There's been concern for years now with the Squad's anti-Semitic and anti-Israel behavior, remarks, and associations. That's especially been the case for Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), though the left often excuses it or at least tries to distract from it by pointing out she's the first Palestinian-born woman in Congress. The same goes for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), born in Somalia, who apparently didn't know any better when she spewed her anti-Semitic tropes in years past. Since the October 7 attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel, however, the concerns have only gotten more prominent. Tlaib was even censured earlier this month, by a bipartisan vote. It's led to Democrats being in disarray, for sure, which hasn't been helped by how the Biden White House doesn't look to be doing much about it.
A lack of a response would seem to be in mind with other Democratic leaders. Last week's VIP piece touched upon House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and his defense of Squad members. He, like the majority of Democrats, voted against censuring Tlaib. As is often the case with Jeffries, he spoke to the "the extreme MAGA Republican agenda." It was very much a non-answer to Jeffries being asked by CNN's Manu Raju about Tlaib defending the genocidal term "from the river to the sea," which he also claimed he had "expressed concern about."
House Dems criticizing Rashida Tlaib's use of "from the river to the sea."
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 7, 2023
"I've expressed concern about that," Hakeem Jeffries said. But said he'd vote against censure resolution today.
Nadler, who is Jewish: "I think it's a terrible comment." But says he's a NO on censure. pic.twitter.com/NBtOox9e8u
Jeffries isn't the only one who has been so dismissive. During Monday's press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about how "some Democrats," but particularly the Squad members, "have openly disagreed with the president for being too supportive of Israel. There's also been some grassroot groups that backed the president and are now indicating that this could be a deal-breaker for them," the reporter pointed out, asking, "Is the president worried that this will continue to be a wedge issue within the party? And why can't he get his fellow Democrats on the same page on this issue?"
Jean-Pierre's answer was to treat it like any other issue. "So, look, you know, in our party, there's going to be various range of agreements and disagreements and, and that's the way it is, right? And, in particular, in the Democratic Party," she offered.
She also offered another response she's constantly using, that "the president is going to continue to be clear about this" and that he "has been very clear." This supposedly includes supporting Israel, given what Jean-Pierre said next in her response, in that "when it comes to Israel and what we saw on October 7, Israel has the right to defend itself. They have the right to defend itself," she added. "And so, we're going to support Israel in doing that."
At one point, Jean-Pierre's response did involve an appropriately strong condemnation of Hamas, though it was somewhat tainted by how she used her response to call on Congress to pass aid for both Israel and Ukraine in a "national security supplemental."
"Let's not forget, they are dealing with terrorism and tyranny. That's what they're dealing with," Jean-Pierre accurately said about Israel. "They're dealing with an organization like Hamas, who is a terrorist organization, who had said — and Jake [Sullivan] talked about this: A leader from the Hamas organization said that they would want to see an October 7 happen over and over and over and over again. And that's what Israel is dealing with."
Karine Jean-Pierre on the pro-Hamas rhetoric from Democrats: "In our party, there's going to be various range of agreements and disagreements and that's the way it is, right?" pic.twitter.com/CF4EHJMlU2
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2023
As welcome as such a response might seem on the surface, Jean-Pierre had not been asked if she condemned Hamas. She was asked about the Democratic Party getting its act together on supporting Israel.
Further, such a response is a far cry from how Jean-Pierre alluded to the Squad members when she properly called them out over a month ago. Then again, it's also telling that she did not refer to any members by name. "We're going to continue to be very clear: We believe they are wrong, we believe they're repugnant, and we believe they're disgraceful," Jean-Pierre offered. "Our condemnation belongs squarely with terrorists who have brutally murdered, raped, kidnapped hundreds--hundreds of Israelis. There can be no equivocation about that. There are not two sides here. There are not two sides," she correctly pointed out.
Not long after that October 10 press briefing, though, Jean-Pierre later claimed they're "not sensing division" about support for Israel.
If anything, it seems to be a pattern that Jean-Pierre has given particularly weak answers when asked about Israel and anti-Semitism, ones that often need clarification, and are also often criticized even by fellow Democrats.
Also on Monday, members of the Squad spoke at an event in which they not only called for a ceasefire but also lamented how the negative reaction to their own comments and behavior has affected them.
Larry highlighted the comments from those Squad members in a video edition aptly titled "The 'Hamas Caucus' Has Officially Lost Its Mind."