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House Republican Leaders Twist Obama Statement on Israel
May 12, 2008 9:19 PM
In an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talked a great deal about Israel. He was rather effusive in his support for the Jewish state.
Apparently given nothing of substance to criticize, House Republican leaders then took a statement Obama made and twisted it to act as if the Democrat had insulted the Jewish state. Which he had not.
After describing some of the first times he thought about Zionism, Obama said "the idea of a secure Jewish state is a fundamentally just idea, and a necessary idea, given not only world history but the active existence of anti-Semitism, the potential vulnerability that the Jewish people could still experience."
He talked about how "the idea of Israel and the reality of Israel is one that I find important to me personally. Because it speaks to my history of being uprooted, it speaks to the African-American story of exodus, it describes the history of overcoming great odds and a courage and a commitment to carving out a democracy and prosperity in the midst of hardscrabble land."
He assailed Hamas as a terrorist organization and said the United States "should not be dealing with them until they recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and abide by previous agreements."
When the topic turned to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama said, "Israel and the Palestinians have tough issues to work out to get to the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security." When asked if Israel besmirches the United States' reputation, Obama said "No, no, no."
Then he said: "But what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore, does infect all of our foreign policy. The lack of a resolution to this problem provides an excuse for anti-American militant jihadists to engage in inexcusable actions, and so we have a national-security interest in solving this, and I also believe that Israel has a security interest in solving this because I believe that the status quo is unsustainable. I am absolutely convinced of that ... I want to solve the problem..."
It seemed pretty clear to me that by "constant sore" Obama was referring to the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As he says in the next sentence: the "lack of a resolution to this problem."
Nonetheless, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, who knows better, accused Obama of calling Israel a "constant sore."
"Israel is a critical American ally and a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, not a ‘constant sore’ as Barack Obama claims," Boehner said. "Obama’s latest remark, and his commitment to ‘opening a dialogue’ with sponsors of terrorism, echoes past statements by Jimmy Carter who once called Israel an ‘apartheid state.’"
(That's interesting because in that very same interview, Obama rejected Carter's use of the term "apartheid" as applied to Israel. Said Obama: "I strongly reject the characterization. Israel is a vibrant democracy, the only one in the Middle East, and there’s no doubt that Israel and the Palestinians have tough issues to work out to get to the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security, but injecting a term like apartheid into the discussion doesn’t advance that goal. It’s emotionally loaded, historically inaccurate, and it’s not what I believe.")
Another member of the GOP House leadership, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, also misrepresented what Obama said.
"It is truly disappointing that Senator Obama called Israel a ‘constant wound,’ ‘constant sore,’ and that it ‘infect[s] all of our foreign policy.’ These sorts of words and characterizations are the words of a politician with a deep misunderstanding of the Middle East and an innate distrust of Israel," Cantor said.
When Obama twisted Sen. John McCain's "100 Years" comment, it was pretty dishonest as well.
But this may be worse, because Boehner et al are falsely accusing Obama of besmirching a nation and a people. They are accusing him of being anti-Israel, even anti-Semitic. It is false.
This kind of twisting is unbecoming a party that claims to have superior ideas to Obama's fairly orthodox liberal record. Voters may conclude that Republicans think they have to make things up to beat Obama. Which they don't.
- jpt
May 12, 2008 in John McCain, Obama, Barack | Permalink | Share | User Comments (137)
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Obama stated that as President of the United States he would definitely support Israel, however if you visit the liberal democratic blog sites, it's obvious that an overwhelming number of Obama's constituents are pro-palestinian and anti-Israel. This dynamic also exists with Jeremiah Wright and the church Obama attended for 20 years. Obama has to look like he supports Israel to win the Presidency, however what about after he gets elected ... if he gets elected. If it becomes politically expedient, will Israel become expendable, just as Jeremiah Wright did? In the meantime, numerous Jewish journalists, and politicians are endorsing Obama. I suppose this provides them with acceptance in the leftist progressive world, and or protects their individual success and ambitions, since Obama appears to be the next democratic candidate. Anti-semitism runs rampid just under the surface in society. I just hope that Obama will not betray the jews, if it becomes a way to appease the Islamic world.
Posted by: Lee | May 19, 2008 9:25:28 PM
Bah. This after BHO and his surrogates twisted McCain's statements on Iraq?
Pot, meet Kettle. You two have so much in common!
Posted by: jkp | May 14, 2008 8:07:26 AM
Hillary suporters go away !!!!!!!!!
Posted by: dvdpt | May 14, 2008 1:17:34 AM
Thank you for your post. Hillary is a great leader, a strong leader, a confident leader, a smart leader, a compassionate leader, and would make a perfect president of the united states. Unfortunately, she is also a woman, and too many men are intimidated by all of the above, and react like 12 year old boys when they insult her. It's too bad she's a woman, in a country where women were the last to get the vote - behind blacks! That is the only reason she hasn't won the nomination.
Posted by: housewife | May 14, 2008 12:32:24 AM
McCain starts his 100-year clock once U.S. forces are no longer being harmed.
How far into the future is that event?
