Biden isn’t playing politics after Hamas attack. GOP must do the same – USA TODAY
As Republicans scramble to use the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel as a means of knocking down President Joe Biden, I have a humble suggestion for them: Maybe get your house – and quite literally the House – in order before you attempt such low-brow politicking.
There was certainly a time when an American political party, in the wake of a devastating attack on an ally, would lean into national unity, when that party’s own political instincts would keep its members from hurling lies and casting aspersions at the president.
That time is long gone. Shortly after the attack Saturday, which we now know left more than 1,000 Israelis dead or kidnapped and at least 14 Americans dead, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel described the assault as “a great opportunity for our candidates to contrast where Republicans have stood with Israel, time and time again, and Joe Biden has been weak.”
Nothing about this catastrophic moment is a great opportunity, and the near-instant idea to use it as a domestic political cudgel was vile.
Joe Biden behaves like a president while Republicans play politics
On Tuesday, Biden addressed the nation and reaffirmed America’s unshakable support for Israel.
“This is not about party or politics. This is about the security of our world, the security of the United States of America,” he said. “Let there be no doubt: The United States has Israel’s back.”
Pretty simple, isn’t it?
There will be ample time for the usual back-and-forth political hollering. What we need, what Israel needs and what the world needs is accurate information and a unified America. What we’re getting from Republicans is cynical nonsense.
We were not prepared for war.Israelis can no longer rely on our leaders to protect us.
Republicans use Hamas attack on Israel to push lies about Biden
GOP lawmakers and presidential candidates have ludicrously tried to claim that a recent hostage release agreement Biden negotiated with Iran provide U.S. taxpayer funding for the Hamas attack. This agreement, which freed five American hostages, gave Iran access to $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian oil profits, money that can only be used for humanitarian purposes and has not yet been touched.
Sen. Tim Scott, a GOP presidential candidate, tweeted: “Biden’s negotiation funded the attack” and “At this point, Biden is complicit,” which is abject garbage.
Continuing dishonest spin on behalf of Republicans, Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum said on air Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “hasn’t even been invited to the White House which is unprecedented, I think, in presidential U.S. history.”
In fact, at a meeting in New York City last month, Biden invited Netanyahu to the White House.
Republican behavior is doing nothing to help Israel, or America
None of this is helping Israel, or America for that matter. Biden said Tuesday that he will request “urgent action” from Congress to make sure Israel has all it needs.
But Republicans are currently overseeing a speaker-less House of Representatives stuck in a quagmire of internal bickering and have lawmakers in the Senate holding up military appointments AND the appointment of a U.S. ambassador toIsrael, so the words “urgent” and “action” don’t seem to be in the current GOP lexicon.
A brutal war crime:Hamas took advantage of divisions in Israel to start a horrific war targeting civilians
If Democrats were playing politics with our military readiness or saying out loud they want to use an unimaginable Israeli tragedy to pump up their own candidates, Republicans and the right-wing media ecosystem would be apoplectic. And frankly, they would be justified.
So maybe right now – as bodies are still being pulled from the rubble and as U.S. forces are being moved closer to the Middle East – Republicans should support the president and America’s interest. And maybe they should hurry up and install a House speaker and stop blocking Biden’s military and diplomatic appointments so they the party can at least pretend it has an interest in governing.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
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