Posted on 02/02/2006 10:34:18 PM PST by proud_yank
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has compared Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to the Nazi leader Adolph Hitler, saying both were elected legally and then "consolidated power." Secretary Rumsfeld made the comment as part of an answer to a reporter's question about the election of left-wing leaders in Latin America.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Secretary Rumsfeld told the questioner that the rise of corruption in democratic governments in Latin America caused voters to look for what he called more "populist" leaders.
"We've seen some populist leadership appealing to masses of people in those countries and elections, like Evo Morales in Bolivia, take place that clearly are worrisome," said Mr. Rumsfeld.
Secretary Rumsfeld said he would not characterize the situation as "a new wave of left-wing anti-American regimes," as the questioner did. But he went on to criticize the leftist Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez, who has become a sharp critic of the United States and a close friend of Cuba's communist leader, Fidel Castro.
"We've got Chavez in Venezuela with a lot of oil money," he noted. "He's a person who was elected legally, just as Adolph Hitler was elected legally, and then consolidated power, and now is, of course, working closely with Fidel Castro and Mr. Morales and others. It concerns me."
As Secretary Rumsfeld spoke, President Chavez was preparing to travel to Cuba late Wednesday to visit President Castro and accept an award from the United Nations for promoting Latin American culture.
Secretary Rumsfeld did not comment on, and at that time may not have known about, Venezuela's expulsion of a U.S. military attaché. The official, a U.S. Navy captain, was accused of spying. Several Venezuelan military officers have been accused of passing information to the U.S. military through the embassy in Caracas. There was no immediate response from the U.S. government.
Finally, someone coming out and saying it!
We need more backbone with this Chavez creep. And the fact that Cindy Sheehan is so friendly with him makes her look even worse.
Thats what I thought! Its always nice to let someone else be Hitler for a change, especially considering the whole 'National Socialism' aspect of it.
Too much Hitler. First Bush, then Ahmadajsfoknaewicnfs, then Harper, now Chavez. Why not Napoleon III? That works for the "legally elected, consolidated power" routine.
Is the whole "You're Hitler" a new concept? Personally, I thought it was nice to hear someone more deserving get that title for once. But you are right, still rather lame.
Well, Hitler is more popular for comparison, because (A)He has a fun-to-pronounce name, and (B)He represents not REAL evil in most peoples' minds, but a sort of cartoonish evil.
LOL! He has a fun-to-pronounce name
Personally, I like Archimedes myself, but....
I'm sorry; the Hitler analogy has run its course. Bush is Hitler. Cheney is Hitler. Haliburton is Hitler. Blair is Hitler.
There will never be another Hitler. Men may act in a similar vein, but Hitler is of his own.
I'm just tired of anyone being compared to Hitler. It's really wearing thin.
But Hitler wasn't elected, he was appointed chancellor by President Hindenberg. :P
This does not decrease my approval of the SecDef's point, though.
Yeah, Hitler would say something just like that. :D
Hitler or no, Chabez is still a Nazi.
Right, the Nazi party gained prominence through elections, but Hitler certainly consolidated power.
What about Agamemnon, or Ahab...we need more political comparisons to Ahab. Think of all the double-entendres that could be used for his wife...oh, comedy gold.
I should have read your post more closely. I disagree with myself when I said I disagreed. :)
Rumsfeld compared Hugo Chavez to Hitler. So who was that hugging Hugo Chavez recently, Magda Goebbles?
I have to agree.
Everyone busts out the "hitler" way too much these days and it waters down what the true level of what "hitler" represents.
While Chavez is a communist POS, he is nowhere near the level of Hitler.
Is the Hitler comparison thing something new, or was this something that has been around for a while?
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has compared Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to the Nazi leader Adolph Hitler, saying both were elected legally and then "consolidated power." Secretary Rumsfeld made the comment as part of an answer to a reporter's question about the election of left-wing leaders in Latin America.
Come on guys. You know Hitler was never elected. He was appointed. But never elected.
Rummy should have known better.
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