Indiana Congressional Republican Candidate Celebrates 4/20

[Pop]

Worst Campaign Idea Ever?

Hoosier congressional candidate speaks at birthday party for Hitler, in Chicago

 

Jason Miller

The News-Dispatch

 

CROWN POINT, Ind. - If fans of Hitler held a party, and a candidate for federal office attended, would anybody notice?

 

Apparently, yes.

 

U.S. Congressional candidate Tony Zirkle is facing criticism from one of his primary opponents, and a host of people on the Internet, for speaking at an event over the weekend that celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday.

 

Zirkle confirmed to The News-Dispatch on Monday he spoke Sunday in Chicago at a meeting of the Nationalist Socialist Workers Party, whose symbol is a swastika.

 

When asked if he was a Nazi or sympathized with Nazis or white supremacists, Zirkle replied he didn't know enough about the group to either favor it or oppose it.

 

"This is just a great opportunity for me to witness," he said, referring to his message and his Christian belief.

 

He also told WIMS radio in Michigan City that he didn't believe the event he attended included people necessarily of the Nazi mindset, pointing out the name isn't Nazi, but Nationalist Socialist Workers Party.

 

The Crown Point Republican spoke in front of about 56 "white activists" at an event honoring the birth of Hitler. The German leader was responsible for the genocide of millions of Jews and others during World War II.

 

Zirkle said the group asked him to speak to discuss the effect of pornography and prostitution on young, white women and girls.

 

Zirkle is running against Republican Luke Puckett of Goshen and Joseph Roush of Plymouth in the May primary. He lost twice before in primaries to former U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola and has made doing away with pornography and prostitution his top campaign plank.

 

"I told (Channel 16, WNDU in South Bend) in the beginning that I'd speak to any group that wanted me to speak," Zirkle said Monday. He said he's also recently spoken on the subject to a pair of black journalists.

 

"I'm keeping my promise. I'll speak to any group. (The National Socialist Workers Party) was interested in the targeting of white people for prostitution."

 

Puckett spokesman Kyle Bailey said Monday that Puckett was in "disbelief" when he saw a story on the Internet from a Web site called Overthrow.com.

 

It detailed Zirkle's speech in a story about the gathering, called not only to honor Hitler but to "fight America's economic collapse and reinvigorate the white working class."

 

At the event, Hitler's birthday was observed with a cake with a photo of Hitler and the words "Seig Heil."

 

"I can't believe, in 2008, someone could have such backward opinions," Puckett said.

 

Zirkle said he told the group about his days as a prosecutor in Indiana, during which time he prosecuted gangs involved in trafficking prostitutes and pornography from Eastern Europe.

 

The Crown Point lawyer, who also has an office in South Bend, has in all three of his primary races pointed to pornography and prostitution as the downfall of society. He said Monday that he agrees with the group's notion the trafficking of "young, white women should be stopped," he said.

 

When asked if meeting with Nazis was a danger to his political career, Zirkle said he was willing to take the chance.

 

"That's the risk you have to take to get your point across," Zirkle said. "If the Black Panthers or the Jewish Zionists want me to speak about these issues, I'll do it."

 

CBS confirming that it's real and not a hoax

 

(AP) A congressional candidate is defending his speech to a group celebrating the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth, saying he appeared simply because he was asked.

 

Tony Zirkle, who is seeking the Republican nomination in northern Indiana's 2nd District, stood in front of a painting of Hitler, next to people wearing swastika armbands and with a swastika flag in the background for the speech to the American National Socialist Workers Party in Chicago on Sunday.

 

"I'll speak before any group that invites me," Zirkle said Monday. "I've spoken on an African-American radio station in Atlanta."

 

He compared his speech to other politicians appearing at Bob Jones University.

 

George W. Bush, then a candidate for president, was criticized eight years ago for speaking at the South Carolina school, which teaches students that Catholicism is a cult. Also at the time of the speech, the school banned interracial dating, a policy that has since been dropped.

 

"Some people are going to impute motives and say things that I mean, but many of these people have never even talked to me. So their ability to say what I intended is not very credible," Zirkle said.

 

He said he did not know much about the neo-Nazi group and that his intention was to talk on his concern about "the targeting of young white women and for pornography and prostitution."

 

Local Republicans condemned Zirkle's appearance.

 

"I cannot believe that in 2008 anyone could think so backward," Luke Puckett, another 2nd District GOP candidate, said in a written response.

 

Chris Riley, Republican Party chairman for St. Joseph County, said he found Zirkle's comments "nauseating and repulsive."

 

The event was not the first time Zirkle has raised controversy on race issues. In March, Zirkle raised the idea of segregating races in separate states. Zirkle said Tuesday he's not advocating segregation, but said desegregation has been a failure.

 

Zirkle received 30 percent of the vote in the 2006 primary, losing to incumbent Chris Chocola, who was defeated in the general election. Zirkle said Tuesday that winning the election is not his primary goal.

 

"My primary purpose is to educate and inform," he said.

 

You do have to admit that the picture of a stereotypical Republican lawyer in his neat business suit standing at a podium in front of a picture of Adolf Hitler surrounded by Swastikas and guys with Swastika arm-bands is, in its own deranged way, perfect, though, no-doubt running through the stereotypical talking points, plus his extra-special fixation on prostitution and pornography:

 

 

You'd think they'd kick the guy out at some point.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Before I even continue to write about this, I just have to say that I think that it damn hilarious that, quote,

[Humodour]

"pointing out the name isn't Nazi, but Nationalist Socialist Workers Party"

 

And the German nickname for that is... 'Nazi', short for "Nationalsozialistische deutsche Arbeiter-Partei", National Socialist German Workers Party. HAHAHA.

 

This guy is a ****head. He knows full well they are Hitler/Nazi supporters. He gives Christians a bad name. "Meshes well with his beliefs" pfeh.

[random n00b]

Well. Dubya was apparently liked well enough by the Third Reich, so I guess all's well.

[taks]

that a republican would in any way be interested in a party based on a socialist economic agenda baffles me more than the other crap.

 

taks

[Pope]

4/20 was Stoners' Newyear. How dare he on such a sacred day as that!

Edited April 24, 2008 by Pope

[taks]

not a surprise that the pope would know that tidbit.

 

it's times like these, btw, that i wish the stoner life-style still applied to me. it would certainly remove the need for xanax. as it is, however, that particular drug actually gives me anxiety, rather then mellow me out. alcohol is my only other substitute (and yes, it works quite well), but self-medicating with alcohol is a dangerous road to travel down (particularly if driving that road).

 

taks

[samm]

is being dependent on xanax less dangerous?

 

Anyway... is that picture for real? Unbelievable The nazis around here a disguised a bit better.

If Mr. Zirkle's statements are not meant to be a distraction, he's severely retarded, and his opponent is quite kind calling it "backward opinions". Really, one can't be as stupid as Mr. Zirkle if not on purpose.

[walkerguy]

Der Dummkopf Politiker! Scher dich zum Teufel Herr Hitler!

Edited April 24, 2008 by walkerguy

[samm]

Haha, nicht schlecht! "Dummkopf Politiker" und "Herr" ist aber ein bisschen zu nett... Und wenn es einen Teufel gibt, ist Hitler eh schon dort

Edited April 25, 2008 by samm

[walkerguy]

Ok I don't speak German. Let us both transltate:

 

Der Dummkopf Politiker! Scher dich zum Teufel Herr Hitler!

The Idiot Politician! Go to hell Herr Hitler!

 

I want to know what samm said.