Using the Holocaust to Smear Obama

I never thought I'd see the day when the Holocaust would be used as a tool for "gotcha" politics. But over the last two days, we have seen John McCain's supporters at the Republican National Committee and at Fox News launch tasteless attacks on Barack Obama. In their attempt to score a few political points, they have diminished the experience of those who suffered and died at Buchenwald, and disrespected the service of the heroic American troops who liberated them.

It started yesterday when the RNC put out a statement slamming Obama for referring to Auschwitz as he related a family story on Memorial Day. Instead of merely asking for clarification, the RNC smeared Obama's "dubious claim," and suggested -- tongue in cheek -- that perhaps Obama's uncle "was serving in the Red Army." They went on to say that the story raised questions "about his judgment and his readiness to lead as commander in chief."

It turns out that Obama's great uncle -- the brother of the grandmother who largely raised him -- served in the 89th Infantry Division of the United States Army, which liberated Ohrdruf, part of Buchenwald. But astonishingly, that only served to fan the flames for those on the right who saw an attempt to use the heroic service of Obama's uncle against him. In their breathless attempt to damage Obama, Fox News has stooped to a level that is truly depressing.

This morning on the program Fox and Friends, one of the hosts said: "It wasn't Auschwitz. It was a labor camp called Buchenwald." Just in case the point was missed, she repeated. "It wasn't Auschwitz, it was a labor camp. You would think you would want to be as specific as possible if you are telling one of these anecdotes." Meanwhile, a news "crawl" at the bottom of the screen reinforced, in bold letters, that this was "a work camp, rather than an extermination camp."

Here are some facts about Buchenwald, which is one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps. At this "work camp," prisoners were often worked, starved, tortured, or beaten to death. Sometimes they were simply murdered. Roughly 250,000 people were imprisoned there between 1937 and 1945, many of them Jews. Over 50,000 people lost their lives.

At Nuremberg, the world was shocked to learn that some of Buchenwald's victims were skinned, and the human skin was then used to make lampshades, book covers, and other keepsakes. Buchenwald was also a site for the infamous Nazi "medical experiments" on prisoners, which were often nothing more than crude and horrific forms of torture.

To take just one anecdote about the "work" done at Buchenwald, prisoners had to build the camp road, and camp guards used to shoot those who were not carrying stones that were heavy enough. In the final days before liberation, some 10,000 prisoners from Auschwitz and Gross-Rossen were marched to Buchenwald, adding to the horrific scene that awaited American troops.

On April 4, 1945, Ohrdruf became the first Nazi concentration camp to be liberated by American forces. U.S. troops -- including the 89th Infantry Division -- found a scene that was vividly described by the Eisenhower Memorial Commission: "The scene was an indescribable horror even to the combat-hardened troops who captured the camp. Bodies were piled throughout the camp. There was evidence everywhere of systematic butchery. Many of the mounds of dead bodies were still smoldering from failed attempts by the departing SS guards to burn them."

Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley would tour the camp in the days ahead. Eisenhower was so moved by the atrocities at this "work camp," that he wrote to his wife Mamie that it was "beyond the American mind of comprehend." He made both his own men and all of the citizens of the German town of Gotha tour the camp. He wanted the Americans to know the evil that they were fighting. He wanted German citizens to see what had been done in their name. After this tour, the Mayor of Gotha and his wife hanged themselves.

Many of the terrible photographs and videos that we have seen of the Holocaust come from these days. Eisenhower said that he wanted, "to give first-hand evidence if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to 'propaganda.'" The carefully documents attrocities at Buchenwald are thus part of the record that we use to confront anyone who would deny the horror of the Holocaust.

The men who liberated Buchenwald were heroes, plain and simple. That includes Barack Obama's great uncle. In their march across Europe, the 89th Infantry Division suffered over 1,000 casualties, with over 300 men killed. In their liberation of Buchenwald, they put an end to one of the most horrible concentration camps of the 20th century. We must honor them, just as we must remember each and every victim of the criminal Nazi regime.

To those who continue to use this story to damage Barack Obama, I have a simple question: have you no shame? You attempts to diminish his uncle's service for your own political gain says a lot more about you than it does about Barack Obama.

Comments

[fcsakes]

Oh please, when you deal with scum, nothing is too low to expect.

I find it best to totally ignore everything on the right, except turns.

[Cowboylove]

I was a staunch Republican prior to the Bush Administration. Just before the 2000 election I read an expose on George W. Bush and his horrendous administration in Texas. I was shocked to read - from his own lips - that he spent about 4 of his 8 hour workdays playing video games.

