U.S. President Donald Trump is worthy of praise for stating that even if rising oil prices resulting from the war with Iran partially caused election losses, he “would have done it again” because it was the “right thing” to do, and you can’t have a nuclear Iran. This is the essence of courage: Doing the right thing regardless of politics.
A nuclear Iran would be an existential danger to the entire planet; as it is, Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Islamic Republic has been at war with the United States since the revolution of 1979 and is responsible for murdering thousands of Americans. Let’s urge the president to resume the six-week operation and finish the job regarding the Iranian regime promptly, again, regardless of politics.
At the same time, it was shocking and dismaying to see U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s tweet the day after the election falsely blaming the election loss on Republicans being “pissed” about the U.S.-Israel relationship and Iran war—more than implying that it wasn’t worth it. Blaming the Jewish state endangers American Jews and harms America’s most valuable alliance.
And it’s false. Actual studies by named organizations, such as the expansive AP voter poll of 80,000 voters across 50 states, found that foreign policy was a minor factor in the election. It also turned up that numerous other economic, social, messaging and dissatisfaction factors were responsible.
The AP poll found that about four in 10 voters said the economy was the top issue facing the country, and roughly three in 10 said the state of democracy is the top issue. Only about 1 in 10 stated the same about immigration or healthcare, and few named foreign policy or crime. The data further noted that “roughly half of U.S. voters said government corruption and the cost of living were ‘crucial’ to their vote for Congress, higher than the share that said that about immigration enforcement policies, the war in Iran or AI data centers.”
More disciplined Democratic economic messaging has also been cited as a factor.
Yet Vance’s despicable tweet claimed that an unnamed pollster, whom Vance described as “the smartest data guy I know,” said that Republicans were “pissed” and planning to vote for the other side because they want to: 1) end the war; 2) focus on cost of living/inflation; 3) put America First; and 4) change our relationship to Israel.”
Vance then blamed the war as the sole and “obvious” reason, misleadingly stating that the president agreed. In fact, the president merely named resulting oil prices as a partial factor, pointing out the justice and necessity for stopping Iran.
His unnamed pollster sounds like a propagandist for ex-Republicans such as Israel-hater and antisemite podcaster Tucker Carlson, formerly of Fox News, who called Christian Zionists “heretics” infected with a “brain virus.” The political commentator has also said that he “dislikes Christian Zionists more than anybody,” and has platformed a parade of neo-Nazis, Islamists, antisemites and their blood libels. (Carlson left the Republican Party last June, thereby making it more inviting to Jews, Christian Zionists and all other decent people who were disgusted by his bigotry.)
If Vance wanted to say anything related to the U.S.-Israel alliance, despite voters not citing this, then he should have placed the blame not on Israel, but on a tsunami of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish propaganda and campaign funding by hate groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been designated by Florida, Texas and the United Arab Emirates a terrorist organization.
Blame should also be placed on mainstream Democratic leaders who endorsed antisemites such as Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, who was just elected to become the first Muslim senator in the United States, and who cowered in fear of doing what is right, with brave exceptions like Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), who decided at the last minute not to support El-Sayed and made it loudly known. It was, however, too little too late.
Perhaps Vance is trying to cast blame on Israel to avoid taking responsibility for his own role in the midterm mess.
He pushed for the long pauses in military action against Iran after just six weeks of operations to enable failed negotiations with an Iranian regime that doesn’t keep its agreements. That gave Tehran time to block the Strait of Hormuz and drive up oil prices. If military action had been completed without pause back in April, it seems likely that oil prices would be lower by now, leading to a better election outcome for the Republicans.
Regardless of the outcome, it’s not to be blamed on Israel, which had its own elections the week before.
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