Maine Governor Paul LePage couldn’t pass through Vermont without leaving behind one of his rhetorical calling cards — he’s kinda like the dog that has to pee on every tree. His lasting stain on our political discourse, as reported by Paul Heintz of Seven Days (story here, along with audio of LePage and Brock), was this attempt to simultaneously explain, apologize for AND justify his recent comparison of the IRS to the Gestapo:

Standing by Brock’s side at the Sheraton in South Burlington, the Maine governor said, “What I am trying to say is the Holocaust was a horrific crime against humanity and, frankly, I would never want to see that repeated. Maybe the IRS is not quite as bad – yet.”

LePage then said, “They’re headed in that direction.”

Asked if he had a sense of what the Gestapo did during the second world war, LePage said, “Yeah, they killed a lot of people.” Asked whether the IRS “was headed in the direction of killing a lot of people,” LePage answered: “Yeah.”

Yes, if by “killing a lot of people” you mean “imposing modest fines on those who fail to buy health insurance,” then I’d agree. Otherwise, Mr. LePage, you are an idiot.

After the jump: Randy Brock tries really, really hard to clarify matters.

After LePage’s sterling performance, attention turned to the Vermonter who invited Governor A$$hole to town and profited from his presence.

Brock, who stood side-by-side with LePage during the nine minute interview, at first declined to disavow the Maine governor’s comments, saying,”Each of us has friends who make comments that they stand by. Those are their comments. They’re not necessarily my comments.”

Each of us, Randy, when events warrant, have to consider our friends and whether they should remain our friends. If Paul LePage is the kind of person you are proud to consider a friend, then I question your judgment and your temperament.

Asked again whether he disagreed with LePage’s contention that the IRS is on its way to killing people, Brock said he interpreted it differently.

“What I interpreted the governor as saying is that the policies that we’re following may lead to unintended harm, and that’s my interpretation,” he said.

Yeah, when I think “unintended harm,” I think Nazi Germany. Hitler just got a little bit out of control, that’s all.

In closing, I’d again like to thank Randy Brock for subjecting us to this ill-tempered assclown. And congratulate him, again, for profiting on the deal.