From the Las Vegas Sun August 1: “Chris Christie finds a reason to visit Las Vegas in the dead of summer:”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to visit Las Vegas today for a private fundraiser hosted by Sheldon and Miriam Adelson at the Palazzo.
A December report on how much Adelson gave in the last presidential election cycle:
By far the largest donor during the 2012 election cycle, Adelson pledged to give up to $100 million to see that Obama was defeated. Now, in the wake of the president’s re-election victory, two Republican sources close to the businessman claim that he not only met his fiscal pledge, but that he exceeded it by $50 million. According to the these unnamed fundraisers, the billionaire gave a whopping $150 million toward Romney’s electoral efforts.
In 2010 Adelson said that his giving was largely related to Israel:
All we care about is being good Zionists, being good citizens of Israel, because even though I am not Israeli born, Israel is in my heart.
Liam Hoare in Haaretz attacked me this week for talking about money in American politics– and says it is anti-Semitic to do so in the context of Israel, because Israel makes a person’s brain go on fire:
For Israel, this anti-Semitic attention manifests itself in theories pertaining to The Jewish Establishment or The Israel Lobby, for example – the notion as perpetuated by Walt and Mearsheimer that a homogenous bloc consisting of Israeli and Jewish individuals and pressure groups is steering the course of American foreign policy. Support for Israel is sometimes achieved through traditional lobbying, yet often through bribery. “Remember that old political adage, Follow the money! I wish the press would follow the money on our country’s Israel policy,” states Philip Weiss, founder and co-editor of the anti-Zionist site Mondoweiss.
But as a nation, and moreover as an idea or a dream, Israel as a Jewish state and the fulfilment of Zionism can never be normal. Israel will always be a subject of interest and fascination, a cause to be taken up or combated, and the target of unwarranted and undesired attention from those who’d rather it did not exist or wish use it for their own destructive and malicious ends. The perception of Israel as exceptional can bestow rewards – but at a price.
I wonder if that goes for The Hill, too? Last month:
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said he will visit Israel this October, the clearest sign yet he is considering running for president in 2016.
From Liam’s opening sentences–
“Whether it is desired or not, Israel will always be an exceptional nation.
It is in the nature of Israel’s birth – of Israel as the manifestation of a dream, or several dreams, and the yearning and investment those dreams hold. The awakening of a Jewish national consciousness within the galut, the revival of the Hebrew language, the founding of Tel Aviv and the kibbutzim, the greening of the land, the victories in existential wars fought on multiple fronts – it is a secular, pioneering achievement unparalleled in modern history.”
One can almost picture a little demon sitting on Liam’s shoulder as he stares blankly at the computer screen urging “Come on, Liam, this hasbarist twaddle won’t write itself.”
Actually, it almost could.
I suspect that Israel is undermining national security by inviting all those morons on “educational tours” (like Rick “Oops” Perry). Check the number of google hits for “stupidity is contagious”.
Christie wrote (said) two years ago that only stupid people go to Las Vegas in the middle of the Summer. I guess smart people go to Moscow.
Sheldon Adelson spent $150 million on the last election? Yikes.
Is Adelson still hoping the Palestinians will simply disappear?
RE: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to visit Las Vegas today for a private fundraiser hosted by Sheldon and Miriam Adelson at the Palazzo.” ~ Las Vegas Sun, August 1
RICK PERLSTEIN’S DISCOURSE ON “CRAZY BILLIONAIRE” SHELDON ADELSON:
“Why GOP Mega-Donor Sheldon Adelson Is Mad, Bad and a Danger to the Republic”, By Rick Perlstein, Rolling Stone, 4/10/12
ENTIRE ARTICLE – http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/why-gop-mega-donor-sheldon-adelson-is-mad-bad-and-a-danger-to-the-republic-20120410
Am actually both surprised and very disappointed by this. Not that Christie would quarrel Rand Paul, that’s politics. But he has (I could find the link with time) stood up for Muslim civil rights in NJ and mocked those who opposed them. He kind of endorsed Obama, as much as he could at least, last election. I assumed it was, at least in part, because he understood the neocon haters were crazy. But now this?