Two Jewish groups have denounced Senator Robert Byrd for his equating Hitler and the GOP and have demanded an apology and a retraction, the AP reports today, in a development that may signal a crack in the media disinterest that has marked Byrd's antics up to now. The first group to criticize Byrd was the the Republican Jewish Coalition, a group that Democrats could dismiss as partisan. However, the second group, the Anti-Defamation League, will not so easily be disregarded by Byrd's colleagues:

Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Wednesday that Byrd's remarks showed "a profound lack of understanding as to who Hitler was" and that the senator should apologize to the American people.

"It is hideous, outrageous and offensive for Senator Byrd to suggest that the Republican Party's tactics could in any way resemble those of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party," Foxman said.

The leader of the Republican Jewish Coalition called on his Democratic counterpart, Ira Foreman, to condemn the minimization of Hitler's atrocities to a simple political dispute. Ira Foreman has no comment at this time. Perhaps when Harry Reid gives him access to his manhood, he'll think of something to say about how a former Klan member just reduced American politics to the level of genocide, hijacking the deaths of millions of Jews just to score a cheap political shot.

Now that the ADL has made demands for apologies and retractions, maybe we'll also see editors discover their own guts and start reporting this old fraud the way he should be exposed. We'll know more tomorrow morning.

UPDATE: Check out what the Democrats have decided to complain about instead:

Nevada Democrats are decrying remarks by U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons condemning "tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie, tie-dyed liberals" for their opposition to the war in Iraq.

Gibbons, a possible Republican contender for governor in 2006, made the remarks at a Lincoln Day dinner Friday in Elko, according to the Elko Daily Free Press. ...

Sean Sinclair, a political adviser to Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, also an early entry into the governor's race, called Gibbons' remarks "disappointing."

"He is so far to the right of where this state is and where most of the country is," Sinclair said. "It is these kind of bombastic statements that stopped him from being in leadership positions in Congress. Folks haven't been able to trust what he is going to say next."

Not that Gibbons' remarks shouldn't get criticized (if they're inaccurate), but it's interesting that calling someone a "hippie" gets one disqualified for leadership in Congress, but having an ex-Klansman calling his opposition Nazis doesn't. That's Howard Dean's Party of Hate for you.

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» I Like This Guy from :: Political Musings ::
Interestingly, this seems to be getting more coverage than any of the offensive remarks by Howard Dean since he took over the Democratic Party: RENO, Nev. (AP) - Nevada Democrats are decrying remarks by U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons condemning "tree-huggin... [Read More]

Tracked on March 2, 2005 9:31 PM

» Byrd, Nazis, Klan...Oh My from Solomonia
Captain's Quarters is all over some remarks Senator Byrd made comparing the Republicans to Nazis here, here, and here. So is, to their credit, the ADL, who's attention will make the ageing Senator's remarks a bit more difficult to ignore.... [Read More]

Tracked on March 2, 2005 9:39 PM

» A Byrd in the hand from Get Your Blog Up
Ed is outraged that the left has ignored the words of Byrd... [Read More]

Tracked on March 3, 2005 1:47 AM