August 15, 2024 • 39 mins
For many Jewish Americans, one main issue they are focused on when deciding who to vote for this November is how each ticket will handle the Israel/Hamas war. Will the Harris/Walz ticket be tough enough on Hamas? Jeff Robbins, a lifelong Democrat, and political columnist for the Boston Herald who was the former assistant U.S. attorney and delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, is concerned about how a Harris/Waltz ticket would deal with Hamas. He joined NightSide to discuss.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w bzy Constance Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Very much al We are in the midst of a
presidential campaign, one in which there have been some recently
some very surprising twists and turns, and we still have
about a little under three months to go to get
to November fifth. Labor Day will be here before we
know it, the World Series and the next big ticket
of the idea will be the final election on November fifth,
(00:30):
and so we're going to look at that election many
many times between now and November fifth, who knows, maybe
even after November fifth. But joining us tonight to talk
about an aspect that intrigues me and I think troubles
Jeff Robbins is the Democratic ticket now, and introducing my
(00:53):
friend Jeff Robins make it very clear Jeff Robbins is
a loyal Democrat. I never want to add ask anyone
who they have ever voted for, Jeff, but I think
of you as a Democrat. You're an appointee during the
Clinton administration by President Bill Clinton. You have been the
head of the ADL here in New England. You're a columnist,
a syndicated columnist, appear frequently every week. I should say
(01:16):
in the in the Boston Herald, and we have conversations.
And the issue that I think joins us together obviously
is the support that this country needs to provide and
needs to continue to provide to the State of Israel.
And that is what I want to focus on tonight.
Welcome back to night Side, Jeff.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
How are you, Dan? Thank you so much for having me.
As always, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
No group in this country marches and votes one hundred percent.
You and I both know that, but you would we
talk today and give us your sense as to how
the Jewish people in this country have traditionally been very
supportive of the Democratic Party, no question.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, as you say, along, I guess, second only probably
to Black Americans, Jewish Americans have been the most reliable
voters for the Democratic presidential ticket since my guess is
the New Deal. And every four years there are predictions that,
for various reasons, that's going to change, but it always
(02:25):
does seem to hover in the seventy to seventy five
percent range. More or less of Jewish voters who vote
for the Democratic presidential candidate.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
There are politicians who have risen through the ranks of
the Republican Party and in the Democratic Party. I think
of Joe Lieberman, vice president candidate with Al Gore in
two thousand. I think Joe Lieberman's you know who sadly
has passed away recently, but I think he became less
(02:58):
and less comfortable with the Democratic Party after he was
Algo's running mate. I think of Lee Zelvin, who was
the Republican candidate happens to also be Jewish, the Republican
candidate in the state of New York against Kathy Hochel
a couple of years ago. So, you know, everything you
(03:19):
say is absolutely true. But the question is this is
a very I think arguably the most progressive Democratic presidential
ticket in history. And there was a lot of hope
within the Jewish community that, for all good reasons Vice
(03:41):
President Harris who would pick Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania, But
she did not. Is there a message there?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, you know, there are a lot of different things
happening at the same time, some of which seem contradictory,
in some of which are onntradictory. First of all, it
hasn't been the case up until now that somehow being
progressive meant being supportive of those who want to annihilate
(04:17):
israelis the notion that it's progressive to get behind a group,
a genocidal group that rapes and murders and kidnaps innocence
is breathtaking. And yet, as you and I have discussed,
somehow or other, that gets lumped under the rubric of progressive,
(04:37):
which beggars the imagination. A second thing which is different
this time is that, unlike any time since certainly nineteen
seventy three, and perhaps since the founding of the state
of Israel itself, Israel is under siege of a really
(04:57):
egregious nature. As you know, because you're really an expert
in the region. It is under attack from every side,
from from Hamas in Gaza, from Hamas in the West Bank,
from Iran, from the Hooties, from his Bollah in Lebanon,
in the un every place. And so a lot of
(05:20):
supporters of Israel, non Jewish and Jewish alike look at
this and say, like, what are we what are we missing?
I mean, I had to laugh today because I saw
Cat Stevens, great songwriter, posted on on x why can't
Israel give piece a chance? And you think do you
have are you you know, is there anything happening up
(05:41):
there at all. Do you understand what happened on October seventh?
But some but there's a real threat. So those two facts, you.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Know, Jeff, I think Cat Stephen has been of that
mindset for many.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Years from what oh I'm sure, yeah, yeah, it's not
exactly a surprise, but you look at the but the
level of inanity, as you and I have discussed, that
is out there on college campuses, in progressive circles and
sadly in certain quarters of the Democratic Party is really
quite alarming. And so this has thrown the checkerboard up
(06:12):
in the air in terms of as far as a
lot of supporters of Israel are concerned.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I'm reading an article that I just happened upon today.
This is an article out of the Washington Post from
earlier this year, but not much earlier this year. This
is an article from April thirteenth, so it's a two
three months four months ago, essentially, says as more progressive
Democrats implored the Biden administration to suspend its pipeline of
(06:42):
military aid to Israel as a means of compelling a
course change in Gaza, lawmakers, an analyst say the law
offers several tools for doing so. It goes on to
say the fury being felt by some lawmakers came through
this week as they grilled senior national security officials during
congressional budget hearings. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat in Massachusetts, lamented
(07:05):
to Defense Secretary Lloyd or Austin that quote, we are
the ones quote supplying Israeli forces with the bombs being
used quote to destroy homes, in hospitals and refugee camps.
I guess that she was suffering from some amnesia in April,
that she was not able to think back six months
(07:26):
before how this whole situation started.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Jeff, Well, you're completely right, and you say that to
your point to the question, the important question that you
raised in this hour is you know, this is the
kind of thing which makes people who are Democrats or
who are who lean Democrat, but who care about Israel
and also frankly don't have blinders on to say, what
in the world is going on? What is it exactly
(07:53):
that Israel was supposed to do here? This is not
Israel's war, This is not Israel's fault. The notion that
Israel is the party to be pressured here because it
had the temerity to say, we really would like to
not have twelve hundred of our civilians massacred again. It
appears to a lot of people as craziness. And unfortunately,
(08:15):
unfortunately that kind of questioning by Elizabeth Warren and by others,
by the sixty or so members of Congress, more or
less all Democrat that boycotted the Prime Minister of Israel
speech in this performative burst of bowing to the far
left of their party. This is the kind of thing
which and as you point out, I am a Democrat
(08:36):
and could never conceive of voting for Trump. But this
is the kind of thing which raises real questions. Look,
you know, none of us is an idiot. You see
the poll numbers in the Republican Party for support for
Israel and the pole numbers of the Democratic Party. You
see who shows up, who boycotts the Prime Minister of
Israel speech, and who doesn't boycott it? Who you know?
(08:57):
And you know, people ought not to be treated taken
for granted. There are people who support Israel. Uh in
key states Michigan, Yes, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona
states that may make a difference so the Democratic Party
ought to be very careful that they don't take those
(09:20):
people for granted. And it's not just people of the
Jewish faith.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
One of the members of the Progressive Caucus and the
Democratic Party was sheeated to leave. She had the she
she showed up for the Netanyahu speech that had a
sign which said war criminal. Lovely way to invite the
Prime Minister of Israel to a joint session of Congress.
