Ecclestone Dismisses His Hitler Comments As Misunderstanding
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Ecclestone Calls Controversy Surrounding
Hitler Comments A Big Misunderstanding |
F1 Management Chair Bernie Ecclestone "has dismissed as a 'big misunderstanding'" the controversy created by his "apparent defence" of Adolf Hitler, according to a report in German newspaper Bild cited by YAHOO SPORTS. Ecclestone: "All this is a big misunderstanding. In the interview we were talking about structures and that it can sometimes be good to act and make strong decisions without reservation. I wasn't using Hitler as a positive example, but pointing out that before his dreadful crimes he worked successfully against unemployment and economic problems" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/6). In the original report in the LONDON TIMES, Ecclestone said, "In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done." He added, "Politicians are too worried about elections. We did a terrible thing when we supported the idea of getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He was the only one who could control that country. It was the same (with the Taleban). We move into countries and we have no idea of the culture. The Americans probably thought Bosnia was a town in Miami." Jewish Chronicle Editor Stephen Pollard said Ecclestone is "either an idiot or morally repulsive." Pollard: "Either he has no idea how stupid and offensive his views are or he does and deserves to be held in contempt by all decent people." In London, Bird, Gledhill & Coates noted Ecclestone "has a reputation for being outspoken" -- last year he "provoked uproar when he suggested racist comments directed at Lewis Hamilton on websites in the build-up to the Brazilian Grand Prix 'started as just a joke'" (LONDON TIMES, 7/4).
REAX: World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder called on Ecclestone "to resign, saying he is no longer fit to serve in his role." Lauder in a statement also "called on teams, drivers and host countries of the F1 series to end their co-operation" with Ecclestone (CBC.ca, 7/5). Meanwhile, in S.F., Ray Ratto wrote of Ecclestone, "You see, stupidity is sometimes as helpful as intelligence. ... We will see his name and say reflexively, 'Now here's an idiot,' and dismiss everything else he says as the product of that basic idiocy" (SFGATE.com, 7/4).
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