Santorum Regrets Making Hitler Comment

[NVMojo]

Sure you do, Santorum....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Rick Santorum says he "meant no offense" by referring to Adolf Hitler while defending the GOP's right to ban judicial filibusters as Senate leaders prepared to start a countdown Friday to a vote over whether to stop minority senators from blocking President Bush's judicial nominees.

"Referencing Hitler was meant to dramatize the principle of an argument, not to characterize my Democratic colleagues," Santorum, the No. 3 Republican in the GOP leadership in the Senate, said of his remarks Thursday.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FILIBUSTER_FIGHT?SITE=NVLAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Bunny]

1. Go to hell, Ricky.

Asshat. :mad:

[Stand and Fight]

4. Funny...

We posted at the same time and had the same thought in regards to Santorum:

ASS-HAT

[Logician]

21. Needs to be flushed

Next election. Let's hope Pennsylvanians remember all of his stupidity and arrogance.

Let's hope they are all flushed....and that progressives/liberals reclaim our land.

[devinsgram]

68. Don't worry about that,

the election isn't till next year and his main opponent is already 14 points ahead of him. Just keep making those comments Ricky, you are doing a bang up job of helping yourself lose.

[Wickerman]

2. Too bad, you still need to resign.

[Stand and Fight]

3. Good.

The jerk is catching fire for his idiocy and now he's trying to back-peddle. Someone help me grab the ass-hat and hold his feet to the fire!

[CBHagman]

5. He flunks history AND charm school.

And Ethics 101.

It's enough to make me move to Pennsylvania just to work for his next opponent.

[calimary]

75. That's funny - I called his Capitol Hill office yesterday (Friday) and

said EXACTLY the same thing.

I EAGERLY await his concession speech.

[ladjf]

6. I watched his act on CSPAN. It was mainly just a stupid remark.

It was obvious that he was just looking for some way to work the "Hitler" word into his presentation. He sounded like a petulant child talking. He did zero damage to the Dems. He sounds like an inexperienced, small time preacher with no congregation. Get ordained Rick and work up your spiel.

[rodeodance]

13. wonder if he ever paid the school district its money?

[Roland99]

48. He's just waiting for the next Schiavo to exploit

He should go back to trying to ban the NWS from having a website.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Idiot!

[elshiva]

50. Those photographs! ERRRRRRRRGH!

:puke:

[Mr_Spock]

8. Go to hell freak

Appology NOT accepted.

[bluedog]

17. remember the stink

about the fake ad on moveon.com.......saying we Democrats were comparing bush to hilter..........they still raise the subject to this day.it was on crossfire after the ad about the new star wars and frisk...

no..we accept no apology!

[calimary]

76. We DEFINITELY do not accept his "apology."

What he said smacks of that pathetic "I'm sorry if some people were offended..." line that might sound good to people who aren't paying much attention, but subtly absolves the guilty of any guilt and throws the onus back on those who "had the nerve, stupidity, bad judgment, and no sense of humor to get themselves all offended by what I said." He's not a BIT sorry - at least about the Hitler comment. He was trying to get it on the record in some way, to plant a seed in people's minds a la the old if-you-repeat-something-often-enough-it-eventually-gets-PERCEIVED-as-true strategy. He's just sorry he got nailed for it. He thought he could sneak this under the radar and people all over the place called him on it and gave him shit. Which he deserves. May he eat all of it, and more.

As I said, I EAGERLY await his concession speech. I'm budgeting now, for the rest of the year, specifically so I can donate to his opponent's campaign (and those running against a few other "choice" targets).

I despise rick sanctimonious. Can't wait to see him unemployed and defanged and discredited and reeking of Loser Sstench. Except, unfortunately, they'll probably find some nice cushy job for him on Pox "news."

[Hand]

9. "No offense," Asshat, but...

Here, have a seat...

[deadparrot]

Hit the showers, Rick...

You're finished.

[LiviaOlivia]

10. He's not sorry.

If he had any decency or a brain he wouldn't have said it in the first place.

[KansDem]

72. Perhaps the story has changed, because I can't find reference...

... to Santorum at all in the present story of the link provided.

