Venerable TV personality Rick Steves is digging into his support for Vice President Kamala Harris, less than a week from the 2024 US Presidential election, comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.
Rick Steves Endorses Harris, Warns About Trump
Steves recently argued that a Harris Administration would promote stability, explaining:
“As a traveler, I’m both a proud American and a citizen of the world, and I’ve got a few thoughts for this coming election: the world needs not the chaos of Trump, but the stability of Kamala Harris. It needs American leadership within the family of nations as we effectively confront the challenges of the future. That’s why I’m voting blue and I hope you will too.”
I long for the day when we can return to healthy and principled partisan debates. But this election is different… and much deeper than left versus right. It’s about the survival of our democracy.
The stakes are really high — and the best candidate is clear: @KamalaHarris pic.twitter.com/yqzvrVJoRM— Rick Steves (@RickSteves) October 29, 2024
But Steves went a step further this week, posting a video he filmed in Berlin warning of the parallels between Trump and Hitler.
“Many don’t realize that the first people Hitler sent to his concentration camps weren’t everyday Jewish citizens, but his political opponents. So, when Trump rants about retribution, locking up his opponents, and giving them ‘very long sentences,’ I can’t help but take him seriously… because history teaches us that is what fascist dictators do during their ‘Day One’ period to consolidate their power.”
Many don’t realize that the first people Hitler sent to his concentration camps weren’t everyday Jewish citizens, but his political opponents. So, when Trump rants about retribution, locking up his opponents, and giving them “very long sentences,” I can’t help but take him… pic.twitter.com/Wu6rnUg72K
— Rick Steves (@RickSteves) October 29, 2024
Trump has promised that he won’t be a dictator “other than day one.” He has also denied claims of persecuting his political opponents, arguing that it was the Biden Administration that went after him.
I question the value of such endorsements…it seems to me folks have made up their mind at this point, one side can no longer convince the other, and therefore it only hurts his brand. Some will applaud him, some will hate him, and the result will be not only less viewership for him (I don’t think he cares) but more division in the USA, even in the travel space.
image: @RickSteves / X
Trump is like Hitler. And its not hard to see.
They both worked at McDonalds, besides for Hitler.
They both drove garbage trucks, besides Hitler.
When in power, both killed 6 million Jews, And tried to conquer the world besides Trump.
They both have Hitlerian mustaches, besides for Trump.
They were both married multiple times and had a bunch of Jewish grandchildren, besides Hitler.
At some point in time they both were Democrats, even Trump!
If this is not convincing enough, then you are probably a MAGA extremist. MAGA stands for Major Aryan Group Action.
The citizens of Israel have experience with Real Evil – Murderous Evil , and they support Trump .
The over-educated in USA have been brainwashed into thinking that Israel and USA are somehow bad .
When Trump was President , he was a force for Good .
The dems’ name-calling is merely another dem0nstration of their Ignorance .
Trump is a disgrace of a human. Hard to see why any normal American can not see this
No irony at all in Rick showing us his passport while Harris let in 10 million unvetted people.
@JH … +1 . Including Venezuelan gangs who terrorize American citizens , and are financially supported by Brandon and Camel-a .
The Left Authoritarians are themselves protected from Brandon’s immigrants , while ordinary American citizens , and their pets , pay the price .
What a moron he is. Why even open your mouth when you have no idea what you’re talking about.
This country is a disaster, and it needs a MAJOR change.
Rich people are doing fine, so they can vote for Harris.
Normal people, who work for a living, are drowning.
They need help.
Normal people need to vote for Trump, even if you don’t like him.
The alternative is *actually* tyranny by democratic party.
I’m sorry you are having such a difficult time. I’m a “normal person”, I’m doing just fine. Pretty well, actually. Have you tried working harder? It is probably your laziness or lack of intelligence holding you back.
Let them eat cake, right?
The American economy is by far the strongest in the world. We have a great economy. Maybe the reason that Trunp’s supporters don’t feel that way is because…. gasp…. Republican policies (like the Trump tax cuts) don’t help the middle class?!
