Watch: CNN Hopes Israeli Ambassador Will Criticize Trump, Doesn't Work Out for Them
Mere moments after news broke about the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, the blame game began. Parkland student turned anti-gun activist David Hogg blasted the NRA on Twitter, but the pro-Second Amendment organization was not the only target of the left.
The establishment media was quick to try to pin the blame on President Donald Trump. On Twitter, CNN political analyst Kirsten Powers shared a “must read” by The Washington Post’s Julia Ioffe that blamed “Trump’s rhetoric,” despite the fact that he not only has Jewish family members but has been a strong ally of Israel and the Jewish community.
But when CNN’s Victor Blackwell asked Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, if Trump carried any responsibility for anti-Semitic crimes in the United States, Dermer stopped him cold.
“I’ve been following anti-Semitism all my adult life. I have never heard a stronger statement than the statement the president of the United States made.”
My interview yesterday on @CNNhttps://t.co/Nhl0wNSx2W
— Amb. Ron Dermer (@AmbDermer) October 29, 2018
MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin tried almost the exact same question and also got shut down by Dermer.
“The problem, Ayman, is that when people attribute anti-Semitism to one side of the political debate, they make a very big mistake. I see a lot of bad people on both sides who attack Jews.”
“There was an attack in 2006,” he continued. “And there was an attack in 2014 against the Jewish community center in Kansas.”
My interview earlier today on @MSNBChttps://t.co/rUviv5ZoB4
— Amb. Ron Dermer (@AmbDermer) October 29, 2018
When Dermer spoke to Fox News, he directly addressed the “anti-Semitic rhetoric” as a contributing factor, but blamed social media, not Trump, for it. In fact, he was very clear that Trump should not be blamed.
He noted that before Trump was president, approximately half of the religious attacks in the United States were against Jews. He also praised Trump for his strong stance against anti-Semitism.
CNN also backhandedly tried to get Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers to denounce Trump.
See the interview below:
They were so hoping for an anti-Trump, Trump-isn’t-welcome-here sound bite, so they could say “See? This is Trump’s fault.” Even in talking to a man who just endured horrific tragedy, they can’t help themselves. https://t.co/MBMWgZRHmh
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) October 29, 2018
And despite protesters showing up in Pittsburgh for the president’s visit, he was welcomed by Dermer and Myers. There were also signs that said, “all are welcome here.”
Thousands marching through streets of Pittsburgh holding signs saying “President Trump, You are not welcome in Pittsburgh untill you fully denounce white nationalism/cease your assault on immigrants and refugees…” The president is here in the city as I tweet this. @PittsburghPG pic.twitter.com/fWmUH9Wpbf
— Stephanie Strasburg (@StephStrasburg) October 30, 2018
Just watched Ron Dermer and Rabbi Myers greet Trump, First Lady, Ivanka and Jared outside Tree of Life. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also here. The teenage girl standing behind me with a sign—All Are Welcome Here—said she wanted to shout something. But said “now is not the time.”
— Bari Weiss (@bariweiss) October 30, 2018
In a speech in Murphysboro, Illinois, following the attack, Trump declared, “We must stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters to defeat anti-Semitism, vanquish the forces of hate … Through the centuries, the Jews have endured terrible persecution … Those seeking (the Jewish people’s) destruction, we will seek their destruction.”
In both word and deed, Trump has been a staunch supporter of the Jewish people, and no amount of media manipulation can change that.
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