Kennedy Diagnosed with Brain Tumor
Best wishes to Ted Kennedy and his family in the aftermath of his diagnosis with brain cancer.
Analysts are pointing out that the Democrats need Kennedy more than ever, as a party wise man who could help heal it after a divisive primary.
Kennedy has been among the more effective legislators of his generation and has helped make the lives of most Americans better. He has been a friend of higher education and stood against attempts by the Israel lobby to defund or censor Middle East studies at US universities. You can't think of anyone who could step into his shoes in the latter regard, and certainly not, as this AP clip suggests, Hillary Clinton.
posted by Juan Cole @ 5/20/2008 09:24:00 AM
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5 Comments:
You are absolutely correct. This is pretty weak given that he is with CQ Weekly and should know the legislative process. Kennedy's success in the Senate is due to his mastery of the job, respect for the institution, and the respect he earned from his colleagues. His relationship with Hatch isn't because Ted is a national giant. It is because Kennedy and Hatch want results and both know how to play the legislative game. There are signs that Clinton does too, but her record is too thin at this point.
Thank you for this post Prof. Cole.
But please remember that there are now TWO pro-Israel lobbies.
While AIPAC certainly sees itself as pro-Israel, many American Jews (including myself) do not see AIPAC as pro-Israel (or good for Israel).
So please, can you simply refer to AIPAC as AIPAC and not "the Israel Lobby?"
If for no other reason than there is now (as you of course know) a new pro-Israel lobby called "J Street" which more accurately represents the points of view (and cultural and spiritual morality) of a majority of American Jews, and understands that a just-peace between Israelis and Palestinians (that will result in two nations living side by side in peace as equals) is in the best interests of Israel (and the United States).
But again, thank you for your post, as my thoughts and prayers certainly go out to Sen. Kennedy and his family during this most difficult time.
How nice of Aaron M deside FOR Palestinians what would be "a just-peace". I am an Israeli Jew and I suppose just A FEW of Palestinans might disagree with good-hearted Aaron M, but who they are, after all? What is "good for Israel" matters, ONLY.
If this is the best that non-AIPAC USA Jews could suggest, I suppose Palestinans should NOT put much hope in the "cultural and spiritual morality of a majority of American Jews"
And just a hint - there is such thing as Israel being a colonial impostor on Natives' land, and said Natives (aka Palestinians) MIGHT want to get it back, WHOLE, not just some crambs from a nice Zionists' table
I agree with Aaron. If "J-Street" somehow overruns AIPAC as the primary voice of American Jews and American policy, then we'll have to abandon the term 'Jewish lobby', which has become synonymous with AIPAC.
I speak for many American Jews when I say that I can't wait for that criminal institution of neo-cons, evangelicals, and likudniks to crumble.
I can't say how happy I am, as a gentile friend of the Jews, to read posts like the ones here, and to see J Street dawning. May peace prevail!
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