Yesterday, one of the leading Republicans in the North Carolina state senate really stepped in it on Twitter. Before yesterday, Bob Rucho, who represents southeast Charlotte, was best known as the author of the ugly gerrymander of North Carolina's legislative map that resulted in a state that is a swing state by any definition having veto-proof GOP majorities in both houses of the state legislature and handed the GOP three congressional districts on a platter. But yesterday morning, Rucho had this to say about Obamacare:
You expect Republicans to wring their hands about Obamacare. But Holocaust comparisons? That, to put it mildly, is out of bounds, even by Republican standards.
As you might expect, Rucho has gotten kicked up, down and sideways for this.
Rucho did not return a message left on his cell phone on Sunday.
By then, more than 90 people had re-tweeted his post. But others called the tweet offensive.
“The systematic murder of 11 million human beings, among them 6 million Jews ... and acts of terrorists using explosives to indiscriminately decimate the lives of men, women and children can in no way be compared to legislation aimed at expanding health care accessibility and quality insurance for the poor,” said Rabbi Judy Schindler of Charlotte’s Temple Beth El. “Comparing the two is deeply offensive."
The tweet also received a litany of angry responses on Twitter, including some who said Rucho should step down.
“You’re a disgrace and an embarrassment to public office. You should resign immediately, penned twitter user @BettyJeanRoss.
Twitter user @TravisFain wrote, simply: Don’t tweet about Nazis. Don't. Tweet. About. Nazis.
You would think following a fusillade like this, Rucho would come to his senses. Nope, not by a longshot. In his next tweet, which came yesterday afternoon, Rucho actually doubled down:
No, Bob. Even suggesting that Obamacare did more damage than the Nazis and everyone else who fought against us is beyond demented.
Rucho's district includes some of the most congested-red areas of Charlotte, as well as some of Charlotte's tony suburbs in Mecklenburg County. In other words, this is textbook proof of what happens when legislators draw districts for themselves.