That’s like saying someone is the tallest midget.
The economy and economic indicators are not good.
It’s why things like job reports get massively revised after the fact because they are lying to you.
It’s a world of midgets. Being the tallest one is all you can realistically ask for. And we’re it. Economy is fine. Envy of the world in fact. And that being the real world – the one we all live in. You may also need to work harder. I thought you insurrectionist types liked those that “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”. But I guess that only applies to minorities that are different than you.
Our economy is fine except for the huge increase in energy price the last four years. It’s fine except for the large inflation numbers the last four years. That’sthe cruelest tax of all. It’s fine except the 30-40% increases at the grocery store the past four years. It’s fine except the lack of real wage growth the past four years. It’s fine except for the fact I haven’t gotten a raise the past four years.
True my 401k has done well and so has my stock portfolio but maybe Camel toe will want to dip into my gains. That’s not cool.
Our economy is great for the upper class thanks to things Trump did in office. It’s terrible for everyone else because Trump cares only about himself and the top 1%.
How can you credibly claim that the US is a disaster when we have no mass emigration from the US and so many people want to migrate to the US as the land of economic opportunity?
Seems to me like America is such a great country that even the substantial minority of Americans who are (always) struggling (and doing even worse under Trump’s pandemic) dare not permanently leave the US.
Be an American nationalist and vote Harris over anti-American, dictator/Putin-loving Trump.
I don’t like Trump but Rick is an idiot. Even his travel advice is garbage.
Rick Steves is a MAGA Trump supporters because his advice is bad and you should do opposite of what he says.
Harris will punish those rich people by raising their taxes. Tax their frequent flyer balances, too.
Oh yes…the world is very stable now. How many wars where started under Trump? He’s entitled to his opinion. The beauty of the Internet is that you can put your ignorance on full display, for everyone to see.
You do realize that Harris is against everything this country stands for, right?
Starting with free speech.
Meanwhile…80+ million of us want to stop the destruction from within so we don’t end up a workers paradise like Venezuela.
Guess you don’t get sarcasm.
Apologies, David…that response wasn’t intended for you.
But yes, you nailed it…the “Fascist Nazi” was out there signing peace deals when he was last in charge.
How dare he!
Armenia-Azerbaijan went in to full war under trump and it wasn’t settled until he left office. The GCC blockade of Qatar happened. The overthrow of democracy in Myanmar followed by conflict that still isn’t resolved. But I suppose those aren’t important.
A blockade isn’t a shooting war, Jerry.
Since Biden/Harris took office there is a shooting war between Israel and Iran, Ukraine and Russia, and Israel-Hamas/Hezbollah.
We’re sending millions to the Taliban weekly.
(Go listen to the Shawn Ryan/Tyler Vargas-Andrews interview to see just how horridly incompetent the administration handled the withdrawal. I’d say to ask the innocent family they droned to cover up their incompetence but they are dead so…)
The Houthis are rocketing civilian cargo ships.
There is a guy named Barbecue running Haiti.
Venezuala had a failed election.
A Chinese spy balloon flew over the country for a week.
They tried to give the September 11th terrorists a plea deal.
Shall I go on?
FWIW, Haiti hasn’t been stable in generations. Venezuela also had a failed election in 2018. The Houti conflict started during the Obama administration. Trump signed the agreement with the Taliban, Biden just carried it out. Countries have been spying on us for years, we just happened to see the balloon and it was a good news story.
But to answer your question, yes… Please do go on.
Well, I guess it’s over. Time and time again, I hear undecided voters asking who Rick Steves is going to support. Now that he has made it clear, I would imagine that tens of voters will flock to support Harris. History is being made before our eyes.
Wait a minute. I thought George Clooney had already told us how to vote, and that was for Harris. So there are still undecideds who need further direction from another “celebrity? Oh, the humanity…
I’m not American so looking from the outside, but to call somebody Hitler after two assassin attempts is for sure going to make the world a better place….