Posted by: Michael Markman | May 13, 2008 2:45:24 PM
Whew!! I'm so glad that I don't live in America. I'm a Canadian who've always admired America and what I thought it stood for, but I've had a change of heart. Americans can be incredibly gullible, fickle and downright stupid. I read the news everyday as well as research to learn the truth and I find it hard to believe that Americans just believe what some twisted person chooses to write. They are so blinded by racism that they can't even see that BARACK OBAM IS THE BEST THING FOR AMERICA right now, to restore 'America the Great' in the eyes of the world. PEOPLE, WAKE UP AND SIEZE THE OPPORTUNITY. VOTE FOR OBAMA.
Posted by: Canadian | May 13, 2008 2:03:49 PM
Obama leads in number of super delegates
Obama leads in number of regular delegates;
Obama leads in number of states won;
Obama leads in number of caucuses won;
Obama leads in the popular vote.
Clinton leads in number of lies told.
Posted by: rhbate | May 13, 2008 1:59:39 PM
The Repulicans are going to fall to the same fate as HRC, because the are using a dated play book and not seeing that there has been a paradigm shift. Obama gets it....and will be rewarded.
Posted by: Gail | May 13, 2008 1:23:48 PM
West Virginia vote Hillary. BHO will not, can not win. HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT! The BHO supporters are as evil and full of hate as the one they think is to be the next american idol. Bull! LOL!! 9 out of 10 terrorist support BHO. I guess this typical, white, middle-aged woman will just stay with Hillary or McCain.
Posted by: Carol in Alabama` | May 13, 2008 1:23:31 PM
To Come on now, boy, you Clinton supporters will come up with anything to defend your candidate. Nice to see her supporters are following the GOP lead by making things up. Doesn't surprise me though, Clintons campaign has been more like the Republicans than the Democrats anyway.
Posted by: Di D | May 13, 2008 1:15:40 PM
Why is this even a topic for discussion?
Senator Obama has made his policy toward Israel, perfectly clear.
People who don't want to hear --- don't.
Posted by: ERW | May 13, 2008 12:37:48 PM
If Obama had insulted the Jewish State it would have been a big step towards peace (and won him a few friends in the Middle East)
Posted by: Ian Thorpe | May 13, 2008 12:28:43 PM
Racist people are not going to vote for Obama (period). Stop with all of the excuses.
Posted by: Nik | May 13, 2008 12:17:14 PM
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS - TAKE NOTICE
-----------ROE v. WADE-----------
Two of the current justices of the United States Supreme Court will probably retire within the next four years. One is 75 and the other is 84. This will give the new president the ability to nominate two new justices. If McCain is elected you can be sure the new justices will be just like Roberts, Scalia and Thomas: willing to overturn ROE v. WADE. So think when you vote!!!
Posted by: rhbate | May 13, 2008 12:12:23 PM
I'm sick of the grade school tactics on the part of the gop - remember, the same folks that sold you a president you'd like to have a beer with? They can't debate the issues, so they stoop to ridiculous distractions like this. Wake up americans, the gop is insulting your intelligence. Do your own research - look into the candidates backgrounds - don't be swayed by image, look for substance and conviction.
Posted by: Julie | May 13, 2008 12:10:47 PM
Who has the jelly? Hillary is toast!
Posted by: rhbate | May 13, 2008 11:46:44 AM
Having voted reliably Republican for most of my life, I'll never vote for another one, under any circumstances. I quit voting Republican when they nominated the current idiot in the White House, and I'll never vote for another one again if I live to be 150 years old. Republicans are the scum of the earth.
Posted by: Sam Shaw, Houston, TX | May 13, 2008 11:41:35 AM
It amazes me that people know what the Republicans are doing and have become so terrified of them that they allow them to have all this power. These kinds of Republican methods are WRONG and the people have to tell them so. We are all allowing the BULLIES to control us. Democrats keep saying we should not select a nominee who we like and believe is a good candidate and would make a good President because,....the BULLIES will do something. Let's ALL SHUDDER and HIDE IN FEAR.
Just stop the Bully by calling him out for goodness sakes!!!
Posted by: kit | May 13, 2008 11:31:33 AM
It never ceases to amaze me how dirty and hateful people can be just to try and "win".
BTW, 'eyes wide open'...I hate to break it to you, because you seem as delusional as Hillary, but she is toast. Sad that you feel the need to create and spread lies (votes counted twice? try proof b4 professing you know what you're talking about) in an effort to convince people otherwise. Funny that anything negative said about HRC is lies and smearing her, but the same of BHO is fine...just as long as it helps your agenda of trying to convince folks she's not dead in the water.
Posted by: XME | May 13, 2008 11:24:56 AM
way too smart to ever vote Republican - Interesting What do you say when your whole Democrat party are out there twisting and lying about what McCain says!!
The have an ad out totally taking McCain out of Context, The Dems are the most elitist corrupt group I have ever seen!!
By the way the old saying is the young vote Democrat because they know no better, the wiser people vote Republican because the do know better!!
Posted by: spock | May 13, 2008 11:24:06 AM
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