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

[purplestategal]

In a way, I think this flap actually helps Obama by highlighting his greatuncle's military service in a moving way. Among reasonable people. As for those who think this is a significant 'gotcha' moment, they might not qualify in that category.

[Zogtastic]

Keep in mind most of the people on this site are the only ones who will know the real story and we constitute most of the 'reasonable people' you speak of. While I didn't hear this story on any REAL news show (aka not Fox), I don't think there will be any real story about this unless its brought up in a debate or attack ad.

The media will discuss a scandal or a gaffe or anything similar but will never (unless its on at midnight) discuss the counter argument and NEVER mention a retraction through verification. Exhibit A: Canada and Obama's NAFTA comment. How many people still actually believe it was Obama's campaign that said that?

[rwe]

Someone better explain the difference to Barack , between a great uncle and an uncle and Aushcwitz (liberated by the Soviets and Buchenwald and Ohrdruf (though we all know he knew the difference when it came to political pandering)

[beastmode]

the story is only minutely stronger saying Auschwitz than Buchenwald. It would not be worth intentionally replacing one for the other. For those clinging to this "gaffe" and minimizing the horrors of Buchenwald, just search youtube for videos of this "labor" camp. I think this will actually end up backfiring if this is the right's attempt to get Jewish Floridians against Obama.

[whsmith]

excellent point, and it keeps the story circulating in the media that Obama's family are indeed WWII veterans, genuine patriotic Americans etc...

[lisakaz2]

Yeah, or try Bergen-Belsen or any of the camps that lacked a crematorium. The inmates there were fed rations only for clearing the dead (burial pits). It's pretty gruesome.

[whsmith]

McCain supporters? Don't forget the Hillary die hards who also claim this is a meaningful issue of substance.

[jfh]

Didn't take long to bring Senator Clinton's name in the discussion and SPECULATE she holds the same view...

whsmith is no better than the idiots on FOX NOISE

Arianna and other bloggers have been posting intelligent, sensible blogs to help begin the healing process between the two camps and certain Obaminations continue to pour gas on the fire.

Like it or not, neither of the candidates can write off the others supporters and expect to win in November.

[quest44]

No it didn't take long at all ! Just long enough for some Republican's to decide it was time to stir some crap up.

I am an Obama supporter and I never mentioned Hillary once since this article is not about Hillary ,but I saw that someone had to inject that on a Hillary blog they said worse about Obama than Fox did .Ever think just maybe that person was actually a McCain supporter doing a little dirty work.
Calm down people and stop playing into their hands.

[tschlak]

The Clintonian blogs were aflame with this when it happened. They were frankly even more sickening to read than the right wing blogs were. Classy, just like "their girl".

[closetodemfection]

Please do not even go there. The only thing anyone is aflame about is the differing treatment in the media of the HRC and Obama's gaffes.

HRC gets global outrage, Obama gets (as he should) a quiet pass.

There is a hypocrisy there that is disturbing.

No one cares about the gaffe itself.

[apoyo]

If he was Obama's grandmother's brother, wouldn't he be his grand uncle?

He sounds pretty grand to me!

Thank you for this article. We should never forget nor minimize the past.
"The past is not even past."

[stagebandman]

No, the second generation is called great uncles and great aunts, at least in my experience. I guess the logic is that's about how far most chains stretch. I could never figure it out, but I think grand and great, when it comes to aunts & uncles, basically mean the same thing.

This is a great example, though of how important Barack's family means to him. This little dustup will wind up helping him.

[BeeOplentee]

Obama was merely attempting to cash in on the historical significance of American liberators during the march across Hitler's Europe. His uncle was like most of our own family men caught up in the upheaval of World War II. It was just an unfortunate slip of the tongue, a moment of confusion, that gave the impression that Obama didn't know whether his Uncle served in the Red Army or the US Army. It wasn't meant to denigrate the Holocaust, as most posters here should realize.

[SatanicPanic]

You didn't read the article or if you did you didn't understand. Obama mentioned the wrong camp, and Fox is trying to say that he was exaggerating, and that Buchenwald wasn't that bad. Therefore, Fox is denigrating the Holocaust.

[BBackSoon]

Bull shit. It did not give the impression that he didn't know what army his uncle served in. Tell the truth before this story did you know what concentration camps were liberated by which armies? More that likely you did not, unless you were there or at one time did a book report.

And everyone that is attacking his slip of the tongue is minimizing the holocaust. To say that this 'only' labor camp was not an extermination camp is just horrific. Do you actually think one would have been a better place to be a prisoner?

And if Obama has the same slip of the tongue 3 more times, I will be the first to pile on but he does not appear to spew the same lies over and over again like the other two candidates. That is wrong, we have one candidate and an also ran.

[cyndeewi]

Obama is decended from 3 or 4 Presidents. If I were trying to cash in on historical signifcance, I would be using their names and Brad Pitt too. He is Obama's cousin.

I love Brad Pitt!!!!

