June 16, 2011, - 1:09 pm
Troubling?: Bachmann’s Campaign Strategist Ed Rollins “Responds” to Schlussel on Arabism, Israel
Yesterday, I posted my concerns about Michele Bachmann’s employment of Ed Rollins as her campaign strategist and noted that he needs to distance himself from his appearance at a Dearbornistan Arab American Institute confab of Hezbollah and HAMAS supporters, at which he offered political advice. Unfortunately, there will be no such distancing. Last night, I heard from Ed Rollins via e-mail, and here is our exchange. Read it and decide for yourself, but note that not once did Rollins explain why he appeared at this event or address the concerns I raised. Also note, that before this, I very much respected Rollins. He is a brilliant campaign strategist, a solid conservative (other than this appearance at the U.S. Islamostan Arabist Political Action Conference), etc.
Michele Bachmann’s Strategist, Ed Rollins, Gives Advice @ Anti-Israel Arab Political Conference
I disagree with the blind-faith Palinmessiah fanatics who’ve come here to attack him for his spot on comments and observations about Palin. He’s been right on target on Palin, especially in this commentary, “Palin, I Knew Reagan. You’re No Reagan.” One other point, Ed Rollins is not the only conservative guilty of association with the openly anti-Israel, pro-HAMAS/Hezbollah Zogby Brothers. In fact, Sean Hannity regularly pimps us on John Zogby, frequently featuring him and his usually wrong polling on his nationally syndicated radio show. In any event, here’s the conversation with Rollins. I am so very disappointed that he didn’t just say, you’re right, I made a mistake with that. (I’ve removed his e-mail address and made corrections to three typos in my e-mail to him and one in his.):
From: Edward J. Rollins
Date: Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:52 PM
Subject: You are I’ll informed
To: writedebbie@gmail.comDebbie I am a staunch supporter of Israel. I am married to an orthodox Jew and was married by a Rabbi. I have spoken to AIPAC. When I was the White House political director for Ronald Reagan I was viewed as one of the strongest supporters of ISRAEL. I have spoken at the conference you mention in your article and many other groups over the years and urge voter participation; not a political stance. Also I have never been paid . In the 30 years I have made television appearances. And written numerous columns I have never been anything but supportive of the State of Israel.
I was the National Chairman for Jack Kemp and Mike Huckabee. Both strong supporters of Israel. Glad to correct the record?
Ed Rollins
Sent from my I PAD
My response:
From: Debbie Schlussel writedebbie@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 11:05 PM
Subject: Re: You are I’ll informed
To: Edward J. RollinsEd:
While I am happy you supported Israel when working for Ronald Reagan, clearly you have changed. Hmmm . . . married to a Jew, write lots of pro-Israel columns, AIPAC, etc. . . . and yet you couldn’t keep yourself away from speaking and giving advice to the Hezbollah/HAMAS political action convention? Why not? How much did you get paid? Frankly, Hezbollah and HAMAS are not Israel or Jewish issues, they are EVERY WESTERNER’s issues. So why wasn’t it your issue, and why couldn’t you say no to the anti-Israel, Jew-hating, Helen-Thomas-loving Zogby brothers? Did you forget that Hezbollah, which most of the attendees at the event support and to which the sponsoring restaurant of the event laundered $21 million, murdered more Americans than any other terrorist group before 9/11? Does that not bother you? The 1983 bombings of the Marine barracks and U.S. Embassy in Beirut? Does that ring a bell for you? The 1985 hijacking and torture murder of Robert Dean Stethem on TWA Flight 847? How ’bout that? The kidnapping and murder of CIA attache William Buckley and UN Peacekeeper Col. Rich Higgins? Remember that? Weren’t you working for Reagan during most of this? And yet you have no problem enabling the terrorist group’s supporters in America and helping them sharpen their political skills here? This isn’t a problem for you? Maybe that’s why Ronald Reagan NEVER responded to Hezbollah’s attacks and murders of so many Americans–his biggest error, and one cited by Osama Bin Laden on several occasions as a sign to him that Americans were weak and vulnerable. Were you behind that advice not to respond to Hezbollah . . . and then complete the circle by speaking at their political event in Dearborn years later?If you are so pro-Israel, then, why the heck did you speak to that event? They had anti-Israel speeches, speakers, and events. Did you choose to ignore the event’s agenda and fantasize that you were speaking to some other group? You know very well who James Zogby is and to whom you were speaking at that event. Did it not occur to you that there’s a reason that the only Republicans who’ve spoken at that event over the years are you, Ron Paul, and Chuck Hagel? [DS: I forgot to mention Grover Norquist. Same difference.] Speaking at AIPAC doesn’t impress me as we know that Barack Obama speaks there and even Darrell Issa, no friend of Israel, generally attends the AIPAC dinner. I want to know why you didn’t turn down Zogby. Columns, speeches, etc.–they are talk and talk is cheap. It’s deeds I look at and was VERY disappointed when you showed up at that event since I had admired you to that point. I wrote about this back in 2007 when you worked with Huckabee, so why contact me now and not before? Also, what rabbi marries a Jew to a non-Jew? I’m an Orthodox Jew, and Orthodox Jews do not marry outside the faith. If and when they do, they are mourned by their parents as if they are dead. Practicing Orthodox Jews only marry Jews, so I’m not sure how I’m supposed to be impressed by that, or how the heck that excuses your appearance at Jim Zogby’s Hezbollah/HAMAS fanatic convention. Regardless, the fact that someone Jewish marries someone who speaks at anti-Israel events tells me that this person is ineffective at even the most easy and effective form of political speech: pillow talk. If she married you and you still chose to speak at this very clearly Hezbollah-infested event, then to whom you are married is completely irrelevant. Her religion comes second or third to your willingness to enable hundreds of America haters who are Muslim 1st and American 1,437th.