(09:46):
I mean, it just boggles the mind. And that went
fairly unnoticed and unreported by the national meet news media,
which is also interesting. You wonder if this this cancer
of anti Israel spirit maybe is fantastasizing not only from
(10:10):
university in campuses. And today, of course, the president of
Columbius submitted her resignation. That's the third university president mi
I T. Harvard and University Pennsylvania to have resigned as
a consequence of the what I would call the pro
Hamas demonstrations of last winter and spring. My guest is
(10:31):
Jeff Robbins. If you'd like to ask Jeff any question,
feel free again. Jeff is a Democrat, he is a
he's oftentimes criticized Benjamin Yahoo. Trust me on that a
couple of his recent articles give some indication batting order,
(10:52):
first defeat Trump, then begin our national reconciliation, and then
too close for comfort. The pro Hamas crowd dislikes the
cake KK comparison. That comparison was made by Pennsylvania Governor
Josh Shapiro, and I'm gonna ask Jeff we came back
if that comparison, that public comparison may have cost Josh
(11:13):
Shapiro the opportunity to run with Vice President Harris on
the Democratic ticket this fall. My name's Dan Ray. This
is nights Side Light. These lines up. If you like,
Jeff's gonna stay with us for an hour. I could
talk with him all night, but I'd much prefer to
hear your questions. And if you disagree with Jeff or
disagree with me, keep it polite. We can we can
(11:35):
move the conversation forwards six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty, six one seven, nine, three, ten thirty and
also triple eight nine to nine, ten thirty Back on
Nightside right after these messages.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
My guess it's Jeff Robbins. Jeff is a syndicated columnist
appears in the Boston Herald. Also a very successful lawyer,
attorney deals with a lot of First Amendment cases, whom
ahead of the Anti Defamation League here in New England,
(12:14):
and served as a representative of the Clinton administration to
the United Nations in the nineteen nineties. He's a Democrat,
would never consider voting for Donald Trump. But in our
conversations today, I think Jeff mentioned that if you were
to just look at the policy positions of these two candidates,
(12:37):
you might find that Donald Trump has been more supportive
of Israel than perhaps it would indicate that Vice President
Harris either has been or would be. Again, I hope
I'm not overstating anything there, but Donald Trump has been
a pretty good friend of Israel if that's the only
(12:57):
issue that someone would be voting.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Upon, Jeff, Yeah, And there are people in the Jewish
community and outside of the Jewish community for whom Israel
is the by far the single most important issue and
for those the only issue. And for those people, those
people have important questions to ask about the Democratic Party,
(13:24):
about the Democratic Party's credulity about Iran, about this kind
of creeping tendency among Democratic politicians to kind of, you know,
utter this performative thing about I really can't stand net Yahoo.
He's responsible, He's not responsible. I mean I have, as
(13:45):
you pointed out before, serious problems with Yahoo. The judicial override,
for example, some of the people in his cabinet, for example,
the lack of preparedness for October seventh, for example. But
to say that he is responsible for this war or
he's a war criminal when these politicians know better if
(14:06):
anybody asked them. Okay, Senator Warren, what exactly would you
do if you were the Prime minister of Israel and
you just had three thousand gunmen invade your country for
the purpose of committing genocide?
Speaker 4 (14:19):
What would you do?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Somebody needs to ask these people quest those questions that
will that will not occur. But my point is that
to your point, there are people out there who ask,
you know, what is going on in the Democratic Party,
and nobody I think who's intellectually honest, can say, oh, nothing,
no problems there, because there are problems.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
The column that you recently wrote, you you referenced the
comments that Governor Shapiro had made and some he was
the front runner. Everybody's saying it's going to be Pennsylvania
because Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania has an influence in Michigan, and the
perfect also a little bit of moderation for the ticket
out not to be Josh Shapiro. And he was critical
(15:04):
of the excesses of the pro Hamas pro Palestinian demonstrations
on college campuses, and he made an analogy which I
think is spot on, and I believe you think was
spot on, but it apparently upset some some within leadership
of the Democratic Party. Why don't you explain that, Well, there's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
No question about it. And I should say that this
too is sort of nuanced. There are reasons. There were
reasons to pick Governor Walls, and he may turn out
to have been the better choice. I should say that
is to say, his background, the coaching, the military service,
the Midwestern the real Midwestern flavor, the teaching high school,
(15:46):
and all the rest of it that may end up
in fact being very successful. Having said that, there doesn't
seem to be much doubt that the decision to not
go with Shapiro was heavily affected, perhaps not solely affected,
but heavily affected by the noise and worse being made
by the far left of the Democratic Party, which basically
(16:09):
threatened to turn the convention into Chicago in Chicago into
a nightmare, which the Harris campaign couldn't afford. Because Shapiro,
who was a strong supporter of Israel, had likened some
some of the anti Israel protesters that you took over
University of Pennsylvania estate and elsewhere. To the KKK, that
(16:32):
was considered to be horrific. I don't consider it horrific
at all. I consider it completely apt. When you have
people threatening, assaulting, vandalizing kids others because they're Jewish or
because they support Israel, I don't really see how that
is particularly distinct from the methods and the purposes of
(16:56):
the KKK. So, you know, famously, there was a journalist
named Michael Kinsley, you will remember, who defined a gaff,
a political gaff, as saying something that was true but
which you're not supposed to say. Well, here, I think
Governor Shapiro committed a gaff in that sense. He told
the truth and he was vilified by it, and he
(17:17):
was vilified by the Democratic Left, which made it very
clear that they would raise Holly you know what, with
Vice President Harris if she picked him, and so he
suffered for making what I think is a completely apt
comparison between some of these protesters. We are hamas, Hamas
is coming. You know, we endorse hamas, these are genocidal killers.
(17:41):
Or from the river to the sea, or from the
river to the sea, same thing, exactly.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Well, it's interesting there have been two members of the
so called squad which has grown within the Democratic Party,
a Bowman in New York and a Congresswoman Bush in
Saint Louis, who were defeated in Democratic primaries. Elon Omar
survived fairly close election if if she had been been
(18:11):
taken out, And then she turned around and said that
her Democratic opponent, who happened to be an African American,
from what I have been able to gather, that he
was supported by her words.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Fascists, actual nazis another phrase that she usual nazis.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Actual Nazis. You know, the only thing worse than than
a sore loser is a sore winner. And uh, and
she certainly fits that bill. It's too bad that they
couldn't have done, you know, gone three for three in
those in those primaries. But elon omer is a force
within the as is AOC, and as is Rashida to leave,
(18:55):
and as is the Congress Ruman for the state of Washington.
They are gaining some seniority and I don't think they're
going away, Jeff, I really don't no.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
And you know, they and those who are behind them
have been admirably successful in leveraging increasingly mainstream Democratic politicians
who are afraid of them. Much is made about people
supposedly being afraid of the quote unquote Jewish lobby. I
(19:26):
think the Democratic Party is a lot more afraid of
the folks that you have identified and those behind them,
and that is why, you know, one after the other,
dozens of members of Congress announced that they would be
boycotting the speech to the Joint Session of Congress by
(19:47):
the Israeli Prime Minister for one Kakamami reason or another.
They did it under pressure, and that gets to your
question at the very beginning of the show, is there
a growing pressure uh presence in the Democratic Party that
talks about cutting off a to Israel because because it
has the nerve to try to defend itself. And if
(20:11):
that's the case, look it's it. You can't convince there's
no real strong case to make to people who care
in a very very passionate way about Israel, that there
aren't problems in the Democratic Party. Because there are problems
in the Democratic Party.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Let's take a break from news. We can back go
right to phone calls. I only have one line open,
so if you'd like to get in, the only line
that is available right now is six one seven. If
you want to ask tough questions of Jeff Robbins, you
are more than welcome. Just do it politely. And if
you want to support him, that's you're welcome to call
as well. My name's Dan Ray. This is a nightside.
