Do you remember James Baker?
James Baker was, among other things, a Chief of Staff for both Ronald Reagan and for George H. W. Bush – in whose service he became famous for advising Mr. Bush that, politically, his campaign should “Fuck the Jews, they don’t vote for us anyway”.
Ugly though that sounds, it did not mean Baker was anti-Jewish. It could have been seen as a blunt political calculus which, though less true now (in no small part due to Barack Obama), was a logical conclusion based on many years of voting results.
But, like that famous 60’s poster which told us “Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you”, the fact that Baker’s comment did not have to mean he was anti-Jewish did not mean he wasn’t.
Baker spent many years after making that statement engaged in overtly anti-Israel activities, which certainly lead to the “he is” conclusion. And if that were not bad enough, Baker is now scheduled to be (UPDATE:) was a keynote speaker at the J Street convention.
(J Street, in case you are unaware, is a self-described pro-Israel organization…which, somehow, never seems to find anything Israel ever does right or anything Palestinians ever do wrong. In short, it is about as pro-Israel as ISIS is pro-democracy.)
Yet, incredibly, Baker has apparently been engaged as a key foreign policy advisor to former Florida Governor/probable Presidential candidate Jeb Bush.
Why in God’s name would Jeb Bush, who has always appeared to be a strong supporter of Israel (or so I thought), take someone like this into his circle?
Here is best selling author and successful radio talk show host Mark Levin’s reaction to Baker’s past, and his J Street involvement:
“Jim Baker, much like Barack Obama, has always had a hate on for Israel. This antipathy toward Israel is well documented. Baker wanted the U.S. to punish Israel for destroying Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor [in a 1981 airstrike]. He hated Netanyahu as early as 1990, barring him from entering the State Department’s building. And last but not least, Baker co-wrote the Iraq Study Group’s 2006 paper that recommended among other things that the United States tilt its foreign policy away from Israel and toward Syria and Iran-advice that Obama seems to have taken to heart.
“This is the guy, the leading advisor to Jeb Bush on foreign policy, who Jeb Bush asked to be his leading adviser, and now he’s the keynote speaker to this left-wing hate group J Street”.
Mr. Levin raises important questions here. Important enough so that Mr. Bush immediately sent out a spokesperson to say this:
“Governor Bush consults with a broad group of advisors, reflecting different views. The Governor’s own record on Israel is one of strong and unwavering support. When it comes to J Street, in particular, he firmly opposes lobbying groups whose actions undermine Israel’s efforts to defend itself.”
Assuming those words are true, why in the world would Bush have anything to do with Baker?
Look, I understand the need for “different views”. But since when did that ever mean views which a candidate professes diametric opposition to? Would Hillary Clinton ask Sean Hannity to be one of her advisors?
If Bush is smart, he will lose Baker. Fast. If he doesn’t, then supporters of Israel have every reason to question his sincerity.
Your call, Jeb.
