Greenwald based his tweet on a report saying just that in Haaretz. McCarthy even equated the two women with serial racist Republican Steve King, about whom McCarthy never felt the need to do anything. McCarthy's promise of "action" against the two Muslim women was clearly an empty threat from a minority party leader. Then Democrats panicked, took the bait, and created an irresponsible hysteria-storm that really is a witch-hunt. So it looks like the Democratic knee-jerkers got played, badly played, by a corrupt Republican whose interest in bigotry is only self-serving. Or have we forgotten all the times McCarthy has called out the president on his racist tropes of all sorts?
In any event, Ilhan Omar responded in a mature and straightforward manner in a tweet at 2:46 p.m. the following day:
RT @IlhanMN: Listening and learning, but standing strong 💪🏽 https://t.co/7TSroSf8h1 at https://t.co/7TSroSf8h1
— Erika Butler (@beneficii) March 8, 2019In a rational where people operated in good faith, none of what Ilhan Omar said would have provoked much disagreement, never mind the irrational ritual scapegoating that erupted. The deeper context for this flare-up was much nastier, as reported by Sheryl Gay Stolberg in The New York Times on February 1, referring to Ilhan Omar and Rashida Talib:
" their uncompromising views on Israel have made them perhaps the most embattled new members of the Democratic House majority. Almost daily, Republicans brashly accuse Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Omar of anti-Semitism and bigotry, hoping to make them the Democrats' version of Representative Steve King as they try to tar the entire Democratic Party with their criticism of the Jewish state.
Referring to "their uncompromising views on Israel" as if that were unquestioned fact - and by definition reprehensible - not only highlights the bias of the writer, but works to foreclose any discussion of Israel in anything like an objective manner, which would necessarily include both the crimes of the state and the crimes of the prime minister. As the Times sort of predicted, the viciously bigoted Republican Party laid a trap for the Democrats and, lacking judicious consideration, they stumbled right into it.
Why would they do something so stupid and self-destructive? One can only speculate. But why did the entire Democratic leadership in the House feel it was necessary to call out Ilhan Omar the same day she apologized? What is really going on? Does the tweet "It's all about the Benjamins, baby" really call for THIS kind of over-the-top response? Even the title is a little crazy: "Democratic Leadership Statement on Anti-Semitic Comments of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar," especially when not one "anti-Semitic comment" is cited. The statement itself is weird in other ways as well (here in its entirety from February 11, with no time stamp):
Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luja'n, Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Caucus Vice Chair Katherine Clark issued this joint statement condemning anti-Semitic comments made over Twitter by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar:
"Anti-Semitism must be called out, confronted and condemned whenever it is encountered, without exception.
"We are and will always be strong supporters of Israel in Congress because we understand that our support is based on shared values and strategic interests. Legitimate criticism of Israel's policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share. But Congresswoman Omar's use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments.
"As Democrats and as Americans, the entire Congress must be fully engaged in denouncing and rejecting all forms of hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever they are encountered."
The first sentence is a hypocritical and self-approving falsehood. When was the last time the Democratic establishment called out any other anti-Semitism, real or imagined? When was the last time the Democratic establishment made any effort to distinguish between anti-Semitism (bigotry against Jews) and anti-Israeli politics (where anti-Semitism is used as an epithet to quash any discussion of killing unarmed civilians, or pick your issue)?
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