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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And who is this clown named Broun? This is typical Republican rhetoric!
Perhaps Obama does not know that we already have a National Guard...I quess he will have to get up to speed..and he better hurry!
2012... LOL
The concept of a domestic national security army is unacceptable.
Absolutely the way the Congressman said his words is incorrect, but the fact, the fact you obamatrons need to realize is that history does show that a domestic national security army is a first step towards dictatorship.
What? They're going to wear a big giant O on their sleeve? Or better yet how about that stupid symbol he uses for his fake "Office of the President-elect" seal?
Oh and where's my tax cut?
Wake up, Georgia. You deserve better than this.
In fact, it has nothing to do with Hitler,...but since they both spoke in complete sentences they must be similiar.....another example of a Republican goon using old divisive scare tactics. So this guy from Georgia is anti peace corp and anti national guard? I don't get how someone so stupid can get into congress,...beyond belief.
More obfuscation from narrow-minded zealots on the right.
anti palin pro women November 12th, 2008 10:44 am ET
——and why this guy is in our congress ?????
i have no respect for people like him…..
Interesting... so you would have no respect for someone who refers to a group as typical white people, or clinging to religion and guns, or takes a shot at a 90 year old widow, or someone who refers to women as "sweetie", or calls his grandmother a typical white lady... etc...
All of which where statements which weren't typical of the candidate.
so your statement is a little hypocritical I'm thinking!
He is not only sick for making the comparison, and clearly not part of the supposed working across the aisle the Republicans have claimed to want to do, but he is also historically inaccurate. Hitler was on the extreme right-wing, like this Congressman, not the extreme left-wing.
Jack Carlson- And you Repugs are VERY, VERY close to disintegration
RESPECT THE PRESIDENT!
Does he not realize that Hitler was very 'conservative'? He did not suscribe to marxism? I don't know how these un-educated idiots are elected in the first place.
That is a startling idea. A civilian force with equal power as the military? Did he really mean that or was it hyperbole?
If he meant it I would say it is a very dangerous idea indeed. A looooong way from what the Founding Fathers envisioned for America.
That is just jumping leaps and bounds to make such a connection.
Yea it was pretty much a give-in that Broun was going to be returning. The sad part is he actually represents the most liberal city in the state: Athens. The surrounding areas are very republican strongholds including Oconee county and the very red areas between Athens and Augusta. It's unfortunate, but when the district lines get redrawn after the next census I expect to see Broun gone.
as i recall, when a professor likened Bush to Hitler, the public requested that he be fired from his teaching position. a loud cry went out across the nation from republicans that this professor was a traitor and should be punished.
the hypocrisy that this man and the party that he represents is amazing, sad, and pathetic.
What an idiot. If he is going to have and share ridiculous historical comparisons to present day leaders he should at least get his histories straight. Hitler was far right and Marx was far left. The two figures couldn't possibly be any more different. Other than both were Germans, there weren't any similarities between the the two. This guy is an elected official? Give me a break. Get a clue Broun, and, until you do, keep your mouth shut.
That's not an apology...he's just worried that too many people took offense to it. "I'm not saying he's like Hitler...but I'm saying that I think that he could be." WHATEVER. Republicans are desperate for news time.
This is so irresponsible for someone in high office.
I hope he pay a political price for it.
To Jack Carlson, He is nothing like nHitler, I am German and my Mother was in the Hitler youth, I heard stories that made me sick. So I suggest if you don't know what you talking about you shoud keep your mouth shut. If that what the Rep continue to do, they will never have a chance for the White House again. People like that have no buisiness in public service, congress. They should just stay home with there narrow minded views.
What a coward and a wimp. He "apologizes to anyone who takes offense"? Anyone and everyone with a brain takes offense at what he said. Is he apologizing to everyone? What a moron.
Small minds at work!
It is sad, I can not find any word to discribe this guy because there is no word yet found in the world vocabulary to best suite this guy.
How dare we allow someone to think like that?
🙂
With people like him and Palin representing the Republican party...if I were a Republican I would be very worried about the party's future. They will continue to drive away independents such as myself.
Where are they finding these people? Can't they do better than this?
They need to rename to GOP to the FEAR party. They have called Obama everything in the book. If the Dems called Palin those things the Dems would really be in hot water.