I hope that he uses his passport far away from where I call home, as he seems content with fueling a narrative of hate to half of the American population and that can’t be good no matter how one looks at it.
Hitler was the target of no less than two assassination plots. Fascists and wannabe fascists are no less immune from being targets for assassination plots. Often such characters make survival/evasion as part of their mythos to rally their supporters.
Just so we agree on terms, what does facist mean in your terminology?
Is jour point that Hitler and Trump staged their own assassination attempt?
For the latter question, the answer ought to be obvious even to a brain-damaged dude like Trump when I mentioned survival/evasion.
For the former, someone who wants to violently overturn the constitutional order as on January 6th, 2021, is a pretty strong indicator of what can qualify as a wannabe fascist.
For your first answer I have no idea what you mean?
For your second answer regarding fascism a key component of it is “the rule of the elite” and when I look at the demographics of wealt and power in the US. 70% of wealth is on Democrat hands and they live in the large citys where there is a concentration of power.
Another key component of fascism is militarised nationalism. There has just been a law passed under the current administration, that allows US armed forces to use force (for the first time ever as far as I know) on US civilians (not national guard).
These are examples one could frame as fascistic but then again everything is fascistic in the eyes of the beholder.
Matthew…is this so different then you constantly parading your support of Israel here? He’s taking what he believes to be a principled stance, which is I assume the same way you feel. You are correct, he’s probably sacrificing clicks/readers, and he’s obviously OK with it.
I have no particular issue with this. Much like I don’t with your stance (even though as you know I disagree on much that you post on that topic).
As for the efficacy, who knows. But we should applaud people for taking a stance, one way or another.
That’s a fair point and I know I lose business/readers for my Israel stance…so yes, I agree.
@Matthew
Just a small difference. You let people disagree with your opinions. Lefty sites generally do not.
While maybe up to around 35% of the voters in this election have already cast a ballot and around 90% have likely already decided how to vote, there are enough remaining potential voters out there in swing states to make a difference. Even Pennsylvania and North Carolina may be back in play for Harris because of the Trump show in Madison Square Garden a few days ago.
Trump sitting in a Trump dump truck should be this election’s Dukakis in the Tank moment, but the Democrats are lousy on messaging and KISS principles.
KISS principles?! Why drag Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley into this mess?! 😉
Let’s hope (sarcasm alert) trump lives up to his hitlerian beliefs if he wins and sends this Jabroni in the same boxcar as those loud mouthed Yentas on the view to those FEMA constructed concentration camps inWyoming!!!
I’ve liked and used Rick Steves travel books for years. His books are well-researched and his opinions are spot on.
I think it’s worth noting that Steve’s spends a lot of time abroad; I’m sure the thought of another Trump term in office is humiliating to him as an American, as indeed it is to me. How is the country or Lincoln, Washington and Roosevelt now the country of, gulp, Trump? Yes, it is humiliating to have a buffoon – a clown – as president. I felt that in 2017 and the anxiety I have now is worse than it was then. As it seems Trump will win, I feel like burying my head in the sand for the next four years. I hope our great country survives but I’m not optimistic.
I’m exhausted of the conversations about celebrity endorsements. If you don’t think they’re valuable or disagree, why give the comments more attention?
As for me and my house, we’ll still be locked and loaded for season 48 of RICK STEVES’ EUROPE.
Since it’s in the travel sphere, I thought I’d endorse it.
I disagree he is a travel expert. He’s a guy who makes money giving advice, except for the “duh” stuff, that I find useless. He is right Trump is unworthy, but misses the fact that Harris is equally bad.
He can spend his boomer money on Viking River Cruise style trips and leave his opinion out of politics, thanks
Rick Steves is like Mr Rogers. Any common, decent human being knows convicted felon and serial rapist Drumpf is an evil POS. Coservatives, perhaps it’s time for some self introspection? Oh thats right, you halfwits are incapable of that. Carry on, MAGAtards.
