In the eternal debate raging on the world’s Internet comment boards, there’s this unofficial rule known as “Godwin’s Law” – In short, the first person to compare an opponent to Hitler loses.  American conservatives spent the day violating Godwin’s Law after President Barack Obama shook the hand of an old cold war rival at the memorial for South African hero Nelson Mandela.

Obama stopped to shake world leaders hands as he walked towards the podium to pay tribute to Mandela, and Cuban President Raul Castro was there, and there you have it.  It was probably just as newsworthy that he kissed Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on the cheek, after the falling out between Brasilia and Washington after the Snowden documents revealed US spying targeting Rousseff. 

“Perhaps the American and Cuban presidents grasp, with this handshake, that the work they have to do together is far easier than South Africa's struggle against apartheid,” said Julia Sweig, director for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Although there are no signs of policy changes in either capital, it was a marked departure from the hostility the two nations have displayed for each other for 50 years.  And back in Washington, some conservative republicans were tripping over themselves to compensate. 

Obama beat John McCain in the 2008 Presidential race, which hasn’t stopped the cantankerous senator from Arizona from constantly offering his advice.

“Why should you shake hands with somebody who's keeping Americans in prison?  I mean, what's the point?  Neville Chamberlain shook hands with Hitler,” McCain said, violating Godwin’s Law and losing the day.  By the way, McCain has a lot of nerve, considering he shook Libyan Despot Moammar Gaddhafi’s hand in 2009.  And it’s not like anyone wanted him to.

Two Cuban American lawmakers, Florida’s Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Senator Marco Rubio, also condemned the handshake.