Nugent Cancels CNN Talk About Calling Obama 'Subhuman Mongrel'

Rocker Ted Nugent canceled an appearance on CNN's "Out Front With Erin Burnett" on Wednesday after promoting it on his Twitter page. Burnett told viewers Nugent said he was sick.

Nugent had been scheduled to respond to criticism of him made by CNN's Wolf Blitzer. Blitzer reported Tuesday on negative comments Nugent had made about President Barack Obama, and said they had roots in Holocaust propaganda.

Nugent referred to Obama as a "subhuman mongrel," the same term Blitzer said Nazis used to justify the genocide of 6 million Jews in World War II.

Nugent has been on the campaign trail in recent days with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is the expected Republican nominee for governor. Abbott's office said Wednesday that Nugent won't appear with Abbott again, but it did not condemn his comments.

Burnett instead talked to Paul Begala, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton who joined others in saying Abbott should condemn Nugent's words.

Abbott has said he doesn't agree with everything Nugent says, but that he is a fellow defender of the Second Amendment right to gun ownership.

But Begala, who lives in Texas, said there are plenty of other people in the state who share that position.

"It's not about gun rights," Begala said. "Hell, I got 20 guns. Everybody in Texas got guns."

Begala also wasn't buying Abbott's claim that he was unaware of the "subhuman mongrel" comment before Tuesday.

"He don't have a Google machine?" Begala asked.

Related Stories:

• Abbott Says Nugent More Popular in Texas Than Obama
• Palin's First 2014 Endorsements: Pierson and Abbott in Texas