I see they've toned down the rhetoric for the recall. During last year's protests, Walker was Hitler. Now, he's just Nixon. Good to see the old civility agenda kicking in at last!
UW-Madison Professor James L. Baughman [says] the comparison is a stretch.You know what's especially clever? Making dishonesty your theme... dishonestly! The people of Wisconsin love that kind of playfulness with the truth. It gets us thinking. Very stimulating. Nice work, Democrats. So ironically Nixonworthy.
“With Watergate, Nixon’s undoing was knowing more than he let on in the cover up,” Baughman said. “I don’t think they have that on Walker. I’m troubled by the idea of the analogy.”
[Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Graeme] Zielinski defended the advertisement, saying there is plenty of evidence Walker has been hiding criminal activity and his denials are not believable.
Despite his reservations, Baughman admitted, “It’s a clever ad. Maybe it’ll work.”
IN THE COMMENTS: purplepenquin said...
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin ran advertisements last year that said Walker was Hitler?!?I don't know if the Democratic Party ran ads, but at the protests, there were many, many signs comparing Walker to Hitler. It was a standard meme at the protests. The protesters displaying signs were not shunned or corrected by other protesters. It was the norm. Meade and I would approach individuals with Hitler signs and ask them to explain, and invariably, they defended the comparison.
Shame on them for doing so...does anyone have a link to those ads? I can't believe this is the first I've heard about it.
For example, this woman, holding a sign depicting Walker with a Hitler mustache and hair, questioned by Meade, snips that Walker is "like Hitler." Here's a young woman with a sign depicting Walker as Hitler, who, asked to explain, says "He doesn't do nice things." Here's an "Adolf Walker" sign with a swastika. Here's a protester with the sense to cover her face:
But you're right in your sarcasm, purplepenquin. The Democratic Party did not select this material for glossy advertisements to send out all over the state. But this is the way it looked, day after day, in Madison, Wisconsin. This is how the protesters related to each other and created the passion and fervor that led to weeks of drum-beating and chanting in the rotunda. Hitler has been scaled back to Nixon for more general Wisconsin purposes.
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40 comments:
Many people want to be lied to. Nothing can be done about it.
Sometimes they make up a majority of citizens. Hence Obama.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin ran advertisements last year that said Walker was Hitler?!?
Shame on them for doing so...does anyone have a link to those ads? I can't beleive this is the first I've heard about it.
As I remember, Nixon won in a landslide.
So does this mean Walker can go to China?
In reality, even Nixon wasn't Nixon.
"[Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Graeme] Zielinski defended the advertisement, saying there is plenty of evidence Walker has been hiding criminal activity and his denials are not believable."
-- Whoa there. That's... a pretty bold claim. The sort of claim that, if you don't prove, one might say is slanderous. There's a clear malicious intent too -- to try and win the election. This isn't just political bruising over ethics, this is outright accusing someone of a crime (not flip-flopping or holding beliefs you think voters won't like).
I guess this green lights all those ads about impeaching Holder and Obama's legal responsibilities regarding F&F, firing his IGs, etc. But, I somehow doubt we'll see those referred to as clever ads.
When one is a desperate anarchist with face to the wind falsehoods are your last resort. It is also tantamount to calling your intended audience dunces. It is predictable that the left would stoop to this level given their existential vulnerability. The real question is will the electorate at large be smart enough to see the attempt at manipulation of the facts?
Like everything about the recall, this will be good red meat for the true believers, the rest of the state will go "huh?".
But what else can they do? Talk about state union worker's rights? HA!
I can't wait for the Kathleen Falk can't run a county 911 Center, how many will die if she runs the whole state rebuttals.
"purplepenquin said...
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin ran advertisements last year that said Walker was Hitler?!?
Shame on them for doing so...does anyone have a link to those ads? I can't beleive this is the first I've heard about it."
Of course Althouse said no such thing. But I can show you quotes from an sitting Democrat State Senator comparing Walker to Hitler.
How's that? You get some clever rebuttal to that?
[Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Graeme] Zielinski defended the advertisement, saying there is plenty of evidence Walker has been hiding criminal activity and his denials are not believable.
Graeme Zielinski is a pathetic liar.
Have you noticed how the WI Dem party says absolutely nothing about the increases in state and local taxes that will happen if Falk is elected and cedes control of the government to the union leaders?
They want to keep the focus off of that little item. It isn't working.
Typically, when one claims "there is plenty of evidence" without providing a shred of such evidence, the person is lying.
