Dem Rep. Cohen Denies Comparing GOP to Nazis

Tennessee Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen apparently wants to have it both ways. He equates Republican rhetorical tactics during the healthcare debate with Nazism, but then claims he’s not comparing Republicans to Nazis, The Hill reports.

In his first television interview since his Tuesday-night speech on the House floor, Cohen said he doesn’t think most "reasonable people" would interpret his comments as a direct link between Nazis and the GOP. But then he essentially goes on to do just that.

"I didn't compare the Republicans to Nazis," Cohen, who is Jewish, said on CNN's "John King, USA" program. "I compared the big lie. ... It was repeated over and over again. [Nazi propaganda minister Joseph] Goebbels was the master of political propaganda. He said, 'Repeat it. Make it short. Make it simple and repeat it over and over.' And that's what they've done."