STEVE BENSON

Huckabee's hysteria: Linking Obama to the Holocaust

Steve Benson
opinion cartoonist
2015-07-31T00:00 : 00.000-04:00

Pitifully polling GOP presidential contender pretender, Mike Huckabee, could use a basic lesson in discussion decency — starting with "Godwin's Law":

“[A]s an  . . .  argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that somebody will bring up Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. When such an event occurs, [that] person . . . has effectively forfeited the argument.”

Enter the frenzied and fanatical forfeiter, Huckabee, who on “Breitbart News Saturday” recently ranted:

“[Obama’s] foreign policy is . . . so naive that he would trust the Iranians. . . .  [H]e will take the Israelis and march them to the door of the oven.”

Condemnation was swift.

--Israel’s transport minister Yisrael Katz:

“Nobody marches the Jews to ovens anymore. To this end we established the State of Israel and the [Israel Defense Forces]; and, if need be, we will know how to defend ourselves, by ourselves. . . . [Huckabee’s attack was] “wrong and unnecessary.”

-- Israel’s U.S. ambassador, Ron Dermer:

"These are not words that I would use or that I think are appropriate.   . . . We don't in any way impugn the motives of the people who are doing this [Iranian nuclear] deal.  I think it's important to conduct this debate in a way that's befitting of the alliance between our two countries."

-- The Anti-Defamation League:

“[ADL national director Jonathan Greenblatt]:

“’Whatever one’s views of the nuclear agreement with Iran . . . , comments such as those by Mike Huckabee suggesting the president is leading Israel to another Holocaust are completely out of line and unacceptable. Israeli military and security officials have repeatedly said the Obama administration has been as strong as any other American administration in keeping Israel secure. . . .

“’To hear Mr. Huckabee invoke the Holocaust . . . is disheartening. The great tragedy of the Holocaust saw the Jews of Europe without allies and without power at the worst possible moment. . . .

“’We have called on all sides . . . to conduct [this debate] responsibly and civilly. That plea should apply to presidential candidates as well.’”

-- Former U.S.  ambassador to Israel, David Kurtzer:

" . . . [F]or anybody to equate what the president’s doing to what Adolf Hitler did in World War II is just extraordinary. . . .  There was the same kind of incitement against Yitzhak Rabin [20 years ago] that led to [his assassination].  I just hope that people really stand back and understand that Mr. Huckabee has crossed a very serious line here. Every Republican candidate should stand up, condemn this and ask him to retract it.”

No such luck, prompting the  “National Journal” to observe:

“. . . [T]his is the part Mike Huckabee is casting himself in for the 16-person Republican presidential field. So far, it's not getting a very good reception.”

What do you think?

-- Steve Benson