(20:49):
This is a factor whichever way this this this vote break,
so whichever way this situation is resolved, and we may
very well see some of this next week. UH, when
the Democrats gather in the state, in the city of Chicago,
UH to nominate a candidate for the White House who
(21:13):
has never spent a dollar, never garnered to vote, but
will represent the Democratic Party. UH. And the of course
the vice presidents of candidate that Vice President Harris chose. UH.
There's not a lot of daylight between them on positions.
They're both pretty progressive Democrats, and it's UH, it's going
(21:34):
to be an interesting week. Next week, we'll have it
all for you back on Nightside right after the News
with Jeff Robins. Stay with us, everyone. I love this
issue and this topic because it challenged us, as challenges
us to think.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
It's night Side with Yost's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Thank you, Nicole. Nicole sent me an email a little
earlier that she wished that she had a dog pet
like like Mustard the Corky in her studio back at
broadcast Essential. I feel your pain. I feel your pain
to goal, and I believe me having a dog in
(22:14):
your in with you when you're doing news and and
uh and talk can be very common. Now, let's get
right to the calls from my guess, Jeff Robbins. Jeff,
let's let's see what we have. Gonna start it off
with Patty in Wellesley. Patty and Wellesley, welcome back to
night Side. You're on with Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Go ahead, Patty, Hi, Dan, Hi, Jeff.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
I'm don Do you look corky at your office right now?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Am I one?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
You?
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Cory? Do you look Corky at your work?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Well he's now downstairs, but he was with me. I
was I was dog sitting for Mustard the Corky, my
daughter's dog, and my son in law's dog, who's a beautiful,
beautiful pet.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
All right, I got a deal for you. I have
a chelte. I will do a dog swap with you.
I will swap my newly shaved chelty, which they're not
so sketch shaped, for the kourgie.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
It's a perfect slap.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
No, I like it. I like mustard. Let's talk about
let's talk about the democratic voters in Israel.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Let's talk about let's talk about Jewish girls. So I'm
a Jewish girl and I have a last name, and
I use my married last name. I use my maiden
name because it's less Jewish. Now I am not a Jewish,
non Jewish girl. I am a Jewish girl. I went
to Israel, I worked at a kibbutz. I got kicked
(23:39):
out of every job I did. I love Israel, I
love Jewish. But I don't say lakai am, I say cheers,
I say, I don't say lachaim. I hide my Jewishness
because it's not received as well as it used to be,
which is tragic to me. And this is going backwards
in time, and I feel real sad that I feel
(24:01):
like that and I'm being very honest, and I'm sure
I know some of your listeners because they know me
and I know them, and they may not even know
I'm Jewish. And you know, it should not be going
backwards in time with abortion, Judaism, religion. There are good
people that are Jewish, bad ones that are Jewish, good
non Jews, bad non Jews. I don't think the religion
(24:22):
should get in the way of how people are. Humanity
should not revolve around religion, race, creed. It's about the individual.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
No, there's nothing you've said that I think jeffer I
would disagree with. But the topic at hand is is
there a diminution in support traditional support for the state
of Israel in recent years within the Democratic Party, as
personified by the nominee for president and vice president that
(24:57):
the Democrats I can't really say they've chose and because
it's almost a.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
I mean, it's well, they didn't choose it because he
was Jewish, let's say stop back.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
They well, well that, I mean, you know that, that's
that's what I'd like to like to talk about. And
they say, when I talk about the choice of vice
president Paris, it's almost you know, I consider it to be.
I've never seen a nomination occur that way. The generally
very hard fought, and this one kind of came to her.
(25:31):
And there's there's this is this a moment in time
that that the Democratic Party is going to look back
and say, gee, we lost our way, we started down
a path which was a mistake.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
I think she's afraid she wouldn't win if she picked him,
so because he is Jewish, and you know, there's a
Jewish husband and a Jewish vice president, and you know,
there's too many things that people that are white bread
and won't like.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Okay, let me, let me get, let me get get.
I did. I did not even think for a moment,
But obviously is the vice president is married to a
gentleman who happens to be Jewish.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Uh from, by the way, where I'm from too, So
usually when they get into the politics, I just say
I no, no, I'm from Canada.
Speaker 7 (26:18):
But you know, obviously I have opinions.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Okay, no problem, Jeff uh comment on is Harris somewhat
inoculated by by having a Jewish husband? And does that
take a little pressure off her if the people who
would be concerned about her choice of waltzh Over Sapiro.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
I think that does help her a little bit. And
mind you, there's no reason to think that the Vice
President Uh is anti Israel or is unsupportive of Israel.
Let's put it this way. The President Joe Biden is
I think even fair minded critics would have to say,
(27:01):
somebody who has, in really all the important respects, been
very supportive of Israel. There is every reason to think
that he feels it in his gut. That trip to
Israel is an example, but it's not the only example.
Trip to Israel. I'm referring to is right after October seventh,
(27:22):
Query whether or not had there been along primary process,
a primary process that didn't involve President Biden, Query how
candidate Harris or other candidates would who wanted the Democratic
nomination for president would have responded to questions about Israel.
(27:43):
One of the concerns that people have is what is
going to happen next time? Given the power, the almost
extortionate power that the hard left has in the Democratic Party,
as evidenced by the way in their response to the
prospect of Governor's Bureau being picked. Query how people would respond,
(28:03):
How Vice President Harris would respond Jewish husband or no.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
So I think, yeah, with due respect to Joe Biden's
trip to Israel, there was some pressure brought by our
State Department, in the person of Lincoln, and I think
also in the person of President Biden to try to
direct net Nyaho how to conduct his military operation. And
(28:31):
I don't know that that's our role, but maybe I'm
being overly sensitive.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
Well, I agree with you, and I do agree with
you that there were points along the way where unfair
statements were leveled at Israel. Sloppy statements were made about
indiscriminate bombing, as though Israel were just kind of dumping
bombs all over Gaza, which they are not doing. This
(28:57):
business about the threat on n I think it was
to Aaron Burnett that they would that he would cut
off military aid if we if Israel went into Gaza.
You know, these things are not helpful. And so, yes,
you're right, different points along the way. I think many
people dan feel as though that those moves were an
(29:19):
attempt to placate that hard left, and I keep coming
back to that as the principal concern.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, and I or some might say if it had
been done more privately, it might have been If it
stayed private, it would have not appeared to bring the
public pressure on Natniao, and it might have said, look,
you know, we want to make sure that that you
remain on the high road here and why don't you
(29:47):
do this or why you know? They could it could
have been done better, I think, more effectively privately. Daddy,
love you, caul Is always thank you for participating.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
Also done. I wanted to wish you happy birthday because
I try to call you, but you were away, I think,
so I wanted to say that I want I tried
you on your birthday.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You're the best.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
Jeff, it was nice to meet you. But Jeff, what
do you think is gonna happen to Israel? Will they
grow stronger or is there going to be attack? Like
do you have any feeling about that?
Speaker 3 (30:16):
It's crucial time right now, It's crunch time there.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, yeah, it's it's up to Iran. Iran has the
next move. Let's hope they don't take it, okay, because
it might be it would be a mistake for Iran
to do that and be a straight mistake for the
Iranian people in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
In my opinion, yet, all right, thanks.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Thanks Patty talk to you soon. Got to take a
quick break. Here a Night's side only one line six, one, seven, two,
ten thirty. We're going to try to get everybody in
who's on the air, who's on with us right now?
