Opinion:Obama’s “House Jews” split on Hagel

According to NBC White House reporter Chuck Todd, the President’s Chief of Staff Jack Lew spent much of the weekend talking to the Jewish figures that worship progressive policy above all else. His purpose was to convince them to drop (or at least temper) their opposition to Chuck Hagel’s candidacy for Secretary of State.

Lew’s efforts were partially successful.

In a previous article, I questioned what the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) would do. In 2007, they wrote a long, detailed attack on Hagel outlining his anti-Semitic and anti-Israel views. (They took the page down when Obama began to express interest in Hagel for his administration...but I saved it on my website.)

Back in 2009 when Hagel was appointed to a minor position in the Obama administration, Ira Forman, then executive director of the NJDC, suggested that NJDC would publicly oppose Hagel’s nomination for a position with more authority.

“If [Hagel] was taking a policy role, we’d have real concerns,” Forman said. And Forman indicated that his group would oppose Hagel’s appointment to any position that had influence over U.S.-Israel relations.

Now that Obama has made the Hagel appointment, they rushed out a statement offering support.

“President Barack Obama’s unprecedented pro-Israel credentials are unquestionable, and setting policy starts and stops with the President. While we have expressed concerns in the past, we trust that when confirmed, former Senator Chuck Hagel will follow the President’s lead of providing unrivaled support for Israel -- on strategic cooperation, missile defense programs, and leading the world against Iran’s nuclear program.”

Perhaps this group should change its name to the NHJDC, The National Hypocritical Jewish Democratic Council.

Jack Lew’s urging also worked on ADL Head Abe Foxman, ever willing to kowtow to any progressive leader. Back in mid-December (before Lew began his “Love Chuck” calls), Foxman said this about a possible Hagel pick:

“The sentiments he’s expressed about the Jewish lobby border on anti-Semitism in the genre of professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt and former President Jimmy Carter.”

His comments yesterday were much tamer: