GOP Congressman Calls Obama an "Enemy of Humanity"

Posted by Jed Lewison, Daily Kos at 4:29 PM on September 29, 2009.

Speaking at the conservative "How To Take Back America" conference in St. Louis Missouri on September 26, here's video of Arizona Republican Congressman Trent Franks saying conservatives "need to realize" President Obama is "an enemy of humanity" who has "no place in any station of government":

He has no place in any station of government, and we need to realize that he's an enemy of humanity.

Notice that Franks, who made his comments in the context of a discussion about abortion, didn't just call President Obama "an enemy of humanity," he said conservatives "need to realize that he's an enemy of humanity." And he didn't stop there. Franks also said the President "has no place in any station of government."

Think about that for a moment. Franks isn't making a policy argument. He's doing just the opposite. He's vilifying President Obama. He's inciting hatred. And he's encouraging his fellow extremists to come to the conclusion that President Obama "has no place in any station of government."

Through a spokeswoman, Franks has now qualified his remarks, saying he meant to say President Obama's was an enemy of 'unborn' humanity, and that his policies on abortion don't belong in government at any level. The spokeswoman's statement defies credulity, however, particularly as it relates to Franks assertion that Obama "has no place in any station of government." Its clear from the context that Franks was talking about the President, not the policies.

Having a spokeswoman spin a tale about what Franks actually meant to say just won't cut it. Instead of offering spin, Franks should step forward himself and apologize for what he actually said and admit that he was wrong.

The reason why this is so troubling is that we've heard this kind of rhetoric before. It's the same sort of language that has fueled right-wing terrorism against abortion clinics for years. And now it's coming from a member of the United States Congress, directed towards the President of the United States of America.

Tagged as: obama, franks, birthers, trent franks