So faar not coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Now back to Dan Ray line from the Window World
night Side Studios on w BZ, the news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
We are full lines. I would like to try to
get as quickly as we can to questions for the
balance of this hour for Jeff Robbins. If you don't,
if we don't get you, we'll carry over into the
next hour. So let's go quickly. I implore you. Let
me go to Mike in New Hampshire. Mike, you were
next on a knisager right ahead, Hey, second time call
(31:19):
it Dan, Okay, thank you.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
So I feel like any country in the world gets
attacked by terrorists has a right to defend himself. Israel
should be no different. I support Israel's rights to defend
themselves and defend the message clearly to the world that
you know, we're not going to tolerate this. And then another,
(31:42):
this is an opinion I have. I believe that the
United States has been a very prosperous nation. It started
out as a very god fearing nation, and I believe
God has truly blessed us in this country. In the Bible,
it says that God will bless those that bless Israel,
and he will curse those that curse Israel. And I
(32:05):
see it for the United States if they ever pulled
the club on.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Okay, let me ask you, is the Democratic ticket as
it's currently composed, does that make you more or less
likely to vote for Vice President Harris Oh.
Speaker 7 (32:19):
I would definitely not go.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Jeff quick comment if you would.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I think some things really are simple and and and
this is one of them. Basically, this happened on October seventh,
there was a cease fire. Israel can't permit this to occur,
no one could, and so I fundamentally agree with the caller.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Mike, Thank you very much, and thank you for being
six sinc. You made your points and you made them well,
and come on back for your third call pretty soon.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
Okay, all right, thank you, thank you much.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Let me go next to Jeff in Waldam. Jeff, You're
next on nice side with another Jeff Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 4 (32:58):
Go right ahead, Jeff, Yes, Bed evening, Dan, And first off,
I'd like to voice my view that the right of
self defense is paramount, okay, for culture, a nation or
an individual. First off, I do have intense dismay for
the awful civilian casualties in Gaza, for which at bottom
(33:24):
and for the most part Hamas is responsible for it.
Maybe not entirely, but this is what I wanted to suggest.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
No casualties in Gaza if October seventh hadn't occurred.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
Jeff, absolutely, absolutely, And what I wanted to suggest is
you can get an opinion on it from mister Robbins.
It says, why shouldn't it be proposed since Tamaskin in
the war any minute? Okay, that in exchange for a
cease fire the hostages, all of them be released Americans
(33:59):
and is really everybody all the hath it just to
be released?
Speaker 8 (34:04):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (34:05):
As well.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
As an organization.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Yeah, Jeff, I got the question. I think Jeff Robbins
has it as well. Jeff, go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Yeah. Basically that A, of course this wouldn't have happened
had October seventh not happened, and B why shouldn't they
relieve the hostages who were kidnapped and held and got
awful conditions under tunnels be immediately released as part of
a ceasefire.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Couldn't agree with you more, Jeff appreciate.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
What about the what about the disbandment of hamas as
a good I think.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
That's got to happen because as long as they are
permitted to continue to do what to do again, what
they did and what they've said they're going to continue doing.
We're in for this. Just you know, six months, we're
just kicking the can down the road. So I agree
with you there as well, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I appreciate you. I've got a bunch of folks. Thanks,
Jeff appreciated. Suzanne and Newton. Go ahead, Suzanne, and.
Speaker 8 (35:00):
I'm quick report tonight by Agent Kitty Cat.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
And I don't need that reports. What I need is
a question for Jeff. Please go right ahead.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
I'm not Jewish. Why they Hustland was? And my last
day therefore is Einstein. My first vote was for Richard Nixon.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Susanne, I got to get you to a question here.
I know the history is interesting to you, but I
got to get you to a question, if you'd like.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Why is our country sending missiles and all to the
Red Sea? When Almas is a terrorist group.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I think the answer to that is that that we
want to be in a position to do what we
may have to do if Iron decides to do something stupid.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
Maybe John Kerry should come back and work on us.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Okay, thanks, thanks very much, Isane, Thank you very much.
Let me go next to Stephen Bridgewater, Steve next on.
Speaker 9 (35:59):
Nice, right ahead, Hi, Hello, Dan, you can hear me,
are right, I can hear you.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Find Steved like you to be as quick as you
could go right.
Speaker 9 (36:07):
Ahead, Okay, yeah, mister Robbins. I did have a quick question.
And I heard this not only from you, even from
some of the big figure heads like Alan Dursowitz. They
all say about the horrific things that are going on
yet because of this administration and the radical left. Yet
they're all saying, did they still want to vote democratic?
(36:30):
I don't understand that. Is that the idea is we've
been voting democratic all all lights, so we're just going
to do it anyway, regardless of what the person stands for.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Well, look, it's a valid question, and I get the
peak in your voice. I understand that. I hear it
a lot. Dershowitz, by the way, I think has said
that he's not going to vote for Democratic. I'm going
to vote Democratic because I fundamentally am supportive of Harris
and Walls. I fundamentally can to buy Trump. But having
said that, I hear you when you say, as you're
(37:04):
effectively saying that the Democratic Party is suspect on these issues.
I think that's truer now probably than it has ever been.
And I guess I'm here to say that I share
those concerns. I'm very concerned about it.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
All right, Steve, great question, good question, and thank you
for being answer direct as you as you could be
going to They're getting room for one more person as
a result of your kindness. Thanks Steve. Let me go
to Martin Selthbrow. Mayn't you have about a minute and
a half you the later call you go right.
Speaker 6 (37:34):
Ahead, Okay. I agree with Mike from the Hampshire and
I agree with your last caller. And so he really
asked my question about the Democratic Party. But I just
wanted to say that I was wondering, do you think
that our Senator Warren will get less votes this time?
Because she I was appalled that she did not attend
that yatter the speech, and I was still fear as
(37:56):
she boycotted, I was wondering other people feel my way.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Let's let's.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
I think she will not get any fewer votes. I
think she'll romp to victory. But I, like you, am
appalled by this kind of inane I'm not showing up
as I am concerned about inane stuff that she says
on social media, and the inane assertion that Israel's committing genocide.
It's not committing genocide. It's trying to defend itself against
(38:22):
the genocide. So it's a shame that she is going
to get to do as well as she is without
any pushback of the kind that I think intellectually she
should receive.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
I agree with Jeff. I don't want to put you
in spotting. I know that you're not going to vote
for Donald Trump, but could you bring yourself to vote
for a Republican as a protest vote against Elizabeth Warren.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
You know, I don't know much about her opponent, but
I am disgusted with the kind of the kind of sloppy, weak, inane,
kind of performative stuff that she said, So I would
look at.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
It all right. Thank you very much, Martin, Thank you, Jeff, Robbins,
who's great hour. And again, the whole purpose here is
to make people think, and I think we've made some
people think tonight. And as always, I thank you so much, Dan.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Thank you so much again for having me.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
We talked soon. Okay, we'll follow this along and we
have the ten o'clock news coming at us. And if
you'd like to continue to talk about this you and
you have not had a chance to get through. I
got open lines six one, seven, two, five, four ten
thirty six one seven, nine three, one ten thirty. Uh.
If not, I'm going to ask you, how's your economy doing?
