Haaretz reports today that the Republicans “have once again recruited Hitler to their campaign against the reforms initiated by their Democratic rivals. The National Republican Congressional Committee used a popular online social network this week to promote a video in which Hitler appears to endorse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Using the social networking Web site Twitter, the NRCC posted a link to a video, with the message “Funny Video: Moonbattery: Hitler Reacts to ObamaCare Maneuvers”
The new subtitles appear on a scene from the 2004 German film Downfall, which chronicles the final days of Hitler and his henchmen in their Berlin bunker. In other versions, Hitler’s generals inform der führer that his armies have been routed and the Soviets have encircled the German capital.
The scene has been re-subtitled for the purpose of parody numerous times. One version has the generals informing Hitler, who is a Green Bay Packers fan, that the Vikings have signed Brett Favre (WARNING: Obscene language, poor taste).
Here’s more from the Haaretz report:
In the GOP video, Hitler becomes angered, screaming “What the hell are the Democrats doing?”
“At least I have Pelosi on my side. What’s wrong with them?… I socialized medicine overnight and everything’s going great… Like Pelosi, I don’t give a s**t about the American people.”
John Randall, charged with the NRCC’s Twitter feed, removed the tweet in the wake of severe protest on behalf of Democrats, and apologized. “We saw the video this morning and thought, like other parodies, that it was funny. In 20-20 hindsight, we realized it was in poor taste and pulled it down… I don’t want anyone to think we’re comparing Democrats to Nazis and to Hitler.”
The president of the National Jewish Democratic Committee, David Harris, told Haaretz that the Republicans’ use of Nazi symbols in campaigns against democrats has crossed the line. “It has to stop,” he said.
