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'I did not compare Republicans to Nazis,' House Dem says of floor remark
The Hill ^ | 1/20/11 | Jordan Fabian

Posted on 01/20/2011 8:59:18 AM PST by markomalley

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen (Tenn.) claimed Wednesday that he did not compare Republicans to Nazis during a floor speech this week, but reiterated many of the same points he made in that speech.

In his first television interview since his Tuesday-night speech, Cohen said he does not think most "reasonable people" would construe his words as a direct comparison between Nazis and the GOP.

But he maintained that Republican rhetorical tactics during the healthcare debate have resembled Nazi propaganda.

"I didn't compare the Republicans to Nazis," Cohen, who is Jewish, said on CNN's "John King, USA" program. "I compared the big lie. ... It was repeated over and over again. [Nazi propaganda minister Joseph] Goebbels was the master of political propaganda. He said, 'Repeat it. Make it short. Make it simple and repeat it over and over.' And that's what they've done."

The Tennessee Democrat said Tuesday night that Republicans "don't like the truth, so they summarily dismiss it. They say it's a government takeover of healthcare. A big lie, just like Goebbels. You say it enough and you repeat the lie, repeat the lie, repeat the lie until eventually people believe it. Like blood libel, that's the same kind of thing."

Cohen added that the Nazis' claims set the table for the Holocaust, which resulted in the killing of 6 million Jews and millions of others.

Cohen's floor speech drew heavy scrutiny, not only because he invoked the Nazis, but because he did so even with the heightened sensitivity to heated political rhetoric in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) on Jan. 8.


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To: markomalley
"'I did not compare Republicans to Nazis,' House Dem says of floor remark"

Oh, then everything's ok now! /s

41 posted on 01/20/2011 9:57:35 AM PST by EnigmaticAnomaly ("Mantra of the left: 'It's only okay when WE do it.'")
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To: Darksheare

Original question (”Is he brain dead?”) is obviously a rhetorical one....I noted a Freeper above who lives in Cohen’s District...unfortunately, his District is populated with a lot of folks who don’t hold to the commonly accepted Freeper standard of able bodied folks working for a living. He had a very conservative, common sense opponent in 2010, but the “takers” outnumbered the “taxpayers,” unfortunately.


42 posted on 01/20/2011 10:00:18 AM PST by jennings2004 (Sarah Palin: "The bright light at the end of a very dark tunnel!")
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To: EnigmaticAnomaly

The supreme court ruled twice in the past the US is a Christian Constitutional Republic. Perhaps it is time to stop electing non-christians like Cohen to office. After all the people of Tennessee are not who he is likely to be representing.


43 posted on 01/20/2011 10:01:28 AM PST by foxfighter
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To: markomalley

House Dem compares GOP health care case to Nazi propaganda

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/19/5878241-house-dem-compares-gop-health-care-case-to-nazi-propaganda

Say What? Democrat Compares Republicans to Nazis
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/01/abc-news-jonathan-karl-reports-the-newfound-civility-didnt-last-long-political-rhetoric-in-congress-doesnt-get-much.html

ABC News Jonathan Karl reports: The newfound civility didn’t last long. Political rhetoric in Congress doesn’t get much nastier than the words of one House Democrat during the debate on repealing the health care law.

In an extraordinary outburst on the House floor, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) invoked the Holocaust to attack Republicans on health care and compared rhetoric on the issue to the work of infamous Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.

“They say it’s a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like Goebbels,” Cohen said. “You say it enough, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, and eventually, people believe it. Like blood libel. That’s the same kind of thing. And Congressman Cohen didn’t stop there.

“The Germans said enough about the Jews and people believed it—believed it and you have the Holocaust. We heard on this floor, government takeover of health care. Politifact said the biggest lie of 2010 was a government takeover of health care because there is no government takeover,” Cohen said.
Cohen made his comments late last night, but they have attracted no attention because his speech was made to a virtually empty House chamber with no reporters around to watch.

