The Inside Politics panel discussion led by host John King on Thursday about Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar comparing the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban was less interested in Omar’s actual comments, than how the “Democratic family” will learn how to live with its differing opinions.
Addressing the Wall Street Journal‘s Vivian Salama, King noted that members of The Squad have rushed to Omar’s defense, “This is a real fight, it’s about substance and also about younger progressives in the conference who say, look, we’re going to do things differently.”
When Republicans say stupid and offensive things, “the substance” becomes the number one story on CNN for a week, that person is said to be the voice of the party, and it is demanded that Republicans denounce and punish the offender.
But, Omar is a Democrat, so her comments were treated as if they were just a different opinion with Salama noting The Squad believes, “that there has been too much political correctness in their view with regard to some of these issues so they believe that speaking out is one of the best options for them and they see it as something bold and new and refreshing.”
She then implied the controversy is overblown because Omar doesn’t have any real power, “Israel certainly probably knows that Ilhan Omar is not speaking on behalf of the Biden Administration there but the essence here is whether or not the public, you know a lot of people out there, voters know that she doesn’t necessarily – she isn’t necessarily in line with some of the more moderate Democrats and they do not agree with the views.”
If only CNN applied that logic to Republicans every time Marjorie Taylor Greene says something stupid.
King then turned to congressional correspondent Lauren Fox. He noted this isn’t Omar’s first controversy, but instead of focusing on that and whether the previously mentioned younger progressives are the future of the party, he focused on how, “they can’t figure out how to deal with this within the Democratic family. Is it because each side enjoys the fight, thinks there’s something to be gained from the fight or is it because relationships are just dysfunctional, and they haven’t figured out how to sort this out?”
Fox replied, “I think it’s both of those, I think some of it is they like the fight, at least parts of The Squad like the fight. I think the other part of it is they haven’t really figured out how to settle their differences here and I think that’s why this is going to keep happening.”
King concluded by treating the two factions as equals, “I think the critics would argue you can’t settle differences if you equating United States to Hamas, Congresswoman Omar would say ‘I call it like I see it and I have a right to do that.’ We’ll watch as it plays out, it is fascinating.”
Fascinating is one way to put it, outrageous is another.
This segment was sponsored by Wayfair.
Here is a transcript for the June 10 show:
CNN
Inside Politics with John King
12:52 PM ET
JOHN KING: This is a real fight, it’s about substance and also about younger progressives in the conference who say, look, we’re going to do things differently.
VIVIAN SALAMA: That’s right, the younger, The Squad that you’re referring to, obviously, believe that there has been too much political correctness in their view with regard to some of these issues so they believe that speaking out is one of the best options for them and they see it as something bold and new and refreshing. Israel certainly probably knows that Ilhan Omar is not speaking on behalf of the Biden administration so there’s no confusion there but the essence here is whether or not the public, you know a lot of people out there, voters know that she doesn’t necessarily – she isn’t necessarily in line with some of the more moderate Democrats and they do not agree with the views, very worried going into the 2022 midterm elections and thinking everyone wants to kind of separate themselves from that message so it doesn’t seep into their own messages.
KING: And you mentioned this, and I just — headlines on the screen, I’m not going to read them, to show people you have throughout 2019 several issues in which this controversy has come up and allegations that she’s anti-Semitic, so the substance aside, to your point about they can’t figure out how to deal with this within the Democratic family. Is it because each side enjoys the fight, thinks there’s something to be gained from the fight or is it because relationships are just dysfunctional, and they haven’t figured out how to sort this out?
LAUREN FOX: Well, I think it’s both of those, I think some of it is they like the fight, at least parts of The Squad like the fight. I think the other part of it is they haven’t really figured out how to settle their differences here and I think that’s why this is going to keep happening.
KING: I think the critics would argue you can’t settle differences if you equating United States to Hamas, Congresswoman Omar would say I call it like I see it and I have a right to do that. We’ll watch as it plays out, it is fascinating.