(39:32):
Those would be the two questions on the other side. Uh,
they tell us the national economy. How's your economy doing?
How are you doing at this time? Back on Night's side,
after this
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w bzy Constance Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Very much al We are in the midst of a
presidential campaign, one in which there have been some recently
some very surprising twists and turns, and we still have
about a little under three months to go to get
to November fifth. Labor Day will be here before we
know it, the World Series and the next big ticket
of the idea will be the final election on November fifth,
(00:30):
and so we're going to look at that election many
many times between now and November fifth, who knows, maybe
even after November fifth. But joining us tonight to talk
about an aspect that intrigues me and I think troubles
Jeff Robbins is the Democratic ticket now, and introducing my
(00:53):
friend Jeff Robins make it very clear Jeff Robbins is
a loyal Democrat. I never want to add ask anyone
who they have ever voted for, Jeff, but I think
of you as a Democrat. You're an appointee during the
Clinton administration by President Bill Clinton. You have been the
head of the ADL here in New England. You're a columnist,
a syndicated columnist, appear frequently every week. I should say
(01:16):
in the in the Boston Herald, and we have conversations.
And the issue that I think joins us together obviously
is the support that this country needs to provide and
needs to continue to provide to the State of Israel.
And that is what I want to focus on tonight.
Welcome back to night Side, Jeff.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
How are you, Dan? Thank you so much for having me.
As always, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
No group in this country marches and votes one hundred percent.
You and I both know that, but you would we
talk today and give us your sense as to how
the Jewish people in this country have traditionally been very
supportive of the Democratic Party, no question.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, as you say, along, I guess, second only probably
to Black Americans, Jewish Americans have been the most reliable
voters for the Democratic presidential ticket since my guess is
the New Deal. And every four years there are predictions that,
for various reasons, that's going to change, but it always
(02:25):
does seem to hover in the seventy to seventy five
percent range. More or less of Jewish voters who vote
for the Democratic presidential candidate.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
There are politicians who have risen through the ranks of
the Republican Party and in the Democratic Party. I think
of Joe Lieberman, vice president candidate with Al Gore in
two thousand. I think Joe Lieberman's you know who sadly
has passed away recently, but I think he became less
(02:58):
and less comfortable with the Democratic Party after he was
Algo's running mate. I think of Lee Zelvin, who was
the Republican candidate happens to also be Jewish, the Republican
candidate in the state of New York against Kathy Hochel
a couple of years ago. So, you know, everything you
(03:19):
say is absolutely true. But the question is this is
a very I think arguably the most progressive Democratic presidential
ticket in history. And there was a lot of hope
within the Jewish community that, for all good reasons Vice
(03:41):
President Harris who would pick Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania, But
she did not. Is there a message there?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Well, you know, there are a lot of different things
happening at the same time, some of which seem contradictory,
in some of which are onntradictory. First of all, it
hasn't been the case up until now that somehow being
progressive meant being supportive of those who want to annihilate
(04:17):
israelis the notion that it's progressive to get behind a group,
a genocidal group that rapes and murders and kidnaps innocence
is breathtaking. And yet, as you and I have discussed,
somehow or other, that gets lumped under the rubric of progressive,
(04:37):
which beggars the imagination. A second thing which is different
this time is that, unlike any time since certainly nineteen
seventy three, and perhaps since the founding of the state
of Israel itself, Israel is under siege of a really
(04:57):
egregious nature. As you know, because you're really an expert
in the region. It is under attack from every side,
from from Hamas in Gaza, from Hamas in the West Bank,
from Iran, from the Hooties, from his Bollah in Lebanon,
in the un every place. And so a lot of
(05:20):
supporters of Israel, non Jewish and Jewish alike look at
this and say, like, what are we what are we missing?
I mean, I had to laugh today because I saw
Cat Stevens, great songwriter, posted on on x why can't
Israel give piece a chance? And you think do you
have are you you know, is there anything happening up
(05:41):
there at all. Do you understand what happened on October seventh?
But some but there's a real threat. So those two facts, you.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Know, Jeff, I think Cat Stephen has been of that
mindset for many.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Years from what oh I'm sure, yeah, yeah, it's not
exactly a surprise, but you look at the but the
level of inanity, as you and I have discussed, that
is out there on college campuses, in progressive circles and
sadly in certain quarters of the Democratic Party is really
quite alarming. And so this has thrown the checkerboard up
(06:12):
in the air in terms of as far as a
lot of supporters of Israel are concerned.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I'm reading an article that I just happened upon today.
This is an article out of the Washington Post from
earlier this year, but not much earlier this year. This
is an article from April thirteenth, so it's a two
three months four months ago, essentially, says as more progressive
Democrats implored the Biden administration to suspend its pipeline of
(06:42):
military aid to Israel as a means of compelling a
course change in Gaza, lawmakers, an analyst say the law
offers several tools for doing so. It goes on to
say the fury being felt by some lawmakers came through
this week as they grilled senior national security officials during
congressional budget hearings. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat in Massachusetts, lamented
(07:05):
to Defense Secretary Lloyd or Austin that quote, we are
the ones quote supplying Israeli forces with the bombs being
used quote to destroy homes, in hospitals and refugee camps.
I guess that she was suffering from some amnesia in April,
that she was not able to think back six months
(07:26):
before how this whole situation started.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Jeff, Well, you're completely right, and you say that to
your point to the question, the important question that you
raised in this hour is you know, this is the
kind of thing which makes people who are Democrats or
who are who lean Democrat, but who care about Israel
and also frankly don't have blinders on to say, what
in the world is going on? What is it exactly
(07:53):
that Israel was supposed to do here? This is not
Israel's war, This is not Israel's fault. The notion that
Israel is the party to be pressured here because it
had the temerity to say, we really would like to
not have twelve hundred of our civilians massacred again. It
appears to a lot of people as craziness. And unfortunately,
(08:15):
unfortunately that kind of questioning by Elizabeth Warren and by others,
by the sixty or so members of Congress, more or
less all Democrat that boycotted the Prime Minister of Israel
speech in this performative burst of bowing to the far
left of their party. This is the kind of thing
which and as you point out, I am a Democrat
(08:36):
and could never conceive of voting for Trump. But this
is the kind of thing which raises real questions. Look,
you know, none of us is an idiot. You see
the poll numbers in the Republican Party for support for
Israel and the pole numbers of the Democratic Party. You
see who shows up, who boycotts the Prime Minister of
Israel speech, and who doesn't boycott it? Who you know?
(08:57):
And you know, people ought not to be treated taken
for granted. There are people who support Israel. Uh in
key states Michigan, Yes, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona
states that may make a difference so the Democratic Party
ought to be very careful that they don't take those
(09:20):
people for granted. And it's not just people of the
Jewish faith.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
One of the members of the Progressive Caucus and the
Democratic Party was sheeated to leave. She had the she
she showed up for the Netanyahu speech that had a
sign which said war criminal. Lovely way to invite the
Prime Minister of Israel to a joint session of Congress.
