More RJC Shadiness
Muriel Kane writes,
There’s been a fair amount of attention paid to the Republican Jewish Coalition lately as a result of their sponsorship of an ad swiftboating Nancy Pelosi for her trip to Syria. Most of the analysis I’ve seen has focused on links between the RJC and the Bush administration — most notably Sam Fox, recently recess-appointed by Bush as ambassador to Belgium, who headed the RJC until just a few months ago. The current RJC leadership also includes such GOP stalwarts as Ari Fleisher, Ken Mehlman, and the ever-slimy Mel Sembler.
However, when I checked through my notes and files, I found that the largest number of mentions of the RJC involved a less well-known member of the board of directors named Fred Zeidman.
In related news, The Forward reports,
Sam Fox, President Bush’s controversial recess appointment as ambassador to Belgium, is vowing to continue donating to political candidates during his time in Brussels while forgoing contributions to 527s, the campaign vehicle that sparked the recent political firestorm that derailed his Senate confirmation.
If you haven’t seen it (it’s reprinted in the current issue of Harpers) I _highly_ recommend reading the transcript of John Kerry’s questioning of Sam Fox before his nomination was yanked.
It’s searing.
The transcript is here http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/02/kerry-versus-swift-boat-benefactor.html
And the video is here http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/02/28/senator-kerry-confronts-swift-boat-funder/ (it’s also on Youtube)
It’s up there with the painful-to-watch scene from Fahrenheit 9/11 of Gore certifying the election that was stolen from him, but at least here Kerry gets some good licks in.
Fox is an evil SOB, a real shande.
what is your point?
i dont get why these are shady fellows but in any case are they any more shady than:
George Soros?
Babs Streisand?
David Geffen?
50,000 other rich Jewish liberal slimeball elitists?!
pathetic
I’m not clear on the “shadiness” here. Ambassadorships have been a standard ‘thank you’ from US presidents to major supporters since time immemorial. Some large percentage of all the US ambassadorships worldwide (maybe it’s one-third or one-half?) are reserved for such major donors and big supporters.
Part of it is a friendly ‘thank you’. Another part is to encourage other would-be helpers. And I guess another part is because the president can be super confident that this ambassador really will support his policies and get his messages across. Personally I find it cool that people with no prior official experience can get such an amazing entree into the world of diplomacy and international relations.
nope, nothing shady about buying political influence. seats in government in a democracy should always go to the highest bidder.
i should just be able to buy the seat of chairman of the u.s. holocaust memorial commission. i should just be able to buy an ambassadorship. because that’s capitalism, and isn’t capitalism what the u.s. is all about? democracy by money-power?
DO YOU PEOPLE EVEN HEAR YOURSELVES?!?!
Mobius
Shadiness – as presented here – points to a specific, right wing form of shadiness. If politically motivated shadiness aint cool, it plagues both dems and GOP. (heard of an ambassador named wilson sent by his WIFE to see if a US president lied etc)
Similar to the Dems lambasting of GOP for pork. Have you taken a look at the last bill presented by the Pelosi Congress? 40 bil in pork!? Bottom line:
Pointing out shadiness and challenging status quo is right on – but aim your guns at all the powers that may be – not just the Republicans.
My objection wasn’t with the whole notion of political appointments for campaign supporters but rather with this one shkeevee individual. He underwrote the torpedoing of John Kerry’s reputation and when confronted he snivelled, prevaricated and whimpered. That’s not menschlike behavior in my book. If you’re going to do something dastardly, have the decency — the beytzim — to admit it, especially to the man whose character you trashed. He’s a coward and a liar.
wilson was not sent by his WIFE, he was sent by the CIA; he’s been working in washington as a foreign service agent since 1976; he met his wife while on the job; and he didn’t receive an ambassadorship for a donation but rather for his hard work for four administrations. that is not even remotely the same as donating a quarter million dollars to a smear campaign and being rewarded with an ambassadorship.
but yeah i certainly agree democrats are also shady and vile; but after 6 years of bush and the rubber stamp congress, it’s fairly clear that democrats aren’t remotely as shady and vile as republicans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39834-2004Jul9.html
ok fine, he was sent by his wife
don’t hear you disputing any other points
For that matter I didnt hear you disputing the shadiness of George Soros etc.
I was glad to hear that you agree with my assesment that the dems are shady and vile too. You obviously feel that the republicans are more vile – I couldnt disagree more – but your being a liberal and all kind of explains all that.
What sucks is your eagerness to criticize republicans, while dems (i.e. Harry Ried SHADY ASS land deals making obscene profits, off the books, by “mistake” etc.) slide on by.