political career is over.
Why respect the new president for you when you wouldnt respect the old/current one? Respect is a 2 way street and as a openly gay man, until i an considered an equal citizen, i have no respect for either Bush or Obama.
Ah yes..... the good old boys politics of division and fear. No real intelligent thought process going on with Mr. Broun. Amazing that old shell game continues to work time and time again, down in his neck of the woods. Folks need to vote for pols based upon competence of the pressing issues of the day....not fear.
what's just as bad as the fact that he said those things in the first place is the incompleteness of his apology. "i regret anyone who has taken offense at that"–as though the offense is in how we INTERPRET it, not what he actually said. what a sickening display of disrespect by a man who will have to answer to our next president.
this is not an error, it is exactly what is in your heart!
It's becoming pretty common for the elected of a particular party to use rhetoric without actually understanding what they're saying. While it exposes their stupidity very well, it creates problems; other stupid people start to accept that rhetoric as fact, because it camed from an elected official.
When elected officials spread BS like this to appease their base, we should call them on it. We should all say "thanks, but no thanks" to BS rhetoric.
How pathetic. The Republican Party continues to evaporate into thin air. President elect Obama has not even been sworn in and the Repugs are ready to criticize him. If they continue putting their foot in their big mouths we will soon have one party DEMOCRATS! I say let's make it happen sooner rather than later.