Since Wednesday of last week, via a leak to the NY Times, the foreign policy and international community have been rightly fixated on the ongoing drama on the possible deal with Iran, and the drama surrounding it. And this story deserves EVERY OUNCE of that attention because what we saw on Saturday and Sunday when the US SOS and the Iranian FM were pulling all nighters in one on one discussions and were for the first time on the same page on what needs to be done for a deal and were genuinely pulling in the same direction was a seminal moment in world politics. Coming to a nuclear deal with Iran, and consequently opening the door for a total normalization of relations, would be be only second to the berlin wall and the demise of the Soviet Union in its geopolitical importance, and would change Middle East politics for ever. Its that big. And thats the reason why all hell has broken loose with Israel openly blasting the deal and the war hawks flexing their muscles to kill this baby in its crib.
Knowing all that, you know how much coverage this got from MSNBCs supposedly liberal prime-time lineup in the past 5 days? Not. One. Second. They have literally not said a word about the talks and how they hang on the precipice with John Kerry basically begging congress today not to pass new sanctions. For them to do that, shows not only a complete lack of interest in the gravity of the situation but a lack of understanding of the signal they send as the biggest progressives in cable news. When the talk of these developments are hardline criticism from Netanyahu, AIPAC, ADL, the American Right, and Congress on one side is met with literally absolute silence by what passes for the American Left, you pretty much are left with an administration that feels it has no room to make serious concessions to Iran, since as it is they represent the left end of the argument. With them boxed in, the only rational consequence is war and once the battle plans have been drawn I guarantee, unlike Syria which congress was ambivalent towards, this ship would be gone by then. So literally the fate of whether we go to war is being decided now and there is literally no pushback from the left, Daily Kos included.
Furthermore, the silence of people like Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow also give a free pass to the numerous democratic politicians who champion the progressive label but on this issue pretty much vote like Netanyahu would want, and for good reason. If there's no one on your side, not even Chris Hayes or Rachel Maddow, who would speak up for your position and on the other side hell would be let loose on you, the rational act is not to fight on this issue. The simple point is progressives with big profiles are, like it or not, signals for what the party base values in their representatives and a gauge for what your average democrat can freelance on with no repercussions. This has created a congress where, on Israel and Iran, liberals and conservative literally spout the same talking points and feel there's not a price to be paid. Lets hope they're wrong.
UPDATE: I do think there is a SUBSTANTIAL difference between Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow on these issues btw. Chris Hayes has in the passt, particularly when he was hosting UP, had lengthy discussions on this topic and was clearly aghast at the influence of AIPAC and actually mentioned the perversion of our politics on anything that touches Israel. Rachel Maddow, on the other hand, has been so absent and silent on this issue that it makes me wonder what her views are. I have watched her show religiously for 5 years and I honestly don't think she's ever talked about the Israel-Palestinian issue, not once. As the darling of the left, her coverage of this has been beyond embarrassing, its been cowardly.
Just felt the need to put that out there.