"Typically, when one claims "there is plenty of evidence" without providing a shred of such evidence, the person is lying."
-- I keep all my evidence in a secret cave, waiting for the proper moment to begin enacting Perry Mason and/or Phoenix Wright court room style antics.
@purplepenquin I've front-paged your comment and responded.
"in my hand, I hold a list of 205 pieces of evidence."
The more things change the more they stay the same.
Purplepenquin wasn't being honest in the first place; he knew there were Hitler posters, and knew you didn't say "the Democratic Party of Wisconsin ran advertisements last year that said Walker was Hitler".
A big thanks to our hostess for clearing up the earlier confusion that her pronouns caused. I wasn't being sarcastic - the way it is worded it appears that you are saying that the "Walker is Hitler" signs were an organized effort by the DemParty.
World o' difference between an organized effort by The Party and the actions of less-than-a-dozen (out of a crowd of thousands) people. At least I beleive as such...would others say that the anti-Recall supporters should all be judged based on the small minority of their folks who spit on political opponents and/or throw rocks through storefront windows?
Hitler is a figure of speech. I don't get the offense.
It must be like flag burning, another mysterious crime.
You know what's especially clever? Making dishonesty your theme... dishonestly! The people of Wisconsin love that kind of playfulness with the truth
What is dishonest in your view about the ad?
I guess it's true what they say, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Truth is, Walker was portrayed as many different things, including, occasionally (and unfortunately), Hitler. It was by no means, a standard meme. Unless, of course, that's all you could see.
"Truth is, Walker was portrayed as many different things, including, occasionally (and unfortunately), Hitler. It was by no means, a standard meme."
-- It was as prevalent as Bushitler. Let's face it; protestors just aren't creative people most of the time.
First, they wanted me to pay towards my own pension, and I screamed bloody murder because somebody else should pay for my pension.
Then they wanted me to pay a portion of my own health care, and I screamed bloody murder because somebody else should pay for my health care.
Yeah, he's Hitler all right.
Well, what would the lefties run on if the Milwaukee's DA office was not a wholly owned unit of the Wisconsin Democratic Party?
That Walker balanced a budget? That our neighbor to the South is a great example of what happens when leaderships goes on bended knee to the public uniions?
Will any issues be brought forth in this campaign, or just the endless, silly, Walkergate meme.
I would never compare Obama to Hitler.
I'd say he's more like Josef Mengele.
What is dishonest in your view about the ad?
Guilt by association.
If there was something that was dishonest being done and it was brought to court the ad would be a good reason to dismiss the case.
Which leads me to believe there is nothing there and this is the progressive attempt to smear, in a 1950-ish, iron curtain propaganda-ish, kind of way,that is really, really lame.
Hitler - He doesn't do nice things.
That scoundrel.
Dredging up Nixon, complete with Wally Crankcase and (eventually) Dan Blather, is like talking about Boss Tweed.
40 years ago is such ancient history only the old guys (like us) even remember.
Or care.
If this is the best the Demos have, they might as well pack it in now.
Of course let's not talk of the hundreds of times we have heard claims of Hitler signing the recall.
It is only the Dem Hitler claims that matter, not the examples on this very blog of using Hitler to discredit the recall.
Jeepers.
Of course let's not talk of the hundreds of times we have heard claims of Hitler signing the recall.
Of course it was the "non-partisan" GAB that reported they would accept signatures like Adolph Hitler and Mickey Mouse on the petitions. Nobody was accused of actually being Hitler.
Since that's out of the way, exactly who is the Democrat that recall opponents are comparing to Hitler? Be specific.
I'll say it again, a sitting Democrat state Senator did compare Walker with Hitler:
"The history of Hitler," Wisconsin state Sen. Lena Taylor told a reporter on Feb. 15, 2011, "in 1933, he abolished unions, and that’s what our governor’s doing today."
And she was denounced by the Democratic Party.
As far as the Penguin, bullshit. You were being sarcastic.
CG - even Politifact said she was "pants on fire" with that Walker quote. Shame!
So where are Walker's stolen, hidden art treasures? St. Joseph's in Campbellsport?
Althouse: "I see they've toned down the rhetoric for the recall. During last year's protests, Walker was Hitler."
Ann, if you have an example of the Democratic PSrty of Wisconsin calling Walker "Hitler," then show it.
but you don't have that. You have individuals who brought the Hitler thing in. Same thing happened at Tea Party rallies, but you did not engage in collective guilt then.