(09:46):
I mean, it just boggles the mind. And that went
fairly unnoticed and unreported by the national meet news media,
which is also interesting. You wonder if this this cancer
of anti Israel spirit maybe is fantastasizing not only from
(10:10):
university in campuses. And today, of course, the president of
Columbius submitted her resignation. That's the third university president mi
I T. Harvard and University Pennsylvania to have resigned as
a consequence of the what I would call the pro
Hamas demonstrations of last winter and spring. My guest is
(10:31):
Jeff Robbins. If you'd like to ask Jeff any question,
feel free again. Jeff is a Democrat, he is a
he's oftentimes criticized Benjamin Yahoo. Trust me on that a
couple of his recent articles give some indication batting order,
(10:52):
first defeat Trump, then begin our national reconciliation, and then
too close for comfort. The pro Hamas crowd dislikes the
cake KK comparison. That comparison was made by Pennsylvania Governor
Josh Shapiro, and I'm gonna ask Jeff we came back
if that comparison, that public comparison may have cost Josh
(11:13):
Shapiro the opportunity to run with Vice President Harris on
the Democratic ticket this fall. My name's Dan Ray. This
is nights Side Light. These lines up. If you like,
Jeff's gonna stay with us for an hour. I could
talk with him all night, but I'd much prefer to
hear your questions. And if you disagree with Jeff or
disagree with me, keep it polite. We can we can
(11:35):
move the conversation forwards six one, seven, two, five, four,
ten thirty, six one seven, nine, three, ten thirty and
also triple eight nine to nine, ten thirty Back on
Nightside right after these messages.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
My guess it's Jeff Robbins. Jeff is a syndicated columnist
appears in the Boston Herald. Also a very successful lawyer,
attorney deals with a lot of First Amendment cases, whom
ahead of the Anti Defamation League here in New England,
(12:14):
and served as a representative of the Clinton administration to
the United Nations in the nineteen nineties. He's a Democrat,
would never consider voting for Donald Trump. But in our
conversations today, I think Jeff mentioned that if you were
to just look at the policy positions of these two candidates,
(12:37):
you might find that Donald Trump has been more supportive
of Israel than perhaps it would indicate that Vice President
Harris either has been or would be. Again, I hope
I'm not overstating anything there, but Donald Trump has been
a pretty good friend of Israel if that's the only
(12:57):
issue that someone would be voting.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Upon, Jeff, Yeah, And there are people in the Jewish
community and outside of the Jewish community for whom Israel
is the by far the single most important issue and
for those the only issue. And for those people, those
people have important questions to ask about the Democratic Party,
(13:24):
about the Democratic Party's credulity about Iran, about this kind
of creeping tendency among Democratic politicians to kind of, you know,
utter this performative thing about I really can't stand net Yahoo.
He's responsible, He's not responsible. I mean I have, as
(13:45):
you pointed out before, serious problems with Yahoo. The judicial override,
for example, some of the people in his cabinet, for example,
the lack of preparedness for October seventh, for example. But
to say that he is responsible for this war or
he's a war criminal when these politicians know better if
(14:06):
anybody asked them. Okay, Senator Warren, what exactly would you
do if you were the Prime minister of Israel and
you just had three thousand gunmen invade your country for
the purpose of committing genocide?
Speaker 4 (14:19):
What would you do?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Somebody needs to ask these people quest those questions that
will that will not occur. But my point is that
to your point, there are people out there who ask,
you know, what is going on in the Democratic Party,
and nobody I think who's intellectually honest, can say, oh, nothing,
no problems there, because there are problems.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
The column that you recently wrote, you you referenced the
comments that Governor Shapiro had made and some he was
the front runner. Everybody's saying it's going to be Pennsylvania
because Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania has an influence in Michigan, and the
perfect also a little bit of moderation for the ticket
out not to be Josh Shapiro. And he was critical
(15:04):
of the excesses of the pro Hamas pro Palestinian demonstrations
on college campuses, and he made an analogy which I
think is spot on, and I believe you think was
spot on, but it apparently upset some some within leadership
of the Democratic Party. Why don't you explain that, Well, there's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
No question about it. And I should say that this
too is sort of nuanced. There are reasons. There were
reasons to pick Governor Walls, and he may turn out
to have been the better choice. I should say that
is to say, his background, the coaching, the military service,
the Midwestern the real Midwestern flavor, the teaching high school,
(15:46):
and all the rest of it that may end up
in fact being very successful. Having said that, there doesn't
seem to be much doubt that the decision to not
go with Shapiro was heavily affected, perhaps not solely affected,
but heavily affected by the noise and worse being made
by the far left of the Democratic Party, which basically
(16:09):
threatened to turn the convention into Chicago in Chicago into
a nightmare, which the Harris campaign couldn't afford. Because Shapiro,
who was a strong supporter of Israel, had likened some
some of the anti Israel protesters that you took over
University of Pennsylvania estate and elsewhere. To the KKK, that
(16:32):
was considered to be horrific. I don't consider it horrific
at all. I consider it completely apt. When you have
people threatening, assaulting, vandalizing kids others because they're Jewish or
because they support Israel, I don't really see how that
is particularly distinct from the methods and the purposes of
(16:56):
the KKK. So, you know, famously, there was a journalist
named Michael Kinsley, you will remember, who defined a gaff,
a political gaff, as saying something that was true but
which you're not supposed to say. Well, here, I think
Governor Shapiro committed a gaff in that sense. He told
the truth and he was vilified by it, and he
(17:17):
was vilified by the Democratic Left, which made it very
clear that they would raise Holly you know what, with
Vice President Harris if she picked him, and so he
suffered for making what I think is a completely apt
comparison between some of these protesters. We are hamas, Hamas
is coming. You know, we endorse hamas, these are genocidal killers.
(17:41):
Or from the river to the sea, or from the
river to the sea, same thing, exactly.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Well, it's interesting there have been two members of the
so called squad which has grown within the Democratic Party,
a Bowman in New York and a Congresswoman Bush in
Saint Louis, who were defeated in Democratic primaries. Elon Omar
survived fairly close election if if she had been been
(18:11):
taken out, And then she turned around and said that
her Democratic opponent, who happened to be an African American,
from what I have been able to gather, that he
was supported by her words.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Fascists, actual nazis another phrase that she usual nazis.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Actual Nazis. You know, the only thing worse than than
a sore loser is a sore winner. And uh, and
she certainly fits that bill. It's too bad that they
couldn't have done, you know, gone three for three in
those in those primaries. But elon omer is a force
within the as is AOC, and as is Rashida to leave,
(18:55):
and as is the Congress Ruman for the state of Washington.
They are gaining some seniority and I don't think they're
going away, Jeff, I really don't no.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
And you know, they and those who are behind them
have been admirably successful in leveraging increasingly mainstream Democratic politicians
who are afraid of them. Much is made about people
supposedly being afraid of the quote unquote Jewish lobby. I
(19:26):
think the Democratic Party is a lot more afraid of
the folks that you have identified and those behind them,
and that is why, you know, one after the other,
dozens of members of Congress announced that they would be
boycotting the speech to the Joint Session of Congress by
(19:47):
the Israeli Prime Minister for one Kakamami reason or another.
They did it under pressure, and that gets to your
question at the very beginning of the show, is there
a growing pressure uh presence in the Democratic Party that
talks about cutting off a to Israel because because it
has the nerve to try to defend itself. And if
(20:11):
that's the case, look it's it. You can't convince there's
no real strong case to make to people who care
in a very very passionate way about Israel, that there
aren't problems in the Democratic Party. Because there are problems
in the Democratic Party.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Let's take a break from news. We can back go
right to phone calls. I only have one line open,
so if you'd like to get in, the only line
that is available right now is six one seven. If
you want to ask tough questions of Jeff Robbins, you
are more than welcome. Just do it politely. And if
you want to support him, that's you're welcome to call
as well. My name's Dan Ray. This is a nightside.