But, if I read the excerpt of the OP correctly, Santorum didn't apologize. He expressed "regrets" which is a long way from an apology.

[hippiegranny]

11. what? actual backlash

for a big mouth bloviating rednecklican? how unexpected.

[Kurovski]

12. Say what you really think, and then apologize,

say what you really feel and then apologize.

Republicans have done it for years and with regularity.

Democratic leaders must learn the lesson. Do what they do because it works, it gets the message out and signals the base. The apology assuages most others.

[Iowa]

36. I see your point, but...

my reaction is usually negative when I see a politician apologize. It usually displays one or both of the following:

1) Insincerity. I'm always reminded of Eddie Haskel: "Gee, I'm sorry Mrs. Cleaver, I would never deliberately offend little Theodore".

2) Weakness: "This is what I really think, but I certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone, so I take it back. Will you forgive me please?" (said while whimpering and cringing).

I prefer sincere people with backbone I can respect. Instead we have manipulators who are always playing some angle. They make me sick. But that's just me.

[Kurovski]

45. Excellent points.

It works well for the R's is what I'm saying here.

Saying something straight out often leads to a round-robin of spin.

Putting a message into an edgy statement that will get wide press, and then apologizing, ends the endless discussion and arm-wrestling.

"I apologized" you say. End of discussion. To continue the discussion gives the appearance of whining after someone has apologized. The sincerity matters not at all. Go ahead and question the sincerity, but it gets you nowhere. It certainly does not get your message out.

When it comes to communicating and using the media, or any other platform, The Republicans do not waste time with things that do not work.

All too often, taking the high ground simply does not work. It just does not resonate in some quarters.

But understand this:I agree with you. Politics are as filthy as they've ever been, It has worked for Pubs and they've won by creating a perception of the Dem's that is inaccurate at best.

The R's did the one thing we're all supposed to despise: they've built themselves up by knocking the other guy down. It's a classic business model, and it works.

You can knock the living shit out of Republican party and still maintain truth and integrity, because what they have done on so many issues is just so outrageous. And dangerous.

But if that message does not resonate with enough people, forget about it.

All media is hot media these days. A small percentage of us read.

I think you can look to the style of Randi Rhodes to see the kind of message that people will remember, and her affection for anyone else who is interested in the truth is apparent. It doesn't matter what party you belong to, she's interested in fairness AND she's tough.

Of course she's not a politician, and doesn't have to apologize at all if she doesn't want to.

Geez, I mean look Rush on the other end of the spectrum. And he could give a rat's rear end about accuracy.

[Iowa]

56. Kurovski, good post! You're absolutely right...

Taking the high ground may not work, but I don't know that it's really been tried. Speaking from personal experience, I have fought some very large battles in my life as a small guy against big organizations, and I have always won. I never apologize. I hammer and shame the opposition - ruthlessly. Politically this may not work because the masses are so clueless. The very idea of being "stand-up" is completely foreign to so many these days. Honor and integrity are vanishing virtues; at best they are optional. And the media is too dumb, lazy, and/or biased to do its job. So the deck is stacked against us.

But at some level I think I'd rather lose the war than see our guys become like them. Did you see the movie "Ransom" where the father of a kidnapped boy turns the tables on the kidnappers and pursues them ruthlessly? That's the kind approach I'm talking about. Taking our powerful, righteous anger and thrashing the opposition continuously. Being on the side of good - being right - is extremely powerful, and apologizing is a betrayal to the cause; it completely diminishes one's power because it's tantamount to saying you aren't right; and the only thing our side has going for it is now is that we're right.

Even if we CAN take the country back, I don't know if the US can be united. The corporate fascists will still be there, much of the population will still be dumb as a box of rocks, and at best, power will trade hands every few years. The divisions are too deep, too heartfelt, and too fundamental to be healed in my lifetime. But I think the high ground (seizing good causes and attacking ruthlessly) is our only hope, faint though that may be.

I think we're saying pretty much the same thing. I enjoy you posts.