Democratic lawmaker compares GOP health law claims to Nazi ‘lies’

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/138805-democratic-lawmaker-compares-gop-health-law-claims-to-nazi-lies

VIDEO ON THIS ONE
House Democrat Compares GOP To Nazis In Health Repeal Debate (video)

http://realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/01

(D-TN) Rep. Steve Cohen stands by ‘Nazi’ comments
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2659984/posts

The guy is a certifiable wack-a-doodle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiOpEpGAhHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxkdWQG5ETU&NR=1

News 3 Video (has a hospital back drop)
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-cohen-controversy,0,7471216.story

It’s not his first open mouth and insert foot moment.

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/10/kossified-congressman-obama-was-a-community-organizer-like-jesus/

Dem. Rep. Steve Cohen (TN) – I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that the parties have differences. But if you want change, you want the Democratic Party. Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus, who our minister prayed about. Pontius Pilate was a governor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=2662

I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, um, that the parties have differences, but if you want Change, but if you want change, you want the Democratic party, uh, Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus who our, uh, minister prayed about, uh, Pontius Pilate was a governor.

http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/in-the-know/36-news/5227-lawmaker-thanks-god-is-gone

Lawmaker: ‘Thank God’ Bush is gone

July 22, 2010,

There are many Democrats and at least a few Republicans on Capitol Hill who say they’re glad former President George W. Bush is no longer in office, but Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) this week went one step further: He thanked the Almighty for it.

Cohen took to the House floor on Tuesday, where he delivered remarks titled “Thank God Bush is Gone.”

Cohen blamed the 43rd president for the financial crisis, calling him “Hoover George Bush,” after former president Herbert Hoover.

“Now all [people] can say is Bush is gone,” Cohen said, “Nobody can defend him.”

The lawmaker took a few more swipes at the former president over tax cuts and the Iraq war before concluding, “Now all they can say is that he’s gone. Thank God he’s gone.

Career Politician, never held a real job.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cohen

Stephen Ira “Stevo” Cohen (born May 24, 1949) is the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 9th congressional district, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as a Tennessee State Senator for 24 years.

Tennessee’s 9th district includes almost three-fourths of Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee’s first Jewish congressman. Cohen is the only non-black representing a black majority district in Congress.[1]

While serving for three years as Legal Advisor for the Memphis Police Department, Cohen rose to political prominence when he was elected to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1977 at the age of 27. The Convention elected him its vice president.[6] Cohen was then elected to serve as a commissioner on the Shelby County Commission, an office he held from 1978 to 1980.[2] During his time at the Commission, Cohen was instrumental in the creation of The Med, a community-funded regional hospital.[6] In 1980, Cohen served as an interim Shelby County General Sessions Court judge.[2] He has also served as a delegate to the 1980, 1992, and 2004 Democratic National Conventions.[2]


44 posted on 01/20/2011 11:08:12 AM PST by GailA (2012 rally cry DEMOCRATS and RINOS are BAD for the USA!)
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To: svcw

YES! So are the plantation squatters in Memphis that keep voting him back into office.


45 posted on 01/20/2011 11:09:34 AM PST by GailA (2012 rally cry DEMOCRATS and RINOS are BAD for the USA!)
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To: jennings2004

In Soviet New York..
*ugh*
Yeah, that describes most of New York in my area.


46 posted on 01/20/2011 11:10:40 AM PST by Darksheare (I shook hands with Sheryl Crow and all I got was Typhus and a single sheet of toilet paper.)
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To: Question Liberal Authority

And if you are on Medicare good luck finding a doctor if we don’t get this crap repealed.


47 posted on 01/20/2011 11:11:53 AM PST by GailA (2012 rally cry DEMOCRATS and RINOS are BAD for the USA!)
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To: markomalley

48 posted on 01/20/2011 11:16:56 AM PST by McGruff (If you are taking alot of flak you must be on target.)
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To: markomalley

I am NOT saying Rep. Steve Cohen IS A PEDOPHILE. I am NOT saying HE LIKES CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. I am NOT saying any of that.


49 posted on 01/20/2011 12:49:17 PM PST by LeonardFMason
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To: svcw

He is a shamless liar and a Democrat..therefore he gets a pass.


50 posted on 01/20/2011 1:28:55 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (Liberals are educated above their level of intelligence.. Thanks Sr. Angelica)
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