February 18, 2009 06:01 PM UTC

It Sucks To Be "Swastika Guy"

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• by: Colorado Pols

Image from Progress Now

A fair amount of effort went into the production of yesterday’s anti-stimulus event at the state Capitol, which featured Colorado GOP leadership and elected officials, prominent conservative activists, and nationally-recognized columnist Michelle Malkin. Republican bloggers and talk-show hosts pumped the event. They really wanted this thing to stand out, to galvanize the whole conservative movement in a Boston Tea Party-style showing of scrappy opposition to the new President and his agenda.

Unfortunately a bit of a, ah, messaging wrinkle has emerged, as the Rocky Mountain News reports:

After syndicated columnist and TV commentator Michelle Malkin spoke at Tuesday’s rally, she was besieged by people asking her to autograph protest signs and pose for photos.

A man wearing a green fatigue jacket and sunglasses held up his camera to snap a shot of himself with Malkin. He was holding a sign with the name Obama in large, black block letters.

And inside the letter O was a prominent, black swastika.

A photo posted on several political Web sites, including ProgressNow Colorado, a liberal activist group, shows a photo of Malkin posing with the man carrying the swastika sign. Malkin could not be reached for comment late Tuesday on whether she saw the swastika sign.

Malkin’s personal blog shows seven photos taken at the Denver rally, but the sign with the swastika cannot be seen in any of them. Malkin’s Web site includes nine minutes of video taken at the rally, but the sign is not visible in the video.

Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry said he arrived at the rally 15 minutes late and didn’t see the swastika sign.

“If someone had that sign, it was totally inappropriate and unacceptable,” the Grand Junction Republican said. “There’s one in every crowd…”

No disagreeing with the Senator there, but it seems if you watch Progress Now’s footage of the rally (below the fold) beginning at 20:15 into the recording, you can see “Swastika Guy” proudly representin’–on stage–with Josh Penry. Now, maybe it’s just the case that Penry isn’t the sharpest knife in the proverbial drawer situational awareness-wise. Either way, some modification of his blanket statement is probably necessary, as this guy was clearly permitted by organizers to display his Swastika-bama sign on the stage.

And not only was there no pulling him aside for a little chat with organizers worried about, you know, ruining everything, “Swastika Guy” was rewarded with a choice photo with the headline speaker. Still holding the sign.

We realize there is something else we could be talking about right now, for example GOP opposition to the stimulus package Barack Obama signed into law in Denver yesterday. What a shame to be kind of past that.

More “Swastika Guy” coverage in the Denver Post and, well, all the liberal blogs in America. Tonight’s MSNBC lineup could also reportedly be timely, stay tuned.

Never a dull moment when presidential politics come to town, eh?

UPDATE: Progress Now’s latest release includes photos that might complicate Josh Penry’s next chat with a reporter (below the fold). Says Executive Director Mike Huttner, “We do not need Penry and Malkin to return Colorado to the hate state.”

Video of the protest from Progress Now:

Call for Republicans to explain Nazi swastika at anti-Obama press conference:
Republican Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry and Michelle Malkin join "Swastika Guy" on stage

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Contact:  Michael Huttner
(303) 931-4547

Denver–ProgressNow Colorado called on Colorado Senator Josh Penry to explain the use of the Nazi swastika at his press conference, held in objection to President Obama’s signing of the Economic Recovery Act in Denver yesterday. Penry, the Colorado Senate Minority leader, organized the press conference in which both he and syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin joined "Swastika Guy" on stage. Photos of Penry and Malkin appearing with "Swastika Guy" are appearing all over Colorado and national blogs today.

"We call on Senator Penry and fellow Republicans to condemn the use of the Nazi swastika at their press conference," stated Huttner.

Senator Penry, Michelle Malkin, and "Swastika Guy"–who has not been publicly identified–joined together for a Republican press conference at the West Steps of the state Capitol protesting Obama’s signing of the Economic Recovery Act.

"Does Penry support the misuse of the Nazi swastika for political self-gain?" asked Huttner.  "We do not need Penry and Malkin to return Colorado to the hate state."  Businesses boycotted Colorado costing the state millions when it became the Hate State in 1992 after the right-wing passed Amendment 2–later thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The public deserves to know what the relationship is between the ‘Swastika Guy’ and Senator Penry, Michelle Malkin and the other Republicans on stage," he added.

The press conference, held yesterday, was organized by Penry with the keynote address given by Malkin, who has recently returned to Colorado.  Malkin is known for right-wing controversies, including supporting torture of detainees and even defending the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

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