This is truly shameful. The Republican Jewish Coalition, a GOP front group, is doing a swiftboating of Nancy Pelosi
Here is their shameful attack ad. It is being shown on national cable stations, such as CNN, where I saw it yesterday during the "Situation Room" program.
Notice that these - to paraphrase Vanessa Redgrave - GOP hoodlums, never mention that fact that there were Republicans on Pelosi's trip to Syria.
So, who exactly are the Republican Jewish Committee?
Their Official mission statement:
We seek to foster and enhance ties between the American Jewish community and Republican decision makers. We work to sensitize Republican leadership in government and the party to the concerns and issues of the Jewish community, while articulating and advocating Republican ideas and policies within the Jewish community. We are committed to building a strong, effective and respected Jewish Republican voice in Washington and across the country.
Their board of directors includes the following:
Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary; Lewis M. Eisenberg, a long-time Republican activist who has raised millions of dollars for the Republican Party and Republican candidates and was recently elected Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee; David Frum, a former Bush White House speechwriter and currently a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the author of five books, including two New York Times bestsellers: "The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush," and co-author with Richard Perle of "An End to Evil: What's Next in the War on Terror"; Ken Mehlman, former chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2005-2007.
Also, New Gingrich presidential backer, Sheldon G. Adelson.
Adelson's company owns The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada and the Sands Macao in The People's Republic of China's Special Administrative Region of Macao, as well as Venetian Macao Limited, a developer of additional multiple casino hotel resort properties in Macao.
According to the Washington Post, "Adelson was listed by Forbes magazine in 2006 as America 's third-richest man, with assets of more than $20 billion.
According to the Washington Post
Gingrich's American Solutions for Winning the Future reported to the Internal Revenue Service that it collected a $1 million check from Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman Sheldon G. Adelson shortly after the November elections. The IRS reported the donation in recent days.
It's no surprise that this group specializes in swift boating, as their membership also includes swiftboat funder Sam Fox
The Republican Jewish Coalition has also done ad campaigns praising Sen. Joe Lieberman for "accusing colleagues of disliking the Bush administration more than Islamist terrorists."
Here is a transcript of part of Bush's salute to this organization.
Thanks for the warm welcome. Thank you. Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm honored to join you in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Republican Jewish Coalition. The RJC has been a powerful voice for the values of limited government, free enterprise, and a strong national defense. I want to thank you for your patriotism; I want to thank you for the devotion to our country. Because of your efforts, I really believe America is a stronger and better place. (Applause.)
I want to thank my friend, Sam Fox. I appreciate your friendship, you and Marilyn. I want to thank you for your leadership. I want to thank Matt Brooks. (Applause.) A smattering of applause out there for old Matty. (Laughter.)
Chummy, isn't he? Cheney, too, has also addressed this group.
Another fact about this organization. David Flaum, RJC National Chairman
is a member of the Scooter Libby Defense Fund. He is described on the website for this fund as
Mr. David Flaum
Mr. Flaum is a leading real estate developer in upstate New York and is the founder and CEO of Flaum Management Company, Inc. of Rochester, New York. He serves on the Board of directors of the University of Rochester Medial Center and is on the Board of trustees, of Syracuse University.
This defense fund is currently engaged in attacking Fitzgerald's investigation, treating Libby's critics as merely "politically motivated."
Ironically, in attacking Pelosi for visiting Syria, the RJC contradict their own stated objective, which states: "The RJC supports work towards a peace treaty between Israel and Syria. However, important conditions should be met before such a peace treaty can be implemented."
Isn't Pelosi simpy trying to bring Syria into a regional dialogue?
Of course, here is a further sampling of what the RJC stands for.
Terrorism
The RJC fully supports President Bush’s war on international terrorism, and endorses the efforts and initiatives the President has propounded and enacted to further this cause. Terrorism is an evil and murderous tactic that is never acceptable or justifiable, no matter the cause for which it is employed. The RJC also endorses the President’s view that states that sponsor terrorism are morally indistinguishable from the terrorists they fund, and should be brought to justice.
National Security
The post-Cold War world differs from the Cold War in that we have one less large enemy, and many more small enemies. In addition, the U.S. has been called on to defend democracy and liberty all over the world. This situation cannot exist with the deteriorating military America has had in the 1990s.
U.S. - Israel Relationship
The U.S.-Israel alliance is of tremendous importance to both countries. Israel is a democracy in a region that is unstable and where rogue countries continue to be hostile to America. Israel is also the U.S.’s strongest ally in the War on Terrorism, and is in a unique position to facilitate the war effort in the Middle East, as well as share her extensive experience in battling terrorism domestically, militarily, and diplomatically. The evil and vicious September 11th terrorist attacks against the U.S. are indicative of the sort of terrorism Israel experiences every day.
Mideast Peace Process The peace process between Israel and its neighbors is a difficult, dangerous effort. Israel has already taken great risks for the sake of peace, and continues to do so out of a sincere commitment to a peace that will be stable, long-term, and of benefit to all the peoples of the region. For a peace agreement to succeed, both sides must agree that they want peace and be prepared to take action to insure the viability of their diplomatic agreements.
The Palestinian Authority
The RJC believes that the Palestinian Authority must honor its commitments under the Road Map to Peace, as outlined by President Bush, and completely dismantle the Palestinian terrorist infrastructure. Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian terrorist groups have not changed their original goal, the destruction of Israel, nor their original tactics, terrorism and violence. Those organizations that continue to fund, support or carry out terrorist attacks should be unequivocally targeted in the U.S. War on Terrorism.
If they were serious about any of this, they would try practcing truth telling. Having run these attack ads against Pelosi, they show themselves to be little more than another group of right wing thugs. They should be ashamed of themselves.