Savage: Rep. Ellison, atheists share "hatred of Christianity and hatred of Jews"

On the July 16 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Michael Savage responded to a recent speech given by Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) to the organization Atheists for Human Rights by saying, "[W]hat would a devout Muslim radical have in common with atheists? Answer: hatred of Christianity and hatred of Jews."

Ellison sparked controversy during his speech by saying the Bush administration's response to the Sept. 11 tragedies "kind of reminds me of" Adolf Hitler's accumulation of power following a fire at the Reichstag, the German parliament building, in 1933. "After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it, and it put the leader of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted," Ellison said.

Savage denounced Ellison's remarks, saying: "So now Keith Ellison now calls Bush Hitler, thereby degrading what was done to the people by Hitler and diminishing what was done to the people by Hitler." But as Media Matters for America has noted (here, here, here, and here), Savage himself often compares progressives and Democrats to Nazis. For instance, on the June 12 broadcast of The Savage Nation, Savage described the "progressive movement" as "the brownshirts of today" and "the same rabble that brought Hitler to power."

The Savage Nation reaches more than 8 million listeners each week according to Talkers Magazine, making it the third most-listened-to talk radio show in the nation, behind only The Rush Limbaugh Show and The Sean Hannity Show.

From the July 16 broadcast of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation:

SAVAGE: How about the former member of the Nation of Islam who pretended he was reformed, Keith Ellison, Democrat in Minnesota, who ran for office, and he was elected by all the good liberals, including Jewish liberals, in Minnesota who thought he was going to be, "Right on! All power to the people. Bring it down, Keith. Right on, all power to the people. We're behind you, man. Right on!"

So now Keith Ellison now calls Bush Hitler, thereby degrading what was done to the people by Hitler and diminishing what was done to the people by Hitler, and of course the "All-power-to-the-people-right-on" people don't even know who Keith Ellison is. But he spoke at the Atheists for Human Rights organization. Now here's a devout Muslim convert who's speaking to Atheists for Human Rights. Now what would a devout Muslim radical have in common with atheists? Answer: hatred of Christianity and hatred of Jews. I'll be right back.

—M.J.M.

Michael J. Maio is an intern at Media Matters for America.