James Carville pointedly asks if Americans should 'wait until Trump's Hitler' before taking action
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: In a striking moment during the latest episode of his 'Politics War Room' podcast, titled "Is Trump Really Like Hitler," veteran Democratic strategist James Carville addressed the growing concerns about apparent authoritarianism in American politics.
The comment came as a direct rebuttal to recent commentary by CNN host Michael Smerconish, who asserted that, while many Americans dislike Donald Trump, it is incorrect to liken him to Adolf Hitler.
James Carville challenges Michael Smerconish over stance on Donald Trump-Adolf Hitler comparison
James Carville took issue with Michael Smerconish’s position. Rather than dismissing the comparison outright, he argued that it demands serious historical context and scrutiny, as per The New York Post.
The question Carville raised was, “Do we wait until he’s Hitler?” He further asked, “At what point do you say, ‘This guy is a threat?’”
He urged Smerconish to bring on respected historians like Anne Applebaum and Timothy Snyder, who have written extensively on the rise of authoritarianism and the signs democracies often miss until it’s too late.
Carville also referenced Larry David’s satirical essay in The New York Times titled "My Dinner with Adolf," a spoof rooted in comedian Bill Maher’s controversial visit to the White House.
The essay highlighted how some opponents of the president genuinely view his leadership style as echoing authoritarian regimes of the past.
Donald Trump's links to Adolf Hitler's rhetoric
As per The Guardian, Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social that envisioned a “unified reich” if he were to reclaim the presidency, and then left it up for nearly 24 hours.
Why does Trump's new campaign ad have a blurred reference to the creation of a "unified reich?"
— Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 (@JoshEakle) May 21, 2024
Pause at 0:03 and 0:28.pic.twitter.com/8kQUWe46Zu
This isn’t new territory for Trump as he has allegedly praised Hitler for having done “some good things,” borrowed the dictator’s rhetoric by labeling his political foes as “vermin,” and described immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country”.
Following a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, he infamously claimed there were “very fine people on both sides.”
Similarly, the Politico noted, “Some of Trump’s critics — including Joe Biden’s campaign — argue that Trump’s incendiary rhetoric and authoritarian behavior justify the comparison."
It added, “Meanwhile, Trump’s defenders — and even some of his more historically-minded critics — argue that the comparison is ahistorical; that he’s not a true fascist.”
James Carville warns of threat posed by Donald Trump with a chilling sitcom quote
James Carville concluded his argument with a quote from Channeling Barney Fife, the bumbling but well-meaning deputy sheriff from 'The Andy Griffith Show'.
“Nip it, Nip it in the bud.”
— MacCocktail (@MacCocktail.bsky.social) (@MacCocktail) July 21, 2020
― Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife (born this day, July 21, 1924), Andy Griffith Show pic.twitter.com/r1CRN1yVq9
The veteran Democratic strategist said, “I’m going to quote the great Barney Fife: ‘Nip it. Nip it in the bud.’”
He added, “That’s what I say. Nip it, nip it in the bud. Don’t wait.”
The use of a classic sitcom line served as both comic relief and a haunting caution.
The threat, Carville suggests, isn't hypothetical; it's here, it's now, and action is required before it's too late.
