Hitler quip misread, aides say

In putting the coal-power industry in the same sentence as Adolf Hitler, Harry Reid didn't mean to suggest the utilities are as bad as the Nazis -- just that they act like them.

"I never said they were as bad as Hitler," the senator said in an interview last week. "I said what they're doing is creating the big lie that coal is clean, and that's not true. That (tactic) goes back to the Nazi era, and I'm not saying they're following anything to do with the Nazis, but that's where it started."

The topic was raised by a comment Reid made to the Las Vegas Sun in a piece that was posted on the newspaper's Web site on Tuesday.

The Nevada Democrat said the industry was making its case on the basis of "the old Hitler lie: when you say things long enough, people start believing them."

Hitler, in "Mein Kampf," accused the Jews of telling falsehoods so outrageous that people figured they had to be true, because no one would make up something so outlandish. He said this clever tactic was more effective than "little" lies that people could easily discount.

Colloquially, the phrase is often used to mean what Reid said it did, that repetition can create the appearance of truth. But by invoking Hitler specifically, he threatened to trivialize the horrific events of the Holocaust, said Phyllis Friedman, Nevada director of the Anti-Defamation League.

"Once again, a public figure has inappropriately invoked the Nazis to make a political point," she said. "This is offensive to the victims of the murderous Nazis and debases the currency of political discussion. Whatever the passions of politics and policy, it is important for officials to avoid these comparisons, which obscure the difference between genocidal behavior and mere political differences."

At the same time as Reid and his aides were insisting his remark was an innocuous, factual historical reference that only the wildest imagination could possibly consider inflammatory, they went into overdrive behind the scenes, perhaps practiced by now in reacting to their boss putting his foot in his mouth.

Within hours of Reid being asked about the Hitler remark, Reid staffers provided a reporter with names and phone numbers of Reid-friendly Las Vegas Jewish leaders and suggested they be interviewed.

In case that wasn't proactive enough, a Washington-based spokesman for AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, dialed the newsroom himself to recite a prepared statement.

"Harry Reid is a true friend of the pro-Israel community and a real leader on issues important to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship," Josh Block said. "Senator Reid's longstanding and extremely warm relationship with the Jewish community in Nevada and the pro-Israel community nationwide is a testament to his commitment to the values that bind America as a nation."

Asked to comment on Reid's statement about Hitler, Block said he didn't know what Reid had said. He'd just heard the senator needed defending.

FAILURE TO LAUNCH

Continuing Political Notebook's behind-the-scenes look at media management, a news conference last week provided a good lesson in how not to roll out a campaign.

A representative of Democratic candidate Andrew Martin, who is seeking the nomination in the 3rd Congressional District, left a message on this reporter's voice mail that there would be a campaign launch event in front of the Lloyd D. George Federal Building downtown (which is not in the district).

The message said a press release was going out to inform the media of the event, scheduled for noon Wednesday. No call-back number was left.

No press release ever arrived, but a Review-Journal photographer arrived at the appointed time and place nonetheless. Martin is considered a long shot against Robert Daskas, who has the backing of the Democratic establishment, but he has put together a substantial campaign operation and the paper wanted to treat him fairly.

Alas, there was no news conference to be found at noon Wednesday in front of the federal building.

Reached later in the week, Martin's campaign manager, Joe Bifano, insisted the event had been held. Bifano said he stood in front of the federal building for less than five minutes, but gave up when "nobody from the media was there." Martin, he said, had been down the street in a coffee shop making campaign phone calls.

In any case, Martin put out a press release last May announcing the "launch" of his campaign. Bifano said last week's event was meant to call attention to Martin's candidacy in advance of Saturday's Democratic county convention, at which the campaign operated a booth.

Martin also spoke at the convention, which ended up being called off because of irregularities. But he received so little attention that the crowd didn't even take notice when he criticized the man he hopes to run against in the general election, Rep. Jon Porter.

"You're supposed to boo," Martin instructed the crowd when he got no reaction to the name.

According to the Federal Election Commission, Martin has collected about $56,000 in donations. Bifano said Martin, an accountant, has also put about $80,000 of his own cash into the effort.

Just three of the donations to Martin, not counting his own, have come from Nevadans. Bifano dismissed the idea that might indicate a lack of local support.

Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball @reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2919.