I couldn’t imagine anybody who has devoted their life to international travel voting for anybody other than Harris in this election. That’s truly not a slight at Trump supporters, I just don’t see how a global viewpoint could really align with MAGA, or even historically Republican policies. I’ve always assumed that’s the reason why there is a primary for Democrats abroad, but not for Republicans.
As America and Americans reel from the 3 1/2+ years of the corrupt anti America governing of the traitorous DemocRATS – multiple morons posting here side with Steves in an unbelievable display of stupidity – disgusting.
Another level headed democrat.
You mean “addled” DemocRat
ALERT AND DEAN,I agree what Moron!! Too funny about his passport when 21 million illegals did not need one to get here!! And his girlfriend a Bishop and supporting the party of 40 week abortions and Tampon Tim???No Common Sense I will never put his travel show on again!He is Clueless as is his girlfriend
He’s sufficiently well-off financially that he has nothing to fear from any alienation of some MAGA snowflakes melting down over his criticism of Trump in this election.
Rick has alway been a p*ssy IMO and his travel advice sucks. As for liking Trump to Hitler and fascism I can only think that those who do so are profoundly ignorant of history and are so alienating the public that they revert to supporting Trump. Trump may be an a**hole and a narcissist but he is nowhere near a Hitler or Mussolini or a Stalin, Anyone who says he is makes me feel sorry and sad. You have absolutely no idea what our parents and grandparents who had to deal with those individuals went through.
How stupid can you be? Pick up a book for crying out loud. Visit an Auschwitz or a Dachau (I have FWIW).
Try and support your candidate for what they offer instead of demonizing those who may not. Trump supporters are not garbage and they aren’t deplorable.
The left used to be tolerant and open. Now they are just the opposite.
Well, carrying on from my comment on the OS thread, I wonder whether, as a ‘citizen of the world’, Mr Steves has ever said anything against the superpower which imprisons citizens in concentration camps, makes constant threats against what to all intents and purposes is a sovereign state and builds naval bases on artificial islands within another country’s territorial waters?
If not, it’s rather ironic of him to draw comparisons between Hitler and anyone who isn’t part of the government of that country.
If not,
The 28th(!!!) woman accuser of another Trump rape just came forward. 28?!!! And you are voting for this demon? Seriouly check yourself man. Wow. So everyone is lying except the Melon Felon? Ya ok.
Only for the left can a candidate winning an election be a threat to democracy when that’s democracy. Liberals only support democracy when they are the ones who win.
Let’s be real, though. Democracy is just tyranny of the majority. Rational people realize it’s crazy to abide by the will of a majority when that majority is full of sick and twisted people. Democracy is the antithesis of Freedom. They are the complete opposite. Freedom means voting can’t take rights away.
Rick Steves rather see White people be nice losers as everything beautiful and good about the West is destroyed instead of stand up against this nightmare that has seen cities turned to filth and despair. Rick Steves is on a path to hell.
Oh Jeez Marv! Right before the election? We should believe her of course- right?
I bet you were here defending a certain former President telling us what sex is and what it is not too, right?
OMG the stupidity…..
Matthew,
I’m so glad you quoted this about Rick Steves. I actually was watching his video podcast last week where he started out saying ‘this isn’t about voting for Trump or not’, then went on to run him down and compare him as a fascist. I wrote him an email that I was a long-time fan and customer – but that I was so disappointed that he had to spend time running down Trump during a travel podcast. I reminded him that he is a travel writer – and should stay in his lane!!! For someone that talks about openness and open points of view, he should realize that there are reasons why America is divided down the middle 50/50, with rural Americans in particular feeling underrepresented. There are valid reasons and different points of view – but I’m so sick and tired of celebrities and (in this case travel writers) trying to push their views outside of their speciality and telling everyone else how to vote. Let us do our own research and choose for ourselves.
My guess is Rick Steves will lose some of his base over this, myself included.
Biggest take from the story is he claims to have a girlfriend. I always figured him for a tonsil jockey like Aaron.
I agree Dave. Anthony Bourdain was cool. Rick Steves is (as I said a little more politely) a pillow biter.
And of course your tax dollars support him on PBS….which says it all.