[Kurovski]

57. Pretty much, yes. It's about getting tough

with facts and reality.

And playing the game as it's been re-drawn. The Republican party openly declared war on Dems and Liberals (from the steps of the Capitol, no less) many years ago.

It was Trent Lott who spoke, if I recall correctly.

[shanti]

65. the old saw...

it's easier to ask for forgiveness, than permission still holds true for the repukes. how many times are they going to use this???

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. santorum is at the end of the trail. I would be surprised if he even

bothers to run again.

[zbdent]

15. Isn't there some sort of statement(s) that the Right throws around about

"losing the battle when you compare your opponent to Hitler" or something to that effect?

Esp. ironic when the term fill-in-the-blank-a-Nazi is tossed liberally around by one of their own?

And wouldn't the percentage of American NeoNazis voting Repub far outweigh the percentage voting Dem (when stuck with only two choices - no extremely-far-right candidate on the slate)?

[bunny planet]

16. How do you mean no offense when evoking the name of Adolf Hitler?

WTF, of course he meant offense.

[xxqqqzme]

18. Pennsylvanians - tell me

his days R numbered - please, please, please tell me his days R numbered. Your beautiful state deserves better than this rong wing wacko.

[Tyler Durden]

19. Unfortunately, he had it BACKWARDS

His Hitler reference better refers to HIS party's ILLEGAL usurpation of power through rigged elections and its FASCIST DOMINATION AND IMPERIALIST AGRESSION here and abroad.

[PassingFair]

20. Does he admit that his little "analogy"

made NO SENSE whatsoever? Really, I didn't get it at all.

snip>>But on Thursday, Santorum said that Democratic protests over Republican efforts to ensure confirmation votes would be like the Nazi dictator seizing Paris and then saying: "I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me? How dare you bomb my city? It's mine."

Huh?

[TheFarseer]

31. I've looked at this a lot of different ways

and it doesn't make sense. Does he mean we never had a filibusted until the dems invented it 4 years ago??? That's the only thing he could mean but that's just so stupid I can't believe he would even say it.

[Roland99]

49. I think he's implying that the Dems think they own the government?

Makes NO sense.

[Rainscents]

22. In last election, I don't believe, he won by much... Maybe someone

can check this out. If so, he will definitely go down with big numbers. Most of the Blue Stater's are thinking people and they're going throw out all these rotten basters out!!!

[gratuitous]

23. I will say this

He did say "it was a mistake." That's a step up from the usual "I apologize if anyone was offended" sort of nonsense that follows an intemperate remark. As loathe as I am to cut this clown any slack whatsoever, I do have to give him credit for admitting that his offensive locution was a mistake.

That being said, he should resign anyway.

[Bigmack]

24. Dan Savage, the gay sex guru..

has a special honor for Santorum. He named a sex-related substance after him.

Savage decided that "the frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex" should be called Santorum.

http://www.nndb.com/people/478/000022412/

It's one of those images that sticks with you. I can't see Rick's name or see his face without thinking of that substance.

[Sivafae]

27. I know me too! N/T

[Dhalgren]

25. Man, I'm glad these guys are ok with Ricky's statements! ---

"The Republican Jewish Coalition applauded the statement. "Sen. Santorum is sensitive to the effect of his words and the inappropriateness of the analogy," Executive Director Matthew Brooks said."

Never mind that the actual analogy was stupid and incorrect, at least he's "sensitive" :eyes:

[merwin]

26. The BEST Santorum site. Do you know the definition of Santorum?

http://www.spreadingsantorum.com

[Rainscents]

30. LOL... very funny!!!

:rofl:

[yellowcanine]

28. He's sorry that anybody was offended, not the same as a real apology

Once agan, a non apology. "I meant no offense" puts the onus on the people who were offended. In other words, "What I did was right and good and noble so how could anyone be offended?"

[The White Tree]

69. Yeah I use to get that one from my brother all the time

When we'd argue he'd say - I'm sorry you have a problem with what I'm saying.

It is a way to deflect blame and responsability from yourself for your actions. Republicans have perfected this to the point that they actually beleive in the sincerity of it.

