Nazi rethug 'young gun' dropped without a trace

[babylonsister]

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/10/10/republicans_drop_young_gun.html

Republicans Drop Young Gun

"We learned yesterday that the Republican running against Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) has the unique hobby of donning an SS costume to honor fallen Nazis. Until last night, the GOP included the candidate, Rich Iott, on a list of promising potential members called Contenders -- a notch below their so-called Young Guns. Now he's gone, without a trace," TPM reports.

[babylonsister]

1. gop Pretends Not To Know Rich Iott

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_10/026057.php

GOP PRETENDS NOT TO KNOW RICH IOTT.... Late Friday, The Atlantic's Josh Green had a rather amazing scoop about Republican congressional candidate Rich Iott, running in Ohio's 9th District. It was serious enough that yesterday, his party decided to put some distance between Iott and the GOP.

If you're just joining us, Iott, a Tea Party favorite, spent several years participating in Nazi re-enactments, dressing up like a German Waffen SS as part of his "hobby." Making matters worse, Iott's little troupe said it was created in part to "salute" the "idealists" and "front-line soldiers of the Waffen-SS" and their "basic desire to be free." It also characterizes Wiking volunteers as "valiant men," overlooking the minor detail that they also rounded up Jews to be slaughtered.

Apparently unable to think of a compelling defense, Republicans, by mid-day yesterday, pretended not to know the candidate they recruited for the race.

Until last night, the GOP included the candidate, Rich Iott, on a list of promising potential members called Contenders -- a notch below their so-called Young Guns. Now he's gone, without a trace.

You can get away with a lot in conservative politics these days, but it turns out spending your weekends dressed as a Nazi, celebrating the brave Waffen 5th SS Panzer Division is still a bridge too far.

For his part, Iott issued a statement late yesterday, condemning "blatant distortions and attacks." While he didn't apologize for his recreational activities, Iott did insist, by way of a defense, that he participated in re-enactments of other wars -- the Nazi uniform, in other words, wasn't the only one he wore -- and never meant "any disrespect" when he pretended to be a German Waffen SS.

The explanation doesn't seem to have had much of an effect -- the NRCC wouldn't even talk about Iott in the wake of the controversy.

I heard from DCCC spokesperson Ryan Rudominer yesterday, who said, "Message to John Boehner and the House Republican leadership: the least you can do is apologize and take full responsibility for recruiting and then embracing a Nazi enthusiast running for Congress, instead of remaining silent and deceiving voters by sweeping it under the rug. The extremist and fatally flawed candidates that House Republicans have been propping up speak volumes about the reckless leadership they're offering voters."

That seems like the relevant theme here. Democrats are anxious to show voters that a radicalized Republican Party is running fringe, extremist candidates. A guy like Rich Iott was probably going to lose anyway, but the revelations nevertheless make the Dems' job easier.

—Steve Benen

[vaberella]

2. Oh Too funny. I love it. n/t

[Ian David]

3. Republicans continue to make Alvin Greene look sane. I may even donate to Greene's campaign. n/t

[babylonsister]

4. Speaking of Greene, Frank Rich's article also mentioned him

today...great minds...


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/opinion/10rich.html?hp

snip//

Sometimes I wonder if the most “real” candidate this year is the one most derided by Democrats, Republicans, the news media and late-night comics alike: Alvin Greene, a 33-year-old previously unknown military veteran who won the Democratic senatorial primary in South Carolina with 59 percent of the vote over a Charleston city councilman. Greene achieved his victory without giving any speeches, raising any money or stating any positions. As soon as he won, even South Carolina Democrats said his candidacy was a Republican prank. The most incriminating piece of evidence was the fact that he doesn’t own a computer.

As it turned out, Greene’s résumé actually is more authentic than those of O’Donnell, Blumenthal, Quayle and Kirk. He really is who he said he is — a genuine nobody with no apparent political views. That he drew 100,000 votes — more than three times O’Donnell’s tally in her Delaware victory — leaves you wondering if he’d have a shot at the presidency had he only been on Facebook.

[niceypoo]

8. Who ever said he was not sane?

He has a college degree, more than you can say for most teabag candidates or RW talkshow hosts.

[Doctor_J]

5. terrific. A real, live nazi in the House

this country is really, really fucked

[ellie]

6. This asshole

is running for Congress in the district where I live. I like to refer to him as the Failed Businessman Rich Iott, who ran the beloved Foodtown grocery store chain into the ground. Now I can refer to him as the Failed Businessman and Nazi Rich Iott.

[PeaceNikki]

7. My favorite part of all of this is how harshly they judge the Nazis

referring to the regime as "quite twisted in most cases." Barack Obama is the antichrist, but the Nazis were just a little pervy or something.

[AlinPA]

9. If they take the House, he will be a hero with them.

[nmbluesky]

10. prove

Tea Party is Nazi Party... I knew it...