Republicans have become unrecognizable political hacks with no ethics, no morality and no moral compass. They lie easily and often, and when caught in lies say they were taken out of context - when there is no context to apply.

You could put a gun to my head and I would not vote for a Republican again. I am that disgusted. The revelations in this article only deepens my disgust.

[HermioneGranger]

Let me explain it in an example Americans can understand

Confusing Auschwitz and Buchenwald ist like confusing the massacre of Wounded Knee with Waco. Both are bad, but if you mix it up it shows you have no idea what you are talking about.

[NicoleAnonymous]

I don't think he made a mistake - I think that is what he had been told by his family over the years.

And don't explain it to Americans in a patronizing way.

[JimR]

Let me explain it in a way you can jolly well understand.

Sometimes, when we are tired, all of us say one thing when we mean another. You might accidentally call someone or something by the wrong name. It doesn't mean you don't know what you are talking about. It means you misspoke.

[Vibrani]

It means you don't know what you're talking about!

[marymansour]

Thank you! And sometimes when you have heard the story from family members, it can also be confusing. When Hillary has a tiring day on the campaign trail, she refers to RFK's assassination and sniper fire in Bosnia.

[NicoleAnonymous]

I think when someone is trying to win a presidential election they have people who check every word in speeches the candidate makes - they probably spend hours going over anything that the candidate says in public. If Obama doesn't have someone doing that then he is taking a major risk and based on the way his campaign has been run so far, I can't imagine that.

If Obama was told the story by his family with the wrong concentration camp then that is different but there isn't any excuse for making mistakes in a speech. He is trying to become the leader of the most powerful country in the world and he should realize every word he says is going to be analyzed.

[AlaskaDawn]

And when you're tired and fuzzy, you just DON'T SPEAK IN PUBLIC!!!

[lisakaz2]

Wounded Knee with Waco? Hardly. More like the Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Manassas. Practically the same. How many concentration camps can you even name?

[kensp]

I am a Canadian not an American and your analogy is idiotic. Wounded Knee happened in 1890 and involved the Lakota Sioux. Waco happened more than a full century later and had nothing to do with any Native American tribe. And in your mind confusing these two events is like confusing the names of two different notorious concentration camps that existed under the same regime at exactly the same time? What nonsense.

A better analogy would be to say it is like confusing the Washita River massacre with the Sand Creek massacre. In both cases the victims were Cheyenne and the two events occurred in the American west within the same historical period. To momentarily confuse the two would be understandable and insignificant.

The way the wingnut blogs have blown up this whole incident just shows how desperate the Republicans are and how little they have on Obama.

[SonnyBono]

Thank you - I was trying to think of the Washita River massacre but had a McCain moment and couldn't remember if the tribe was Cheyenne or not. You are right on - so I forgive you for having the Canadian dollar worth more than the US Dollar - but then that was Clinton's fault since he did have sex with an intern, you know.

[conservatoire]

Yes, Hermoine, let me explain it another way.

I was always told that my great uncle was a WWI fighter pilot who received the congressional medal of honor. I told this story proudly to friends and others as an example of family history that I was very proud of.

I later found out that while he was a WWI fighter pilot that shot down several German planes, he did not in fact receive the CMH.

I think that this is where Obama's mistake lies. Simple. Mistake. Period.

Anyone claiming that he is exaggerating and who is trying to use this as a negative tool against him is an idiot and should be laughed at heartily and criticized for their repugnant attempt to say that Buchenwald was "just a work camp."

Shame on them for their "molehill" tactics.
Shame on them for trying to minimalize any aspect of the Holocaust.

Actually, just shame on them.

[Nivramel]

Buckle Up...it is going to be a rough ride.The RNC will not be intimidated by anything the Oboma campaign will say or do.

What goes around comes around....­..

[loria]

You know what Obama isn't afraid of McCain or the RNC. When this really starts the Republicans won't know what hit them. They are going to be busy using their same tired tactics as Obama registers millions of new voters, opens campaign offices all over the country, has millions of volunteers knocking on doors and making calls, and sees donations beyond anything McCain can imagine ($25 to $50 at a time). People are tired of the old politics. It's done. Get used to saying President Obama. It will happen.

[philinmedford]

The part that just is mind boggling to me is this: HOW can ANY of the candidates keep making these mistakes??? Look, this was a speech, not a question posed. How many of you, when you are going to make a comment here, or anywhere google it? Isn't that what the internet can be used for? If you have a lot of people on your team, speechwriters and the like, why the heck aren't they doing their due diligence? This is not rocket science people!