[thecai]

29. The Pot Regrets Calling The Kettle Black

Especially when the pot is cast-iron and the kettle is copper.

[Deja Q]

32. He regrets getting caught saying it.

Nothing more.

[yellowcanine]

33. Anybody have a picture of Ricky's "residence" in PA? The one he is

raising 6 kids in that he used to justify sucking on the the PA taxpayer tit for their education?

[wallwriter]

41. Try thse url's. And thank Allegheny County

The picture:

http://www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/Image.asp?CurrBloLot=0367G00075000000&Name=Santorum&SingleResult=True

Parcel ID: 0367-G-00075-0000-00
 
 Owner Name: SANTORUM RICHARD J & KAREN GARVER SANTORUM (W)
 Property Location: 111 STEPHENS LN
VERONA , PA 15147

If that doesn't work, go to this one and type in "Santorum" under "Owner's Name."

http://www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/Search.asp

[wallwriter]

42. Try again...

www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/Search.asp

(type in Santorum under "Owner's Name...")

[Supersedeas]

34. Envoke the Enabling Act, Ricky...isn't that was the nuke option and new

Patriot act are all about.

[Orion The Hunter]

35. RE: What a yutz

I cannot believe Santorum and Arlen Specter are even from the same state...one guy at least has some modicum of sense, and the other guy is Rick Santorum.

[u2spirit]

43. Well, Kind of

Remember Specter is the author of the JFK magic bullet theory.

[K8-EEE]

37. I Regret That Santorum Is Completely Insane and A Hypocrite...

He was so "outraged" at Byrd quoting a historian re: Hitler's government changes....

[DinahMoeHum]

38. Unh unh unh, you didn't say the magic words, Rick !!

I.
AM.
SORRY.
PLEASE.
FORGIVE.
ME.

Your "apology" is not accepted.

:argh:

[mtnester]

39. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission...

I have noticed the majority of the Republican party LIVES by this catchy little phrase...Santorum no exception

Funny, they get away with it too.

[truthisfreedom]

40. keep all of these flustered fools backpedaling and on the defensive.

that's exactly where we want them.

[Ravy]

44. I regret that his parents made Santorum. (n/t)

[Old and In the Way]

46. He'll never be confused with a statesman.

Dumb analogy from a rather dimbulb mind.

[Javaman]

47. Funny, when I think of hitler, I think of republicans.

Both were/are ultra right wing moron* fucks.

[tuvor]

51. Where does it say he regrets anything?

All he does is defend his use of it and that he "meant no offense".

That's not regret.

[corker]

52. FU Santurdbrain

This guy has no redeeming qualities at all.

[damntexdem]

53. So, he doesn't regret it.

He just 'meant no offense' by it.

Of course, how could he mean no offense while comparing someone to Hitler? Well, maybe to Santorum, Adolf Hitler doesn't seem so bad.

[olddad56]

66. maybe he just regrets the inevitable repercussions

[wildwww2]

54. What Nazi wrote this? When did the GOPukes have a right to ban

judicial filibusters? They have no right whatsoever. They just cheat to win all the time. And the bought and paid for lap dog press just assumes that "We The People" are stupid enough to eat this bull feces. Santorum is a Nazi anyway in my opinion. Guilty people always accuse the innocent of their crimes.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[lala_rawraw]

55. I don't regret my demand for his resignation n/t

[kodi]

58. A touch of projection there Gruppenfuehrer Santorum.

Adolf Hitler would be so proud of you. You rat fuck Nazi son of a bitch.

[Robworld]

59. He should apologize for being inaccurate

Over throwing the government with right wing senators, right wing congress, and right wing judges is more like the Nazi parties action then anything else.
Santorum is an idiot, and should take a history lesson.

http://www.dumdumgoestothecircus.com /

[americanstranger]

60. He made a similar statement once before.

Except he accused the NY Times of being Nazi-like.

http://santorumexposed.home.comcast.net/

Scroll down.

-as

[Tesla]

61. Did you say he has 6 kids!

Man, my Gaydar must be broke.......I would have sworn.....