[TheIndependenceParty]

Thank you Mr. Rosensaft, for helping us to understand once again what men were capable of then, and now. We must stay mindful of both, otherwise the lives lost and those saved, will lose their meaning to us. I am thankful for all the GI's that liberated the captives at Buchenwald, including Barack Obama's Great Uncle. I also forgive his proud grandson, who was not born for years after those souls were saved, that he forgot or misstated the name of the camp. The RNC would do well to do the same.

[Raymondf]

If it really was the RNC that said what they said Shame on them. I really think it was a 527 ad, trying to get a rise out of everyone. Don't believe any ad thathas not be authorized.

[Raymondf]

Al though I don't trust Obama, and won't vote for him, give him a break. What happened in those camps was terrible, what he said, amounts to nothing, and will not help or hurt him in the election.

[huzzah]

I guess he won't win if you won't vote for him...

Exactly why do you find him untrustworthy? And who DO you find trustworthy, of the three remaining major party candidates?

[stagebandman]

I would encourage you to listen to the man, rather than the garbage that is constantly thrown at him. I've been watching him for a long time now (I'm from the Chicago area), and I see a genuine, honest man. He tells the truth, not just what people want to hear. He could be the greatest president in my lifetime, and I'm a year older than Obama. Check out his website for a full account of his policies. It's all answered there.

[cyndeewi]

Thanks Raymond!

[peterg76]

'I never thought I'd see the day when the Holocaust would be used as a tool for "gotcha" politics.' Tragically, it's used that way all th time - people are just selective about when they acknowledge it. (Though in this case they're particularly obvious about it.)

[Nivramel]

Sounds simular to assination and hardworking White People Doesn't it?

[personalpolitical]

I love that they can go after Obama for accidentally switching one nazi death camp for another in a story about his family, which has NOTHING to do with events he will have to deal with as commander-in-chief, yet McCain has repeatedly messed up the differences between Sunni and Shia, and plenty of other issues concerning the Middle East, which will be HUGE in the next administration, and that is apparently just fine. What idiots.

This just shows how scared they are, they know they are screwed, and the desperation is already in full force.

[NotFooledByDistractions]

This is all the right has - semantics games. They can't debate policy because their basically on the wrong side on most if not all issues. They have to distract from the meaty issues because they have no defense. I expect we'll see much more of these junior high tactics from the right. Obama just has to keep sweeping off his shoulders. He's handled it well to this point - verbally pointing out the rights games.

[Raymondf]

I don't think anyone said Obama's uncle wasn't a hero Obama just spoke before he got his story straight. Do I think it will hurt his chances to win? No, Do I think he will win. No.

[bobdob]

Obama should refrain from getting into a pissing match with McCain about his uncle's record versus McCain's, however. There's plenty fight about with McCain, but getting into a "my Dad's bigger than your Dad" contest is really stupid and counterproductive.

[frostypo]

From what I understand, he brought this uncle up during a discussion of PTSD, as the experience had really affected his uncle. The post traumatic syndrome is suffered by a lot of vets. It was not a "my dad's bigger than your dad." He may have been told the wrong camp as a child, or he may have gotten the name mixed up. Everything else was completely accurate, so I don't see where that is a big deal.

And at least he's not blaming Hillary for his error like she is blaming him with the RFK comments. I can't wait to see him in the White House.

[3reddogs]

Somebody needs to bring John McCain up during a discussion of PTSD. An awful lot of experts insist there's no way he DOESN'T have PTSD (and cite his attempted suicide as the first incident in a long line of incidents that point to him sufferring from it).

[ritz]

I heard about this about three weeks ago from a friend and neighbor, apparently this is not the first time he's mentioned it. My neighbor of 30 years who is Jewish said that it was one reason he would not vote for "the guy". This is a liberal minded New York Democrat who does not like Hillary (or Bill) even a little bit.

I said it was most likely an honest mistake. The way stories are told in families, the way you hear something when you're a child, the connections you make in your mind that become a reality. I did say that with something that important he should've gone back and checked the facts before adding it to a speech, but that I was sure someone would catch it, and he would correct it.

I'm sorry that that someone was the RNC, and now I'm sorry that I didn't try to contact his people myself. Really sorry.

If you hear something, say something. It's on us.

(In the meantime, I'll keep working on Steve. He'll come around. I hope.)

[BigBen]

Be honest. If Hillary had said what Obama said would you write that column?

[vippy]

Hillary lied, she embellished. Osama misspoke. Gosh, are people that dumb they don't know the difference?

[whatever2]

This controversy is not about the Holocaust itself. It is about a statement or a claim that Obama has made that appears to be something less than factual. It is not about Buchenwald. It is about Obama's honesty. That said, family history that is usually handed down verbally is not always correct. Things are misunderstood, even embellished sometimes by the storyteller.

