US Politics February 2019: This is one of the great losers of all time.

Shame that is presumably something trump won't pick up on from Fox, might just be rid of him that much faster. I assume that being a germophobe is as much of a heartfelt belief as he has about anything. Or is this going to morph into a tweeted comment later on.

sometimes I forget that the President is a literal rapist

The Democrats are so self righteous and ANGRY! Loosen up and have some fun. The Country is doing well!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2019

good morning!!

Trump 2020: Loosen Up!

I'm never sure how to respond when a backed-up font of seething rage insists that I loosen up and enjoy myself.

love trumps hate

#resist

(35% of americans) love trump's hate
#medialiteracycrisis

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/11/its-all-about-benjamins-baby-ilhan-omar-again-accused-anti-semitism-over-tweets/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d176c92c934f

This is really dumb.

It's dumb to treat it as in any way comparable to Steve King or other movement racists in positions of power, but yes, it's true, Omar is using language whose force is derived from an old robust anti-Semitic tradition, and it's good for her to know that. She can (and should) go after Netanyahu and his fans in Congress without shading into the "follow the money" stuff. I think Hemd Amry has this right

No, criticism of Israel isn’t anti-semitism, just like criticism of a Muslim majority state isn’t islamophobia, by default. However racist or bigoted tropes can be intentionally or unintentionally triggered in making those critiques and yes that matters-it always matters.

— hend amry (@LibyaLiberty) February 11, 2019

seems fair

AIPAC spent $3.5 million dollars in 2018 alone on lobbying costs--and 3.2 in 2017 and so on (see here: https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000046963&year=2017). Commenting on this doesn't seem out of place?

The AIPAC remark was completely accurate, people are objecting to her particular framing and language which I think is fair. What's not fair is the assumption of bad faith and the lumping in of anti-Zionism / BDS / political criticism of Israel more generally with anti-Semitism, which tbh is what I see the majority of commentators doing

xp

Michael Bloomberg spent twenty times that much on Democrats in the 2018 election cycle (and George Soros another $13m) and yes there is something creepy when Kevin McCarthy talks about them trying to "buy the election."

I guess I'm just not seeing it in those two tweets that are quoted. "Follow the money" has like 1000 stronger associations than anti-semitism unless you're trying to discredit anyone who doesn't support Israel's settler colonialism?

In other news: Erick Erickson is on board!

no platfrorm for lester freamon

lobbying =/= election cycle money. Apples and oranges.

I guess I'm just not seeing it in those two tweets that are quoted.

That's cool, I don't think Omar saw it either, I truly don't think it's her intent to use this stuff, but trust me, it's there.

whoa who could've thought Erick Erickson had no principles

trust me, it's there.

I really don't think it is

I mean otherwise I don't get what the non-anti-semitic way would be to insinuate that campaign donations and lobbying money are part of the reason for widespread support for Israel among politicians, which they obviously are. She didn't tweet a picture of a fanged octopus with "AIPAC" on it, she just said "It's all about the benjamins."

The good way would be to use the word "part" where you used it, the bad way is to use the word "all" where she used it. This is not a minor distinction.

pretty simple: even when it's true you just uh have to be deliberate and careful and not glib when you're arguing that Jewish groups are using money to manipulate politicians?

yep. it sucks that ppl who are already out on a pretty lonely limb with this sentiment also have to be exceptionally careful about it but them's the breaks

unfortunately I think this is also correct

Open challenge for any of the "Omar should have criticized AIPAC in a way that cannot be spun as anti-Semitic" people to do it.

If this site should have taught us anything by now, it's that cynics and reactionaries can always twist your words to mean any damn thing they want.

— Carl Beijer (@CarlBeijer) February 11, 2019

(if those seem contradictory, I'll boil it down to: she could and should definitely have chosen her words more carefully but also she can't win with many of these ppl)

Careful who you call “these people” boyo

STFU

sincerely, one of "these people"

obv the aipac lobby is powerful, but it's also disingenuous to say that there aren't plenty of ideological and political reasons for moderate dems and republicans to support israel.

That's a more fair point imo.

xp

I don't think she could have criticized AIPAC in a way that opportunistic GOP hacks couldn't spin as anti-Semitic, I'm just saying she could have criticized AIPAC in a way *I* wouldn't perceive as anti-Semitic.

Sorry, I said that badly. I don't even perceive what she said as anti-Semitic, it's more that I perceive it drawing power from ambient anti-Semitism.

Worst afx record

Careful who you call “these people” boyo

I felt like I was pretty clearly referring to Israel's vocal public supporters, many of whom are not Jewish, but go off

It's hard for me to imagine a way a leftist woman of color in a hijab could criticize anything Israel-related that wouldn't get this treatment. But sure, dance more gracefully across the minefield.

I mean, I think outside of AIPAC and congressional PR offices, some of the negative reaction is sincere, but at some point well-meaning people are contributing to an atmosphere in which debate is impossible

The AIPAC remark was completely accurate, people are objecting to her particular framing and language which I think is fair. What's not fair is the assumption of bad faith and the lumping in of anti-Zionism / BDS / political criticism of Israel more generally with anti-Semitism, which tbh is what I see the majority of commentators doing

― bhad bundy (Simon H.), Monday, February 11, 2019 3:56 PM (twenty-six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

kevin mccarthy was also flagging this is a potential attack a week ago so this isn't a surprise. also taking a page from the UK playbook on taking down leftists.

Most pro-Likudnik political contributions don't pass through AIPAC.

Sheldon Adelson spent $25 million on Trump's campaign alone, more than anyone else, buying enough influence to place John Bolton and Mike Pompeo in a position to push the proxy war against Iran all three have wanted for years, decades.

The only proper response to McCarthy was "your party runs literal Nazis for office, go fuck yourself."

Also this, of course.

Shot. Chaser. pic.twitter.com/3HP4reajht

— Judah Ariel (@judahariel) February 11, 2019

mccarthy thinks stripping a literal nazi in his caucus of committee assignments gives him credibility to attack muslim congresswomen for antisemitism. cool country.

Yep. Anyone who has a problem with what Omar said but thinks McCarthy's tweet is somehow OK is not worth listening to on this subject.

Just after the infamous Access Hollywood tape surfaced — where President Trump is heard bragging about sexually assaulting women — the President was concerned it would sink his campaign, according to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“He said, ‘Is it over?’” Christie told Fox News over the weekend. “I said, ‘No, because you are running against the single worst presidential candidate in my lifetime. So we’ve got time to recover. But we’ve got to do it the right way.’”

actually, i was in the room and i believe christie's verbatim response was "no, it's not even close to over, because this nightmare never ends. aaaahahahahahahahaha" before his blood poured out of his eyes and all of the nearby lights exploded

https://media2.giphy.com/media/l41m1NGC7fK7tduco/giphy.gif

The way to criticise AIPAC is to point out that they now accept neocons and evangelical Rapture wingnuts as supporters.

now they do?

Careful who you call “these people” boyo
I felt like I was pretty clearly referring to Israel's vocal public supporters, many of whom are not Jewish, but go off

― bhad bundy (Simon H.), Monday, February 11, 2019 10:45 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

you forgot "go off KING" to be fully left twitter cool guy

didn't want to make gender assumption

Steve Scalise has joined the good faith anti semitism discourse and demanding Omar be removed from her foreign relations committee assignment. All according to the plan..