Topic: Newsmax
Newsmax writes in a July 4 "Insider Report" item:
Vice President Joe Biden has been accused of comparing Republicans with Nazis by using the word “blitzkrieg” in a fundraising e-mail.
In the e-mail sent via the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Biden warned that House Democrats “will be hit with a GOP blitzkrieg of vicious swift-boat-style attack ads.”
“Blitzkrieg” is a term that was used to describe Germany’s military offensives during World War II.
The Newsvine website, in an article headlined “Biden e-mail compares Republicans to Nazis,” said Biden “continued with his Nazi slur by referring to Democrats as the Allies who fought back the Nazi occupation of Europe.” Biden stated: “Our Democratic allies in the House need your help, and the president and I hope we can count on you to come to their defense.”
A spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner told the New York Daily News that “invoking the Nazis’ crimes against humanity in a political debate is simply inappropriate.”
The idea that Biden is likening Republicans to Nazis by using the word "blitzkrieg" is utterly ridiculous. Newsmax apparently got the inspiration for this smear from Matt Drudge, so that explains a little.
Newsmax also treats Newsvine as some sort of legitimate news organization. It's not -- it's a personalized news aggregator. What Newsmax is quoting from is a blogger named "Dr. Danny," whose blog is apparently hosted by Newsvine.
But if using the word "blitzkrieg" is equal to calling someone a Nazi, let's see Newsmax's record:
- In a September 2002 column, Phil Brennan referred to then-California "Gov. Gray Davis’ advertising blitzkrieg" against opponent Bill Simon.
- A December 2002 column by Tammy Bruce references "Sen. Tom Daschle's nutty blitzkrieg against Rush Limbaugh."
- The attack book "Hillary's Scheme" by Newsmax's Carl Limbacher, references "the Clinton IRS blitzkrieg" against opponents.
- In a August 2009 column, Arnaud de Borchgrave quotes the right-wing Human Events as promoting their daily newsletter as having the goal to "defeat the pro-abortionists' 'stealth' media campaign with its own media blitzkrieg designed to counter . . . lies and propaganda with the facts."
Unless Newsmax is willing to admit that all of these people were endeavoring to liken those they were attacking as Nazis, they should back away from smearing Biden in this manner.
