Santorum defends World War II 2012 election comparison

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign stop at the Christ Redeemer Church, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, in Cumming, Ga.

/ AP Photo/Eric Gay

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum flatly rejected suggestions that he likened President Obama to Adolf Hitler Sunday when he used an analogy comparing the 2012 election to the buildup to World War II.

"No, of course not," Santorum said dismissively when asked by a National Journal-CBS News reporter whether he was comparing the two. "The World War II metaphor is one I've used 100 times in my career," he insisted.

But the comparison is a recent addition to Santorum's presidential campaign strategy, and it emerged as a theme in his speeches in the Midwest over the past few days.

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During an event in Cumming, Ga., on Sunday evening, he discussed Americans' uncertainty about entering the war because they hoped Hitler might not be as dangerous as they feared.

"We're a hopeful people," Santorum said. "We think, 'Well, you know it'll get better. Yeah, he's a nice guy. I mean, it won't be near as bad as what we think. This will be okay.' I mean, yeah, maybe he's not the best guy after a while, after a while you find out some things about this guy over in Europe who's not so good of a guy after all. You know what, why do we need to be involved?" Santorum said.

Americans need to get involved in the upcoming election, he said, in the same way they needed to get involved in fighting Hitler in World War II.

"So with the optimistic spirit of America, sometimes, sometimes it's not okay. It'll be harder for this generation to figure it out. There's no cataclysmic event," he said.

[jtf1--2008]

There is a correlation between WWII and today. Uber-conservaties such as Rush, Hannity, Coulter, etc., continue to tell their lies day after day and the uneducated or racists believe them. Back in the 1930s the Nazis told their lies about Jews, gypsies, the non-Aryan, etc., and many German people believed. Ignorance and bigotry are two of the greatest threats to democracy.

[Turbidite]

Santorum needs to change his diapers.

[longtree-2009]

sadly the same thing can be said of santorum. how is he any different than obama? he wants to impose his right wing conservative views on everyone in the nation. the USA has a population of some 300+ million and not everyone is a diehard right wing conservative. santorum has no mass appeal and if he gets the nomination will drive moderates and centrists to vote for obama. obama will win by a landslide once again.

[daffy64]

I would say Santorum's analogy is pretty accurate. There's a fascist element sitting in the wings, ready to overthrow the government and bring back German...er...American values.

Any guess as to which (Tea) party it is?

[js2212]

by BuckeyeChuck February 20, 2012 8:52 PM EST
"Communism" is when the very top people in any country have 98% of the wealth and the rest have nearly nothing. Which is exactly what the republicans are working toward!
______________________________________________________________

Well, now you're just talking out your dot. That is not commumism. You just made that up to lay the ground work for a dumb anti-Republican comment. Go back to school, there Bucky.

[BOB-C]

"We're a hopeful people," Santorum said. "We think, 'Well, you know it'll get better. Yeah, he's a nice guy. I mean, it won't be near as bad as what we think."

Hitlers hand was clear as early as April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, with the bombing of Guernica by the Condor Legion of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe. While many Americans joined the Good Fight as the civilian organized Abraham Lincoln Brigade in defense of the Spanish Republic, America the nation looked the other way until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941.

[rayosun9]

Every time Conservative Christians and ESPECIALLY Catholics try to associate us Liberals with the Nazis and/or Adolf Hitler (and imply that THEY should be viewed as the OPPOSITION to those evils), we Liberals are given an opportunity we usually MISS to point out that Hitler and the Nazi leadership were CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS - NOT pagans or atheists or Liberals -. Nobody makes that case better than my sites, which all Liberals should be familiar with and ready to promote. Google "HitlersFaith" &, "NaziLeadership" & "RCscandal" (one word) and they will be the TOP Sites.

[jtom58]

Ray,
Unfortunately, you like the majority of other posters don't seem to have a clue. You twist things around to fit your rather simplistic view.
Hitler "used" Christianity as a power tool, including the extermination of millions. He himself seemed to care little about Christianity.

[rayosun9]

jtom58, if YOU "had a clue", you might be aware of the fact that 98% of the population of Germany at the time of the Third Reich were (mostly conservative) CHRISTIANS and in order to get and keep their cooperation in "the final solution", he had to persuade them that he was still "one of them" as he had been raised to be throughout his youth and adolescence.
What difference does it make what Hitler was in his innermost heart of hearts. What matters to the world is what his public persona was.

I have a hard time believing that filthy rich TV preachers REALLY BELIEVE in a God they will soon be facing in final judgment, but who in the world viewws such preachers as the ATHEISTS they may well be in their heart of hearts?

[awesomegrandpa]

I check the polls every day and am shocked to see Santorum 'surging'; can't the American people see how dangerous this guy is? I did see him fading a bit in Michigan; hopefully we will see a reverse in his momentum as people start to realize what a pious freak this guy is!

[Zann-Zel]

He's in first place here in Texas, with Ron Paul in second and Romney in third.

[daffy64]

He IS dangerous, in a Hitler-like, fascisty way. So his comments are not that far off the mark, are they?

[jdaryyl]

What gives America?

What needs to happen when the media ignores a march in which 600 or more vets march to the White House. They were in formation, chanting in cadence for Ron Paul. They also do an about face AWAY from the White House and once there, salute the flag for 8 minutes (1 SECOND for every suicide of a troop while serving during Obama presidency) and then a silent 21 min prayer (1 second for each soldier killed during Obama presidency).

Obama promised to bring back the troops.

What happens when the media ignores this? Even if you dislike the person (Ron Paul) who's non-interventionist policy they were marching for, what gives the media the right to ignore this event? You think the media is fair to Ron Paul?

Folks the media's job is to feed false propaganda and to establish candidates... Candidates approved of by the establishment.

WATCH THE VIDEO, before you tell me how wrong I am about the military-media-global banking-intelligence industrial complex that calls the shots for our future.

They don't care about you unless you consume their poisons, and they damn sure don't want a man who is for the people. They want servitude.

So long middle class, and so long 1st amendment. They are headed where the 4th went.

http://youtu.be/P7M21JlBM78

[Jon_Smiths]

It's clear this GOP primary is a race to the bottom.

My question is.....when do they hit bottom??

[LaplacesDemon]

Oh is that what it is? I thought it was an insane asylum.