Demanding an Apology

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Demanding an Apology

The Anti-Defamation League (search) is demanding an apology from West Virginia Democratic Senator Robert Byrd (search) for comparing Republican efforts to block filibusters by changing senate rules to Adolf Hitler's use of power in Nazi Germany. Earlier this week, Byrd said, "witness how men with motives and a majority can manipulate law to cruel and unjust ends. ... Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality. ... He recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side."

The ADL calls those remarks "hideous, outrageous and offensive." Adding, "The Senator shows a profound lack of understanding as to who Hitler was and what he and his regime represented." Byrd's office insists the senator was not comparing Republicans to Hitler, but was merely underscoring the importance of learning from the past.

Both Sides Correct?

One day after Louisiana cable system Lifewise Cable Media (search) stopped running ads by the liberal group Campaign for America's Future, which said Louisiana Republican Congressman Jim McCrery (search), "wants to privatize social security and cut our guaranteed benefits" — Lifewise has now agreed to start running the ads again.

McCrery calls the ads, "patently false," insisting his proposal to set up personal investment accounts within Social Security is not privatization. But, after receiving nearly 20 pages of documents and press reports from Campaign for America's future backing up its claim — Lifewise says it determined "both sides [are] correct," and the ads should be run. McCrery's office declined to comment.

Congressman's Suggestion

Nevada state Democrats are condemning Republican Congressman Jim Gibbons (search) for saying this past week that the "tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie, tie-dyed liberals [in Hollywood should] ... go make their movies and their music and whine somewhere else," adding, "it's just too damn bad we didn't buy them a ticket" to become human shields in Iraq.

A state Democratic senator calls Gibbons' remarks "inflammatory," and another Democrat calls them "bombastic." Gibbons, however, is standing by his remarks, saying, "I support our troops, and I don't apologize for that."

Gone bananas?

A Georgia woman is demanding the city of Columbus disclose the names of two police officers she says deeply offended her at a civil rights march several weeks ago. According to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the woman, Gwen Stewart (search), has complained to the police department and to the mayor, and has prompted Republican Congressman Tom Price to write a letter to the police chief. So what exactly did the police officers do?

Why, they ate two bananas, which they apparently got from a snack van sent around to feed hungry officers working during the event.

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report