First Gavin Newsom called Israel an “apartheid state”.
Then, when he was hit with major criticism – not just from Republicans but also from the dwindling number of Democrats who still can find something good about Israel – he backtracked, telling us he is an avid supporter of Israel, just not of its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
And now he’s getting slammed by the left (disastrous in today’s Democrat Party) as an Israel-appeaser.
From Sean James’ article at mediaite.com:
Progressive media stars Jennifer Welch and Kyle Kulinski slammed California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for softening his recent claim that Israel is an “apartheid state,” with Kulinski arguing it was yet another example of Israeli lobbyists having a “stranglehold” on the Democratic Party. Kulinski added it was “political suicide” for Newsom to pull such “chickensh*t nonsense.”
The two pundits skewered Newsom on Welch’s I’ve Had It podcast on Wednesday. They started the show off by playing a clip of Newsom walking back his harshest claims about Israel a day earlier in an interview with Politico’s Jonathan Martin.
Newsom said “I revere the state of Israel. I’m proud to support the state of Israel” — before adding he “deeply, deeply” opposed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
When Martin asked if he regretted calling Israel an “apartheid state” during a podcast with former Obama officials Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor earlier this month, Newsom said “I do, in the context that I said it.”
Those comments did not sit well with Welch and Kulinski.
“I’ve heard enough,” Welch said, as she threw up her hand and stopped playing the clip.
“Why are we in this world where you cannot say a fact? That Israel is an apartheid state,” she continued. “Why do we have Democrats that are denying facts in the same way that MAGA does?”
Do not brush this off as a one-day-and-out problem with a couple of podcasters. The fact that Newsom said, in so many words that he is a proud Zionist, is going to to be repeated endlessly, and will damage him severely in today’s Democrat Party.
Ironic, isn’t it? Newsom presided over the disastrous come-down of San Francisco, then over the disastrous come-down of California, and he was still the fair-haired boy of his party. But support of Israel – the Jewish state? Unforgivable.
Let’s wait and see how he tries to wrangle out of this one. I’m not sure that his ready smile and well-gelled hair is going to be enough.