[Peddler]

McCain is using the same smear campaign tactics that is currently being used by Hillary...­...and we know where that got her.....us­ing the same strategy to get different results is what we term in the psychiatrity field as insanity.

[WilliamL]

As sickening as all of this is, it is at the same time it won't make a bit of difference as the Jewish community will not be turning out to vote for Obama for a number of reasons all the result of his father being Muslim. Of course, there will be some who will vote for Obama but overall, he will be rejected by the majority of this fact.

Living in S. FL, the "editorials" regarding this make it clear. It is interesting seeing how open this block of voters are in rejecting him due to his father being a Muslim. Despite the African Amercian community in Florida, it is impossible to see him winning this state for a number of reasons including the idiot Democrats in this state who supported the change in the primary date which has turned even Ds down here against the party. There is still a tremendous amount of denial in this state regarding the role this state played in the events of the past near eight year of the Bush administration. It is trully discusting to see the Jewish community come out and say they will not vote for him because of his fathers religion.

The fact his great uncle was involved in setting any Nazi camp free will make no difference and even bringing it up was a bit questionable. Obama did not liberate any camp, his uncle did. FL will go to the GOP. Eight years and FDP blew it again.

[NicoleAnonymous]

He is going to have a problem with Jewish voters but there are many Jews who will vote for him.

The problems actually started about a year ago when he made the horrible mistake of saying we should have sympathy for the suffering of people living under occupation - I knew right then that he was going to have problems. Nobody is allowed to ever mention the victims of the occupation - we're the only victims in the world because of the Holocaust and we have a right to be victims forever.

Around that time the Jewish newspaper here, and I live in the most "liberal" city in the country, starting printing negative stories about him and making sure everyone knew his middle name. Of course many Jews will tell you this isn't true and all the Jews they know support him but there is a difference between what people say in public and how they feel in private.

[Garvagh]

Bravo, Nicole Anonymous! Many Israeli intellectuals have a deep concern that their own security is being undermined by ill-considered political strategy of Jewish organizations in the US.

[oldwiseone]

Which of the two categories of Jews are you talking about? Secular or non secular? Or do you mean the Zionist political party?

[califlefty]

Every poll I have seen indicates that the "Jewish community" has and will continue to support the Democratic candidate. To state that Jews en mass would not vote for him because his father was a Muslim implies that either Jews are ignorant and prejudiced or they are somehow controlled by group think. Either way, it's an anti-Semitic trope. The only thing "discusting" (sic - no pun intended) here is your mind.

[sherbug]

Because his father was a Muslim or because his father was black? I think better the latter. The former is simply a lame excuse.

[quest44]

Get a clue ! Not everyone thinks all Muslims are terrorists as you apparently do !

[kalimuzo]

What is amazing to me is that the whole point of the anectode was the effects of wars on veterans and the need for them to get the proper treatment when they get home. Especially mental treatment, that is the big issue with war. Trust me I have been to war and the thoughts and scenes that run through your head are sick. You need a lot of help and prayer and anything to get you through it. Time is the best healer but the initial shock of it is really hard to get over. You come home to normalcy and it just messes you up in the head. Every soldier will tell you this it is tough. That is the point Obama was making the mentall anguish of war, I have lived it and I have seen buddies just completely loose it, basically give up on living and drink themselves to early graves and the like. War really sucks .

[ibsteve2u]

"It wasn't Auschwitz, it was a labor camp." versus "Over 50,000 people lost their lives."

lolllll...­.but you see, that is the whole point of being right-wing like Fox and the RNC.

Killing people is bad.

But working them to death? That is OK, as long as you turn a profit.

The only thing that surprises me is that they didn't shield their belief system a little more carefully.

[ajaye]

Oh, what do you expect from people who said waterboarding wasn't torture and what happened in Abu Ghraib was on the level of fraternity hazing. And who would jump on such an innocuous mistake to say he's a liar or stupid. Okay, he made a mistake. But, he's condemned torture. If McCain never makes another factual mistake or gaffe again in his entire life, that still wouldn't negate the fact that he voted AGAINST banning waterboarding.

Hmm.

Obama has already clarified, and admitted the inaccuracy and I'm sure will be sure to say Buchenwald rather than Auschwitz in the future. At least this forced the wingnuts to revisit the Holocaust and brush up on some history.