Really, get a clue.
"AlphaLiberal said...
Althouse: "I see they've toned down the rhetoric for the recall. During last year's protests, Walker was Hitler."
Ann, if you have an example of the Democratic PSrty of Wisconsin calling Walker "Hitler," then show it."
I've posted it, but will do again for you:
"The history of Hitler," Wisconsin state Sen. Lena Taylor told a reporter on Feb. 15, 2011, "in 1933, he abolished unions, and that’s what our governor’s doing today."
Lena Taylor is a Democrat...she actually ran against Walker for Milwaukee County Executive.
She was not denounced by the Democratic Party.
"She was not denounced by the Democratic Party"
Actually, the Hitler..and other...references were condemned by the WI-DEMS:
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate is condemning signs carried by pro-labor protesters that compare Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hosni Mubarak and showed the governor with a cross-hairs rifle sight over his face.
In an interview with CNSNews.com, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Press Secretary Graeme Zielinski said that Tate and the party “absolutely” condemn the inflammatory signs but says that they are not representative of the majority of the protesters who have taken to the streets in opposition to the Governor’s plan.
http://tinyurl.com/798ys67
Here is another article where a local Democrat goes after Ms. Taylor for her remarks:
I am appalled by and oppose the governor's current campaign of union-busting and his attack on Wisconsin's working people. Nevertheless, Taylor's rhetorical escalation of this political watershed by her demagoguery helps absolutely nothing.
http://tinyurl.com/86gamv5
Now that we got that cleared up, is there anything at all that any Walker Supporters have done that you personally want to "denounce", or do you stand by everything that has been said and everything that has been done by those who are opposed to the Recall efforts?
@purplepenguin,
World o' difference between an organized effort by The Party and the actions of less-than-a-dozen (out of a crowd of thousands) people.
Not if they were paid to be there or bussed in.
Typical feature of left/liberal/Democratic protests.
World o' difference between an organized effort by The Party and the actions of less-than-a-dozen (out of a crowd of thousands) people.
Walker and many GOP senators were leveled death threats.
People have protested outside of Walker's private home.
The Capitol suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, and the throngs of people often made legislative work impossible. Many legislators and staffers afraid to come to work, and in many instances not even allowed to leave.
Thousands of teachers illegally skipping work caused school districts to cancel all across this state, some for days on end.
Im sorry, the old "its just a few out of a thousand" line doesnt work with me. We all saw with our own eyes and heard with our own hears the kind of crap that went on in the Capitol last year.
Democrats trying to claim the high road in this debate will be a battle Im sure Walker and his campaign will gladly take on. If the Dems want to seriously make this campaign about character, all Walker has to do is roll the footage from the capitol starting last February.
Limiting collective bargaining is just like the holocaust...excluding the killing part. The fleebaggers were the equivalent of Ann Frank.
They were this close to getting Elie Wiesel to speak. Sent him a blue fist T and everything.
purplepenquin said...
"She was not denounced by the Democratic Party"
Actually, the Hitler..and other...references were condemned by the WI-DEMS:
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate is condemning signs carried by pro-labor protesters that compare Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hosni Mubarak and showed the governor with a cross-hairs rifle sight over his face. what inflammatory signs but says that they are not representative of the majority of the protesters who have taken to the streets in opposition to the Governor’s plan."
Just another example of Penguins dishonesty. First, she/he/it pretends that Althouse claimed that the Democratic Party made Hitler commercials, and now she/he/it pretends that because Mike Tate criticized protesters use of Hitler signs that it extends to Taylor. So this does not clear it up, the Democratic Party DID NOT criticize Taylor Penguin. Nice try.
"Here is another article where a local Democrat goes after Ms. Taylor for her remarks:
I am appalled by and oppose the governor's current campaign of union-busting and his attack on Wisconsin's working people. Nevertheless, Taylor's rhetorical escalation of this political watershed by her demagoguery helps absolutely nothing."
This is fucking rich. Penguin, who constantly claims that a few bad apples should represent the protesters as a group, has no problem with one person representing "democrats". Sadly, although this person may vote Democrat, she isn't a "Democrat". She is a former ADA, and is not part of the Democratic Part, and holds no office now, or ever. She also happens to be Jewish, and a person whose family has suffered loss because of Hitler. So another fail.
"all Walker has to do is roll the footage from the capitol starting last February."
Oh..if only a security cam had footage of a protester pissing in the dome. The OWS thug crapping on a cop car image was so helpful to the cause...
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