GOP candidates keep raising World War II

Texas Gov. Rick Perry speaks with potential voters during a caucus training session held at the Sheraton hotel, Jan. 3, 2012, in West Des Moines, Iowa.

/ Getty

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa - The Republican candidates for president frequently tell voters that this is the most important election of their lifetimes. For some of them, the election is so important that it's worth comparing to one of America's most decisive moments: World War II.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday became the second candidate to compare his presidential bid to the great battles of the 1940s.

"It is a powerful moment in America's history," he told a group of about 200 volunteers assembled at the campaign's informal headquarters in the West Des Moines Sheraton for a last-minute training session. "And you are on the front lines. This is Concord, this is Omaha Beach. This is going up the hill, realizing the battle is worth winning. This is about sacrifice."

The supporters were gathered for a last-minute training session ahead of the Iowa caucuses Tuesday night.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's national campaign director made a reference to Pearl Harbor just weeks ago after failing to meet the requirements to appear on the primary ballot in Virginia - a misfortune that he and Perry share.

"Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941: We have experienced an unexpected setback, but we will re-group and re-focus with increased determination, commitment and positive action," Michael Krull wrote in a Facebook note to supporters.

Rick Santorum, meanwhile, drew attention for a speech he gave in December to a Republican Jewish group blasting President Obama's foreign policy. "And this president, for every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, he has had nothing but appeasement. We saw that during the lead-up to World War II," Santorum said. (The remark prompted a peeved Obama to fire back: "Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al Qaeda leaders who've been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement.")

There have also been symbolic allusions to the war that defined the 21st century. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman made a campaign stop at a World War II museum in Wolfeboro, N.H., on Dec. 29, where he spoke against a backdrop of tanks.

Some of the candidates, including Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann, have also done events at the U.S.S. Yorktown, an aircraft carrier in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., that was named after a ship commissioned and sent into battle in the Pacific theater during the war.

[skyk801]

You have to ask yourself if ANY of these creatures are smart enough to know that a LIBERAL was in the White House during WW II AND our Ally was a Communist Country? Okay, I guess you don't have to ask yourself.. None of them are even close to that Intelligent... NOT EVEN CLOSE!

[cbsnews_viewer]

Most keep raising WW2 because they are all statists. They want to increase the power of Government and their power. Look at their records, they keep expanding government in people's lifes and reducing liberty.
Read how world war 2 had great shortages at the homefront, and how people where really glad when it was over. Estimates range from about 50-70 million killed in World War 2. War sucks and they have to reach far and wide. Most keep wanting to reduce your power and give it to the 'state' also known as the federal government.
Paul said "They're talking about mischief around the world and policing the world.They don't care about your personal liberty, or it wouldn't constantly be undermined."

[LarryParadise]

What an absolute Joke Perry is ... I'm waiting to hear him say "Bring It On" like his buddy George W. did after lying us into Iraq

"You are the front lines" "We are going up the Hill" "This is Concord" ... what a FREAKING JOKE ...

Perry, you are already out of this race ... please go home now

[skyk801]

LarryParadise, I doubt if he can find it!

[kansas1946]

Rick Santorum, meanwhile, drew attention for a speech he gave in December to a Republican Jewish group blasting President Obama's foreign policy. "And this president, for every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, he has had nothing but appeasement. We saw that during the lead-up to World War II," Santorum said.
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It is unfortuate that the only way that Republicans think they can win is by lying, but that is what the GOP has become. A bunch of bigoted, radical, liars. Sad.

[steeepe]

The tea party GOP is full of BS. Yes, the election is important, as are all elections. But to elect the GOP is to run the country into the ground and kiss goodbye to the middle class, which will be sacrificed for the rich.

[werntrouble]

You, my friend, are absolutely right! Why don't you run for President? Regrettably, you would then have to align yourself with the values of some wacko political party at which point you would likely become a puppet of either the rich or some other special interest group, depending on the party. However, as a member of the middle class, I'm sick and tired of paying about 1/2 the cost of running the USA while the rich pilot the country into the ground, as you say. I want the rich to pay at the same tax rate as the rest of us, not hide income behind the 15% cap on taxes associated with capital gains. However, I also want the GOP to stop war mongering. I'm sick and tired of supporting the $1.3T national security programs (Defense + Homeland Security + CIA + Black Opps +..._) We cannot afford all of this. In case you didn't know, our country spends more on defense than all other countries added together! This is absurdly wasteful, especially since it's largely to support the military industries of the US and our foreign interests in non-renewable resources. So, my challenge to the self-proclaimed fiscal conservatives of the GOP, is when will you significantly reduce military spending in order to ease the tax burden on us all, but especially the middle class who shoulder roughly 1/2 the cost? When you do, I will think you credible, but never until you have done so!

[OldProfessor]

The Republican candidates are just trying to hit emotional hot buttons ....because their solutions to the country's problems are lacking.