Comments on: Hagel and the Jewish lobby: The (half) truth hurts http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/hagel-and-the-jewish-lobby-the-half-truth-hurts/ The Marketplace of Ideas Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:49:51 +0300 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Rochelle Pudlowski Eissenstat http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/hagel-and-the-jewish-lobby-the-half-truth-hurts/#comment-101062 Rochelle Pudlowski Eissenstat Thu, 07 Feb 2013 01:45:39 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=92498#comment-101062 Sorry I clicked "Comment" too soon!
Point [3] Matt's statement "Mersheimer and Walt’s controversial book The Israel Lobby established a sort of middle ground" is hardly approaching the middle ground of anything but outrageous unproven claims that incite to Jew-hatred. That is why the book is not only controversial; it is unsound and an embarrassment to have been written by so-called academic professors.

Regarding Hagel: if the politician had NEVER said "Jewish" he still would be a questionable candidate due to his antiGay remarks. But his denigrating proIsrael Americans lobbying within their legal rights obfuscates or deflects thinking about his antiGay attitudes and his alarmingly dim-witted confirmation hearing.

]]> By: Rochelle Pudlowski Eissenstat http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/hagel-and-the-jewish-lobby-the-half-truth-hurts/#comment-101060 Rochelle Pudlowski Eissenstat Thu, 07 Feb 2013 01:39:27 +0000 http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/?p=92498#comment-101060 Things in this piece that seem irrational in a purportedly thoughtful even handed opinion piece:
[1] Selectively picking upon an AIPAC booth at Hillel among numerous others covering a broad spectrum of Jewish groups? Matt admits there were many other choices. Why get upset that a single 1 was there that he does not approve of? Sounds like an open approach but he disapproves. Would he refuse to include groups he disagrees with? That Hillel sounds less prejudiced.
[2] AIPAC has refused to fight against the Hagel nomination. Matt is not telling the truth in his last paragraph. A self respecting journalist checks before making such a statement.
[3] "Mersheimer and Walt’s controversial book The Israel Lobby established a sort of middle ground.

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