A frank description of the Israel lobby’s importance in the US political process comes from Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the head of the Democratic National Committee, speaking in Charlotte to a group of Jewish Democrats. In the video clip here, Wasserman Schultz says that support for Israel in the United States is politically indivisible and American Jews have a responsibility to assure that that support is never politicized.
Let me just close by telling you this, and sharing this with you. We know, and I’ve heard no less than Ambassador Michael Oren say this, that what the Republicans are doing is dangerous for Israel. They’re undermining Israel’s security by suggesting that the United States and Israel… have anything other than a unique and close and special relationship. It undermines Israel’s security to its neighbors in the Arab world, and to its enemies, and we need to make sure that the fact that there has never been and will never be daylight between the two parties, or the support for Israel that we have in the United States– that that is conveyed to Jewish Americans across the country. That’s our responsibility. It’s the responsibility that we’re asking all of you to take on.
So that’s our responsibility as Jews: to assure that there is “no daylight” between the political parties and no daylight between the two countries. Support for Israel must never be politicized in the U.S. Wow. And Jews are the ones who care about this. None of the rest of you count here.
The story is being covered only because Oren denies what DWS attributed to him. As if that’s the real scandal:
“I categorically deny that I ever characterized Republican policies as harmful to Israel,” the statement reads. “Bipartisan support is a paramount national interest for Israel, and we have great friends on both sides of the aisle.”
Michael Brendan Doughterty at TAC:
The Ambassador denied this strenuously. And when confronted on Fox News about it, Debbie Wasserman Schultz denied ever saying this, and blamed the Washington Examiner for twisting her words. This was a lie to cover up the initial lie. The Examiner quickly produced the audio recording of her actually lying about the Ambassador. A bravura performance from Schultz, really.
“…we need to make sure that the fact that there has never been and will never be daylight between the two parties, or the support for Israel that we have in the United States…”
One of the things I find disturbing is that lately, it’s become the norm to say things that the speaker must know aren’t true.
There most certainly has been ‘daylight’ between Israel and the US in the past. We contemplated suspending Israel’s statehood in 1948. Ordered Israel out of Sinai in 1956. Suspended loan guarantees or whatever in the early 80’s. Etc.
Schulz is trying to transmogrify what has in fact been a recent development — our slavish obedience of Israel’s dictates — into a fine old tradition. Well, it’s not a tradition, it’s not old, and it’s certainly not just fine.
from the examiner link:
iow oren does think bipartisan support is a paramount national interest for Israel, but he doesn’t think Republican policies of bashing dems over the head with their lack of kowtowing to every rightwing israeli whim is harmful to Israel. iow he thinks the way to keep israel safe is for both parties to continually vigorously compete over who can profess their love for israel loud enough and accuse the other party of being bad for israel. and he doesn’t think the american people will notice this and resent it in any way because he probably thinks we’re all wired like wound up brainwashed children. but we’re not.
so lets argue about israel! ha!
Cue Claude Rains!!
Hmm, so Jews demand of politicians that the US support Israel.
Then politicians in turn demand of Jews that they support Israel and the politicians who support Israel.
We seem to be going in circles here.
that photo at wapo of wasserman is hideous. she looks like one of the fox news airheads. hold back the makeup debs, you look fine without it!