At this point, Obama's statement is simply not borne out by discoverable facts. It is a possibility that his great uncle was in the Navy. I suspect the republicans will "discover" the facts at the time they think most opportune to their cause. My opinion is that anyone who signed up and went to war not knowing whether they would return alive should be considered a hero. But again, this is not about the Holocaust. It just is not.

[prcleburne]

What are you saying? That Obama lied ?( " It is about Obama's honesty"). Did he misunderstand his family's story or did he embellish it ? Has someone said that his uncle was in the Navy instead of the Army or did you invent this? I don't find this discussion helpful at all.

[whatever2]

Have you ever done any genealogy? It is an interesting past time which holds lots of surprises. Some of the things you thought you knew as a child turn out to be not true. Other things that you find are something no one had a clue about.

I'm saying that although the 89th Division liberated Buchenwald, there doesn't appear to be a Charles W. Payne from Kansas listed as a member of the 89th Division. There is, however, at least one Charles W. Payne who was in the Navy. Obama grew up with what he thought were the facts and didn't bother to check before he went public in a political race on the national level and by doing so he opened the door for the republicans to label him a liar. The fact that he did it in a race against McCain, who has deep roots in the military, was not clear thinking.

[FreeSpeech200854]

Obama didn't lie about his great uncle!! He just mistakenly mentioned the wrong "camp". Give me a break! The point is...is uncle is a hero and should be commended for his bravery and sacrifice!

[jp5472]

Here you go...just like four years ago with Kerry...plant the seed, question, imply something else "may" be what happened and his great uncle's service is questioned and hence the candidate is questionable. Now we get off on some tangent - economy is once again forgotten, Iraq is once again on the back burner, the lies and crimes of the last seven+ years are off peoples minds, and the fact that McCain just wants to be the third term of Bush is not focused on anymore. Next they'll parade out abortion and gay rights to cloud the real issues. I said this four years ago..people won't care one bit about these fringe issues if they lose their jobs, can't pay for the necessities of food, fuel, heat, see their savings and investments worthless, see billions going for an illegal war while there never is any money for schools of highways/bridges...

Let's have a campaign about what matters the most to the betterment of this country. Obama's great-uncle service, not McCain's service has anything to do with the issues that need serious attention and correction for this country to survive and once again prosper.

[jp5472]

Typos - should read "schools OR highways/bridges" and "Obama's great-uncle's service, NOR McCain's service"

[whatever2]

I was responding to the article which is NOT about the economy, Iraq, Bush's failed presidency, or McCain who I don't like. Let me repeat that so that it is clear. I was responding to the article.

That doesn't change the Fact that there is apparently no Charles or Charlie Payne from Kansas on the roster of the 89th Infantry Division. There appears to be a Charles Payne who served with the Navy which is not less courageous or commendable than the Army. It appears that Obama is either misinformed, mistaken or trying to use his uncle to his advantage which is not a nice thing to do.

Someone who is running for president should expect to have every word that comes out of his mouth challenged by the republicans. Welcome to the world that Hillary has had to live in for so many years.

[LeBelAge]

The fact that Fox News described the site as a "work camp" just shows the new Nazis are covering for the old ones.

[Raymondf]

All though it was classified by the Germans as a work camp, a lot of people(human beings) were killed their. Some were tortured, some were beaten when they weren't getting enough work done. These innocent people, that did nothing, but be Jewish were starved, and when they couldn't do any more work they were beaten to death, or shot, and left where they fell. I can't imagine the seen in that camp when the 89th arrived their. Must have been unbelieveable.

[MrsGreebers]

FYI everyone, Auschwitz was also a "labor camp".

Also FYI, there were "only" six camps, all in Poland, that had gas chambers. There were dozens and dozens of camps.

[vippy]

They were concentration camps - all of them. Dachau, Buchenwald and Auschwitz. Only
Auschwitz is more known. The smell my parents remember was terrible and they were told
they are making soap again. And I want to point out that not only Jews were in those camps
but anyone who did something wrong like listening to a forbidden radio station. One thing I
remember, during Hitler Times one could put a wallet in the middle of an intersection and
come back a week later it still would be there, that is how scared people were. Don't tell me
that this type of scare tactics don't work.

[NYC07]

Obviously there weren't enough atrocities or dead from Buchenwald for the Right to conceder it a horrible place , to Fox's twisted mind it was probably not all that bad and akin to German " Club Med" It makes you wonder about the mind of the people on the Right, What do they really think is unimaginable and too horrible to comprehend ?

[MrsGreebers]

They should ask Elie Wiesel if Buchenwald was as bad as Auschwitz. He is in a position to offer a personal comparison of the two, having been sent with his father on a death march from Auschwitz to Buchenwald. The father died, and later Elie found out that if he had left his father in Auschwitz the Soviets would have arrived within days. Might want to check out his book "Night".

Also, there was this teenage girl who THANK GOD was sent from that horrible place, Auschwitz, to one of those places that was "just a labor camp, no gas chambers!" but she died of starvation or typhus before the Americans (British?) came. You can read her diary...