NASHVILLE, May 6 (UPI) -- Tenn. State Sen. Stacey Campfield (R) received predictable backlash after likening Obamacare signups to Nazi train rides to concentration camps in his blog Monday.
"Democrats bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for Obamacare is like Germans bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for 'train rides' for Jews in the 40s," Campfield wrote in his blog under the title "Thought of the Day."
President Barack Obama and his administration have recently praised the expansion of healthcare and the increasing enrollment numbers for his legislation, but the comparison to the Holocaust caused criticism against Campfield from both political parties.
Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney issued a statement chastising Campfield for his remarks:
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While Stacey Campfield routinely makes remarks that are over the top, today’s comments are ignorant and repugnant. No political or policy disagreement should ever be compared to the suffering endured by an entire generation of people. Those comments have no place in our public discourse. He should offer an apology to members of the Jewish faith immediately.
Campfield took to his blog again to clarify his remarks under a post titled "Here you go," in which he said he was sorry that the people he offended missed the point of his statement:
I regret that some people miss the point of my post. It was not to offend. It was to warn. To draw attention to Obamacare and the slippery slope that I see occurring in the lives of myself, my constituents, and the rest of the country with the continued taking of freedom by the federal government.
In no way was my post meant to diminish or detract from the pain, suffering and loss of human life that occurred during this dark time in human history. Instead the post was meant to draw attention to the loss of freedom that we are currently experiencing. I stand by my steadfast opposition to Obamacare.
Campfield has made no apology to the Jewish community or Obama. In a blog post Tuesday morning he wrote under his "Thought of the Day" post, "I like ice cream, mom, apple pie and puppies. This message has been approved by my campaign staff."
