Ed Schultz Denies Calling Bush a Nazi -- But Compared Limbaugh to Hitler

Liberal action hero Ed Schultz does have his standards, albeit flexible ones.

Here's Schultz chatting with barely coherent fellow left-wing radio host Bill Press on Wednesday about Press's new book, "Toxic Talk: How the Radical Right Has Poisoned America's Airwaves" (audio here) --

SCHULTZ: What did the Wall Street Journal say about your book?

PRESS: Wall Street Journal said ... OK, he's got some things right, some things, there is a little, there is a lot of hate talk on the left, but listen on the left, I mean, on the right rather, but listen on the left and you get it, you get it just as bad. Which is simply ...

SCHULTZ: Just as bad?

PRESS:  Yeah, which is simply not true.

SCHULTZ: Just as bad? 

PRESS: Yeah, right.

SCHULTZ:  No, I don't think I called Bush a Nazi. I don't think I did that.

... As if this is a line Schultz never crosses -- unless it comes to comparing Rush Limbaugh to Adolf Hitler, based on Limbaugh's animated remarks before a feisty CPAC gathering last year. (lively speech, enthusiastic audience ... the parallels are eerie ...)

Gee, where would anyone get the idea that Schultz is "just as bad" -- worse, even -- as the most vitriolic voices in conservative media? How about here, from this stew of Schultz toxicity compiled by NewsBusters managing editor Ken Shepherd and EyeBlast.tv video producer Bob Parks last month after Schultz claimed he had not said anything "hateful" on his MSNBC show in its first year.

Then there was Schultz's insistent description of Sen. John McCain as a "warmonger" during the 2008 campaign, which was over the top even for Obama, then running against McCain for president.

But my favorite example of a Schultz haz-mat spill came months later after McCain's pick of Palin for running mate brought out Schultz's inner Neanderthal. Here is Schultz melting down in response to the third female caller to his radio show that day taking him to task for demeaning Palin. (audio here)