The Anti-Defamation League and conservative commentators have been making a big deal about the Dean campaign contest ad on MoveOn.org that compares the President to Adolf Hitler, and they are right to do so. Even if Progressives believe that Mr. Bush's policies resemble those of the Nazi regime, stooping to such name calling is both crass and counter-productive. It's certainly beyond the pale of American political debate.
However, there is bit of two-facedness operating here, and I'm joining other bloggers to point this out. I wish I could take the credit for it, but Atrios and others beat me to the punch.
At issue is not the appropriateness of the ad on MoveOn's sit, it should be denounced for what it is: a shrill attempt to get people riled up. The issue is that the ADL and conservative comments give Republicans a pass when they attack lefties (or moderates like Howard Dean) for being Nazis, brownshirts, or "jackbooted thugs". If these people want to get in a tizzy about references to Hitler in modern political ads, they should be addressign both parties excesses.
Until then, their statements are just so much hot air.
Posted by Chris at January 6, 2004 10:49 AM