Bush, Obama, and the Hitler Card

Just when you thought the Bush-Cheney administration could stoop no lower in foreign policy, the president has played the Hitler card in this presidential race.

The venue for this outlandish move wasn't in Washington or even the ranch in Texas but before the Knesset in Jerusalem. The Jewish state, and the important Jewish electorate back home, are naturally sensitive to any references to Nazi Germany.

Bush was speaking of appeasement against those who would negotiate with terrorists. The White House spokeswoman, with a straight face, claimed the reference was not to Sen. Barack Obama.

Sen. John MCain, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, wasn't listening to this disclaimer. He pointedly ripped Obama for being willing to sit down with the leaders in Iran despite their wacky views.

The Democrats reacted quickly. Obama called it a political stunt. Bush was reminded that his first secretary of state, Colin Powell, had said we should be at least willing to talk to Hamas.

Powell was the man Bush courted so strongly to come to the State Department eight years ago and then virtually ignored his advice in favor of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.

The best response to Bush came from Sen. Joseph Biden, Democrat of Delaware and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden said it was an outrage that Bush would play presidential politics overseas, calling his appeasement statement "bull----."

This should put Obama on notice that the Republican smear machine will go after him on everything. Immediate responses will be essential if he is to survive.

Back in 2004, Sen. John Kerry promised to respond immediately to any attack on him or his record. He dilly dallied when the Swift Boat veterans questioned his Purple Hearts in Vietnam, and Kerry paid the price. Remember this came from a group backing a man who escaped service in Vietnam in the Texas National Guard.

Fasten your seat belts, all voters from Vermont to California; it is only May and Adolph Hitler has already made it into this election seven months away.

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