Tell me, Ed, is there a group to whom you would not speak? Is there a difference between speaking to Hezbollah supporters and giving them advice on how to influence American politics and giving a speech and the same advice to David Duke supporters? No, there isn’t, other than that more of the former group’s last names begin with “Al-.” By the way, I was a Jack Kemp delegate tho the ’88 convention, the second youngest delegate. And I worked very hard for Jack Kemp’s presidential campaign as Michigan was first to pick its GOP delegates that year. But Jack Kemp changed in later years and not for the better. As HUD Secretary, he made despicable contracts with the Nation of Islam to guard the projects and perform other services. And he became an open borders advocate, something the Muslims at the event at which you spoke have taken advantage of to our detriment and national security disadvantage.
Jack Kemp changed and, it appears, so have you. If you haven’t, why did you speak at that event . . . and when will you disassociate yourself from the Zogby Brothers and their gathering of Hezbollah and HAMAS supporters and enablers? That was the point of my post about you, and you continue to fail to address it. All the pro-Israel stuff in the world is meaningless and irrelevant–not to mention, phony–if you help Israel’s AND America’s enemies on US soil. You know very well their purpose is to gain political power and change our laws and foreign policy against Israel and in favor of their extremist Muslim practices.
Seems to me, Ed, there is nothing to correct here . . . at least on my part. The ball is in your court. As an associate of Michele Bachmann’s campaign, you owe it to her and those of us who like her views on the Mid-East to openly and strongly distance yourself from what you did and admit you were wrong. Not me.
Ed Rollins’ response:
From: Edward J. Rollins
Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 7:21 AM
Subject: Re: You are I’ll informed
To: Debbie Schlussel writedebbie@gmail.comI wasn’t paid and obviously you are ill informed.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
My response:
From: Debbie Schlussel writedebbie@gmail.com
Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 11:02 AM
Subject: Re: You are I’ll informed
To: Edward J. RollinsIll-informed about what? You haven’t responded to a single fact about the Arab American Institute conference, which is the point here. Clearly, you have no response and you know I am right. Very disappointed in you, Ed.
Like I said, I really wish Ed Rollins would just say, “You know what? You’re right. I never should have appeared at that event. I do not want to be associated with people in America who support Islamic terrorist groups and hate Israel.” That would have been enough, and I would have praised him and Michele Bachmann. But he won’t do that.
Something else is going on here. Perhaps Rollins is tight with the Zogby Brothers. Maybe he doesn’t want to alienate potential Arab money and clients in the future (though he says he wasn’t paid for the AAI event in Dearbornistan)? I don’t know. But I don’t like it.
Still, I think it would be unfair to have a double standard for Ed Rollins versus other conservatives. We have to ask ourselves why we tolerate candidates and radio/TV personalities who continue to promote and associate with Grover Norquist, Suhail Khan, and other extremists promoting the Islamic and pan-Arabist agenda. Any candidate who associates with those people needs to be held to the same standard I hold for Ed Rollins.
The question at this point is: what does Michele Bachmann have to say about this? And what will she do? If she says and does nothing, we know she’s a fraud and cannot be counted on. Talk is cheap.
Tags: AIPAC, Anti-Israel, Arab American Institute, Arabism, Arabist, campaign adviser, Dearborn, Dearbornistan, Ed Rollins, Edward J. Rollins, Hezbollah, Islam, Israel, James Zogby, Jim Zogby, John Zogby, Michele Bachmann, Michelle Bachmann, Muslim, Orthodox Jew, Presidential campaign, presidential candidate, Republican, Ronald Reagan, strategist, Zogby Brothers
“They had anti-Israel speeches, speakers, and events. Did you choose to ignore the event’s agenda and fantasize that you were speaking to some other group?”
His ‘non-response’ to that line says it all.
Road Warrior on June 16, 2011 at 1:33 pm