[Arkana]

62. Fuck you, little Ricky.

The little bastard knows the end is nigh for the Republican House and Senate.

[powergirl]

63. dupe

[dchill]

64. Regrets it?

Not really. Not YET, anyway.

[Catfight]

67. And Strom Thurman wasn't a hypocritical racist either. Santorum should

resign or call for his resignation. Stop the anti-American name calling from Republicans NOW!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

70. The #3 GOP Senator *ugh*

That just means you're the Senate's 3rd biggest lying hypocrite. This Pennsylvanian is disgusted you ever made Dog Catcher.

On the local news here (Philly burbs) he said his remarks were "off the cuff." Add a lie on top of the smear Ricky! Way to be a complete assclown!!

It's absolute BS, they were intentional and rehearsed, and this damage control isn't anything but transparent.

[alarimer]

71. Pot meet kettle

Sounds like Santorum was projecting a little. THEY are the ones acting like fascists, not Democrats.

[LightningFlash]

73. I think Santorum you should be locked up....

Locked up in a very nice padded cell and never be let out again. Thinking someone is like a Nazi for disagreeing with your removal of the filibuster is one thing, threatening and denouncing them as a Nazi is quite another.

It's clear to the whole world who had the Nazi intentions....

[MADem]

74. SANTORUM GOSSIP--Ya gotta wonder where he spent the night

...if he turns up all mussed up in a badly wrinkled suit. This from WONKETTE:
Wonk'd. Earlier today, an operative wrote: "Saw Rick Santorum about 5 minutes ago ordering his foo-foo drink and muffin...His hair was quite disheveled and badly in need of a trim. Also, it looked like he picked his suit out of the hamper, as it was terribly wrinkled and his collar was half up." We didn't believe it, because usually Santorum's hair is fixed as tight as a Ken doll's. Then we saw this pic from today's National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/remainders/index.php#remainders-bad-hair-day-edition-104481

Tight as a Ken Doll, indeed!!!!!!!!!!!

[CTyankee]

77. Help! I need Sen. Byrd's statement

that he did not apologize for. It has been used by RWers to show that Santorum apologized but Byrd didn't. What on earth did Byrd say?

This was referenced on Al Franken's show on Thursday, I think, when he had his weekly phone call to his friend who likes Rush.

[Career Prole]

78. If a little rough language doesn't upset you

the Rude Pundit compares the two comparisons...
http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2005/05/so-democrats-are-like-nazis-nazis-who.html

[Tesla]

80. You mean like this???

"Or maybe we could just say this: F*ck Rick Santorum, the dim-witted savage who forced his living children to fondle a prematurely born dead fetus that was supposed to be Santorum spawn number 4. He's merely the loudest virus in the disease of the body politic, a tick on the American vein that needs to be yanked off and popped."
// posted by Rude One @ 9:32 AM

[CTyankee]

82. Well, Tesla, don't know where you're coming from

but I will throw in my lot with the anti-Santorum folks any day. This guy knows what it is like to lose a borderline late term pregnancy. We do not know the terms of this situation. So do we pit a 20 week spontanious miscarriage of a fetus against a late term abortion that was done because it happened not to be spontanious but had to be what is called "partial birth abortion" (even tho that is nowhere found in medical literature!)to preserve the life or health of the woman?

Where is this guy's empathy for anyone else facing this situation? What would he have them do?

I think Rick Santorum is a nut case. I feel VERY sorry for his wife and kids!

[CTyankee]

81. Thank you, Career Prole

That link was very instructive. Byrd was right on, as usual. Santorum was offensive, illogical, and abusive. AAAARGH!!

[PittPoliSci]

79. i bet he regrets it.

It will be his downfall.

[Paula Sims]

83. The only thing he regrets is getting caught.

He couldn't care and less. Remember it's Santorum who, when confronted with Bush's breaking a campaign promise, said: "If it's a bad promise, he doesn't have to keep it."

[napi21]

84. Wasn't Ricky part of the group slamming Byrd for mentioning Hitler?

I thought he was. Funny how the perception changes when it's your words, huh Ricky?