[joshrox]

It doesn't matter to you Obamanuts that BO exploited his great uncle for political gains on the most important day in which we memorialize our vets. Why wait until that day to bring to the forefront his uncle's name?

I applaud his uncle for his service asI do for any veteran of any war, that includes my own father, a WWII vet. But please do not tell me that BO didn't include his uncle in his speech if not for political gainsand to gain support from vets. Give me a break!

[KTM]

So what if he did? Get real. Republicans have been exploiting EVERYTHING for their own political gain. Show me one example when they haven't. 9/11 was exploited beyond the pale by the Republicans and now you're crying unfair? Please. Empty argument. Empty.

[ajaye]

Give it up already. You really are barking up the wrong tree. I guess this is sport to you. Wouldn't it be nice if we were debating issues instead of this crap.

That is not exploitation. It is a true story. It is a family story. It was made to illustrate a point and to connect to people. To let veterans know that he has first hand experience with a veteran who came back emotionally distraught. To let veterans know that we owe a debt of gratitude to veterans for what they sacrifice, not just beyond their lives, but psychologically. To let them know that unlike his opponent, he will do more than just mouth platitudes, he will do his best to give them the benefits they deserve.

That is not exploitation. It's campaigning. It's politics.

What WAS exploitive was to seize on it and nitpick it to death. Buchenwald was a DEATH camp, not a CONCENTRATION camp blah blah blah. Like the people who died at Buchenwald don't count. Like there was a difference in outcome for the victims. Unbelievable.

[Heidfeld]

Ha! Love the outrage from the Obamabots who can't stand their boy getting the same treatment as everyone else.

Hillary mispeaks and she is ripped appart in here... with people going so far as to say it was indicative of a deeper character flaw.

McCain mixes up some names and people say it is a sign of how stupid he is.

But when cult leader Obama does it, it is a whole nother story. Give me a break. You people do not live in reality, but it may just catch up with you if Obama is the nominee and McCain breezes into office.

[Triciann]

Why can't Republicans think logically? You sound like adolescents. Bullies with big mouths and empty heads. That's why you think nuking everyone is the answer. The world, the whole world is sick and tired of you.

[djnoll]

What outrage are you talking about? The outrage is directed at Faux News and the RNC for misrepresenting the true nature of a Nazi concentration camp, or did you miss that point?

Hillary "misspeaks" tend to be provable, deliberate lies, so of course people tear her apart.

John McCain not only mixes up names, but countries and abandons women and veterans with equal relish. Do you think you would like to see someone you know have a backstreet abortion or come home after honorably serving as a way of earning money for college or health care, only to find that those options are not there anymore?

Obama has been attacked more than any other candidate in this race by the media and by Clinton. He is NOT given the free pass you all seem to think, but when you are one of the ones who has swallowed the Clinton mantra like candy, I guess you do not see it, which is exactly what she wants. Most true Democrats will support the candidate, but I know a whole lot more Independents and cross-over Republicans who will vote for McCain rather than Hillary! True Democrats will work to defeat McCain, Clintonistas will work to defeat the party if they do not get their way. Don't believe it? Watch what happens in June!

[MikeDu]

"...and suggested -- tongue in cheek -- that perhaps Obama's uncle "was serving in the Red Army."

You've got to be kidding me.
This is the last straw.
Anyone fool enough to vote - to even THINK Republican is an absolute craven coward and is utterly beneath contempt. You red-staters deserve to have your homes foreclosed on you. Karma's a bitch. If the Democrats put a concrete cinder block up against a Repub candidate I'll vote for the cinder block. At least a cinder block won't do the country active harm.

[hughbetcha]

Heavens! Craven coward? Beneath contempt? Deserve to have your homes foreclosed on? Why? Because some dope made a bad attempt at scoring cheap political points in an election year? Shocking! Dude, you and the rest of the Obamoids need to seriously lighten up. I'm not sure you guys are up for this politics thing.

[Dailyfare]

Will the stunning idiocy at Fox News ever bottom out?

[adavis08]

You are correct the Repubs are desperate and are using anything and everything to try to discredit Obama. No matter how trivial. They also realize McSame is tied to Bush, but want to point to his Foreign Policy experience as being superior to Obamas. Does just serving in the military make you an authority on this subject, I think not.

[heavyrunner]

The video of Buchenwald is appalling! One scene shows wooden chutes, like might be used at a slaughterhouse, transporting emaciated human bodies into pits. For me it is the most shocking imagery of the holocaust.