(20:49):
This is a factor whichever way this this this vote break,
so whichever way this situation is resolved, and we may
very well see some of this next week. UH, when
the Democrats gather in the state, in the city of Chicago,
UH to nominate a candidate for the White House who
(21:13):
has never spent a dollar, never garnered to vote, but
will represent the Democratic Party. UH. And the of course
the vice presidents of candidate that Vice President Harris chose. UH.
There's not a lot of daylight between them on positions.
They're both pretty progressive Democrats, and it's UH, it's going
(21:34):
to be an interesting week. Next week, we'll have it
all for you back on Nightside right after the News
with Jeff Robins. Stay with us, everyone. I love this
issue and this topic because it challenged us, as challenges
us to think.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
It's night Side with Yost's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Thank you, Nicole. Nicole sent me an email a little
earlier that she wished that she had a dog pet
like like Mustard the Corky in her studio back at
broadcast Essential. I feel your pain. I feel your pain
to goal, and I believe me having a dog in
(22:14):
your in with you when you're doing news and and
uh and talk can be very common. Now, let's get
right to the calls from my guess, Jeff Robbins. Jeff,
let's let's see what we have. Gonna start it off
with Patty in Wellesley. Patty and Wellesley, welcome back to
night Side. You're on with Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Go ahead, Patty, Hi, Dan, Hi, Jeff.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
I'm don Do you look corky at your office right now?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Am I one?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
You?
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Cory? Do you look Corky at your work?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Well he's now downstairs, but he was with me. I
was I was dog sitting for Mustard the Corky, my
daughter's dog, and my son in law's dog, who's a beautiful,
beautiful pet.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
All right, I got a deal for you. I have
a chelte. I will do a dog swap with you.
I will swap my newly shaved chelty, which they're not
so sketch shaped, for the kourgie.
Speaker 6 (23:09):
It's a perfect slap.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
No, I like it. I like mustard. Let's talk about
let's talk about the democratic voters in Israel.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Let's talk about let's talk about Jewish girls. So I'm
a Jewish girl and I have a last name, and
I use my married last name. I use my maiden
name because it's less Jewish. Now I am not a Jewish,
non Jewish girl. I am a Jewish girl. I went
to Israel, I worked at a kibbutz. I got kicked
(23:39):
out of every job I did. I love Israel, I
love Jewish. But I don't say lakai am, I say cheers,
I say, I don't say lachaim. I hide my Jewishness
because it's not received as well as it used to be,
which is tragic to me. And this is going backwards
in time, and I feel real sad that I feel
(24:01):
like that and I'm being very honest, and I'm sure
I know some of your listeners because they know me
and I know them, and they may not even know
I'm Jewish. And you know, it should not be going
backwards in time with abortion, Judaism, religion. There are good
people that are Jewish, bad ones that are Jewish, good
non Jews, bad non Jews. I don't think the religion
(24:22):
should get in the way of how people are. Humanity
should not revolve around religion, race, creed. It's about the individual.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
No, there's nothing you've said that I think jeffer I
would disagree with. But the topic at hand is is
there a diminution in support traditional support for the state
of Israel in recent years within the Democratic Party, as
personified by the nominee for president and vice president that
(24:57):
the Democrats I can't really say they've chose and because
it's almost a.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
I mean, it's well, they didn't choose it because he
was Jewish, let's say stop back.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
They well, well that, I mean, you know that, that's
that's what I'd like to like to talk about. And
they say, when I talk about the choice of vice
president Paris, it's almost you know, I consider it to be.
I've never seen a nomination occur that way. The generally
very hard fought, and this one kind of came to her.
(25:31):
And there's there's this is this a moment in time
that that the Democratic Party is going to look back
and say, gee, we lost our way, we started down
a path which was a mistake.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
I think she's afraid she wouldn't win if she picked him,
so because he is Jewish, and you know, there's a
Jewish husband and a Jewish vice president, and you know,
there's too many things that people that are white bread
and won't like.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Okay, let me, let me get, let me get get.
I did. I did not even think for a moment,
But obviously is the vice president is married to a
gentleman who happens to be Jewish.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Uh from, by the way, where I'm from too, So
usually when they get into the politics, I just say
I no, no, I'm from Canada.
Speaker 7 (26:18):
But you know, obviously I have opinions.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Okay, no problem, Jeff uh comment on is Harris somewhat
inoculated by by having a Jewish husband? And does that
take a little pressure off her if the people who
would be concerned about her choice of waltzh Over Sapiro.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
I think that does help her a little bit. And
mind you, there's no reason to think that the Vice
President Uh is anti Israel or is unsupportive of Israel.
Let's put it this way. The President Joe Biden is
I think even fair minded critics would have to say,
(27:01):
somebody who has, in really all the important respects, been
very supportive of Israel. There is every reason to think
that he feels it in his gut. That trip to
Israel is an example, but it's not the only example.
Trip to Israel. I'm referring to is right after October seventh,
(27:22):
Query whether or not had there been along primary process,
a primary process that didn't involve President Biden, Query how
candidate Harris or other candidates would who wanted the Democratic
nomination for president would have responded to questions about Israel.
(27:43):
One of the concerns that people have is what is
going to happen next time? Given the power, the almost
extortionate power that the hard left has in the Democratic Party,
as evidenced by the way in their response to the
prospect of Governor's Bureau being picked. Query how people would respond,
(28:03):
How Vice President Harris would respond Jewish husband or no.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
So I think, yeah, with due respect to Joe Biden's
trip to Israel, there was some pressure brought by our
State Department, in the person of Lincoln, and I think
also in the person of President Biden to try to
direct net Nyaho how to conduct his military operation. And
(28:31):
I don't know that that's our role, but maybe I'm
being overly sensitive.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
Well, I agree with you, and I do agree with
you that there were points along the way where unfair
statements were leveled at Israel. Sloppy statements were made about
indiscriminate bombing, as though Israel were just kind of dumping
bombs all over Gaza, which they are not doing. This
(28:57):
business about the threat on n I think it was
to Aaron Burnett that they would that he would cut
off military aid if we if Israel went into Gaza.
You know, these things are not helpful. And so, yes,
you're right, different points along the way. I think many
people dan feel as though that those moves were an
(29:19):
attempt to placate that hard left, and I keep coming
back to that as the principal concern.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, and I or some might say if it had
been done more privately, it might have been If it
stayed private, it would have not appeared to bring the
public pressure on Natniao, and it might have said, look,
you know, we want to make sure that that you
remain on the high road here and why don't you
(29:47):
do this or why you know? They could it could
have been done better, I think, more effectively privately. Daddy,
love you, caul Is always thank you for participating.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
Also done. I wanted to wish you happy birthday because
I try to call you, but you were away, I think,
so I wanted to say that I want I tried
you on your birthday.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
You're the best.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
Jeff, it was nice to meet you. But Jeff, what
do you think is gonna happen to Israel? Will they
grow stronger or is there going to be attack? Like
do you have any feeling about that?
Speaker 3 (30:16):
It's crucial time right now, It's crunch time there.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, yeah, it's it's up to Iran. Iran has the
next move. Let's hope they don't take it, okay, because
it might be it would be a mistake for Iran
to do that and be a straight mistake for the
Iranian people in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
In my opinion, yet, all right, thanks.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Thanks Patty talk to you soon. Got to take a
quick break. Here a Night's side only one line six, one, seven, two,
ten thirty. We're going to try to get everybody in
who's on the air, who's on with us right now?
So faar not coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Now back to Dan Ray line from the Window World
night Side Studios on w BZ, the news radio.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
We are full lines. I would like to try to
get as quickly as we can to questions for the
balance of this hour for Jeff Robbins. If you don't,
if we don't get you, we'll carry over into the
next hour. So let's go quickly. I implore you. Let
me go to Mike in New Hampshire. Mike, you were
next on a knisager right ahead, Hey, second time call
(31:19):
it Dan, Okay, thank you.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
So I feel like any country in the world gets
attacked by terrorists has a right to defend himself. Israel
should be no different. I support Israel's rights to defend
themselves and defend the message clearly to the world that
you know, we're not going to tolerate this. And then another,
(31:42):
this is an opinion I have. I believe that the
United States has been a very prosperous nation. It started
out as a very god fearing nation, and I believe
God has truly blessed us in this country. In the Bible,
it says that God will bless those that bless Israel,
and he will curse those that curse Israel. And I
(32:05):
see it for the United States if they ever pulled
the club on.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Okay, let me ask you, is the Democratic ticket as
it's currently composed, does that make you more or less
likely to vote for Vice President Harris Oh.
Speaker 7 (32:19):
I would definitely not go.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Jeff quick comment if you would.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I think some things really are simple and and and
this is one of them. Basically, this happened on October seventh,
there was a cease fire. Israel can't permit this to occur,
no one could, and so I fundamentally agree with the caller.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Mike, Thank you very much, and thank you for being
six sinc. You made your points and you made them well,
and come on back for your third call pretty soon.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
Okay, all right, thank you, thank you much.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Let me go next to Jeff in Waldam. Jeff, You're
next on nice side with another Jeff Jeff Robbins.
Speaker 4 (32:58):
Go right ahead, Jeff, Yes, Bed evening, Dan, And first off,
I'd like to voice my view that the right of
self defense is paramount, okay, for culture, a nation or
an individual. First off, I do have intense dismay for
the awful civilian casualties in Gaza, for which at bottom
(33:24):
and for the most part Hamas is responsible for it.
Maybe not entirely, but this is what I wanted to suggest.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
No casualties in Gaza if October seventh hadn't occurred.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
Jeff, absolutely, absolutely, And what I wanted to suggest is
you can get an opinion on it from mister Robbins.
It says, why shouldn't it be proposed since Tamaskin in
the war any minute? Okay, that in exchange for a
cease fire the hostages, all of them be released Americans
(33:59):
and is really everybody all the hath it just to
be released?
Speaker 8 (34:04):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (34:05):
As well.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
As an organization.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Yeah, Jeff, I got the question. I think Jeff Robbins
has it as well. Jeff, go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Yeah. Basically that A, of course this wouldn't have happened
had October seventh not happened, and B why shouldn't they
relieve the hostages who were kidnapped and held and got
awful conditions under tunnels be immediately released as part of
a ceasefire.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Couldn't agree with you more, Jeff appreciate.
Speaker 4 (34:34):
What about the what about the disbandment of hamas as
a good I think.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
That's got to happen because as long as they are
permitted to continue to do what to do again, what
they did and what they've said they're going to continue doing.
We're in for this. Just you know, six months, we're
just kicking the can down the road. So I agree
with you there as well, Jeff.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I appreciate you. I've got a bunch of folks. Thanks,
Jeff appreciated. Suzanne and Newton. Go ahead, Suzanne, and.
Speaker 8 (35:00):
I'm quick report tonight by Agent Kitty Cat.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
And I don't need that reports. What I need is
a question for Jeff. Please go right ahead.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
I'm not Jewish. Why they Hustland was? And my last
day therefore is Einstein. My first vote was for Richard Nixon.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Susanne, I got to get you to a question here.
I know the history is interesting to you, but I
got to get you to a question, if you'd like.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Why is our country sending missiles and all to the
Red Sea? When Almas is a terrorist group.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I think the answer to that is that that we
want to be in a position to do what we
may have to do if Iron decides to do something stupid.
Speaker 8 (35:52):
Maybe John Kerry should come back and work on us.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Okay, thanks, thanks very much, Isane, Thank you very much.
Let me go next to Stephen Bridgewater, Steve next on.
Speaker 9 (35:59):
Nice, right ahead, Hi, Hello, Dan, you can hear me,
are right, I can hear you.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Find Steved like you to be as quick as you
could go right.
Speaker 9 (36:07):
Ahead, Okay, yeah, mister Robbins. I did have a quick question.
And I heard this not only from you, even from
some of the big figure heads like Alan Dursowitz. They
all say about the horrific things that are going on
yet because of this administration and the radical left. Yet
they're all saying, did they still want to vote democratic?
(36:30):
I don't understand that. Is that the idea is we've
been voting democratic all all lights, so we're just going
to do it anyway, regardless of what the person stands for.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Well, look, it's a valid question, and I get the
peak in your voice. I understand that. I hear it
a lot. Dershowitz, by the way, I think has said
that he's not going to vote for Democratic. I'm going
to vote Democratic because I fundamentally am supportive of Harris
and Walls. I fundamentally can to buy Trump. But having
said that, I hear you when you say, as you're
(37:04):
effectively saying that the Democratic Party is suspect on these issues.
I think that's truer now probably than it has ever been.
And I guess I'm here to say that I share
those concerns. I'm very concerned about it.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
All right, Steve, great question, good question, and thank you
for being answer direct as you as you could be
going to They're getting room for one more person as
a result of your kindness. Thanks Steve. Let me go
to Martin Selthbrow. Mayn't you have about a minute and
a half you the later call you go right.
Speaker 6 (37:34):
Ahead, Okay. I agree with Mike from the Hampshire and
I agree with your last caller. And so he really
asked my question about the Democratic Party. But I just
wanted to say that I was wondering, do you think
that our Senator Warren will get less votes this time?
Because she I was appalled that she did not attend
that yatter the speech, and I was still fear as
(37:56):
she boycotted, I was wondering other people feel my way.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Let's let's.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
I think she will not get any fewer votes. I
think she'll romp to victory. But I, like you, am
appalled by this kind of inane I'm not showing up
as I am concerned about inane stuff that she says
on social media, and the inane assertion that Israel's committing genocide.
It's not committing genocide. It's trying to defend itself against
(38:22):
the genocide. So it's a shame that she is going
to get to do as well as she is without
any pushback of the kind that I think intellectually she
should receive.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
I agree with Jeff. I don't want to put you
in spotting. I know that you're not going to vote
for Donald Trump, but could you bring yourself to vote
for a Republican as a protest vote against Elizabeth Warren.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
You know, I don't know much about her opponent, but
I am disgusted with the kind of the kind of sloppy, weak, inane,
kind of performative stuff that she said, So I would
look at.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
It all right. Thank you very much, Martin, Thank you, Jeff, Robbins,
who's great hour. And again, the whole purpose here is
to make people think, and I think we've made some
people think tonight. And as always, I thank you so much, Dan.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Thank you so much again for having me.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
We talked soon. Okay, we'll follow this along and we
have the ten o'clock news coming at us. And if
you'd like to continue to talk about this you and
you have not had a chance to get through. I
got open lines six one, seven, two, five, four ten
thirty six one seven, nine three, one ten thirty. Uh.
If not, I'm going to ask you, how's your economy doing?
(39:32):
Those would be the two questions on the other side. Uh,
they tell us the national economy. How's your economy doing?
How are you doing at this time? Back on Night's side,
after this
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