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Yes, the pick is a little worrying. One primary reason I voted for Obama was the hope of a fairer foreign policy and peace in the Middle East.

What is that saying?  If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.

It seems that Israel has given its extremists too much power, just as we have (now I can hopefully say “had”).  Unless we call a spade a spade, support Israel when they behave with hobility, condemn them when they do not…nothing will ever change.

“Once given power, the oppressed become the oppressors”

Comment by A Little Worried on 11/06/08 at 8:21 pm

Um…Nobility

Comment by A Little Worried on 11/06/08 at 8:23 pm

I disagree with your connecting the two sentences in Dr. Emanuel’s statement.

First, he said his son is going to be pro-Israel.  “What is he,” he asks rhetorically, “an Arab?” (The implication, of course is Arabs are not pro-Israel.)

Then he says his son is not going to mop the floors—of course not, he has a top-level appointment and will be important in White House policy making.

To infer a hateful statement from a suspect (Weiss) translation of a language you neither read nor speak is not fair.

Comment by The Web Guy on 11/06/08 at 8:32 pm

That translation is from the JPost, though I think I did lose Dr. Emanuel because there was no transition between “Arab” and mopping the floors.

Comment by Brad A. Greenberg on 11/06/08 at 8:59 pm

As you’ve found, and as Noga also points out in the Commentary thread, the JPost is a translation, possibly sloppy, of a Hebrew conversation. And in any case, you have to stretch to interpret the English just exactly as Weiss does.

I’m no Emanuel fan, as you know, but Weiss’s agenda is far more nefarious. To make such a statement as he does based on the available evidence is unfair.

Comment by Solomon on 11/06/08 at 9:22 pm

Why are we employing such analysis to the JPost’s translation?  I read the text in Ma’ariv the day it published its own interview with Rahm’s father, and there is no doubt about it, there was direct linkage between Arab and floor-cleaner.  Any which way you wish to cut it, it was a racist comment.  Is it too difficult to contemplate this notion?  Is it so difficult for Rahm to quickly apologize for it, or for its “mistaken” interpretation by at least 1 billion Muslims that find it rather hurtful, as well as another few billion world citizens that reject racism outright?

Comment by Shai on 11/08/08 at 4:23 pm

I am going to go you all one better.

In response to the update, it is neither of your interpretations.
1) To me, that says two things: Rahm is pro-Israel and Arabs clean the floor of the White House.
2) What I think he meant was: Rahm, who isn’t Arab, is pro-Israel and he’s also now a really important guy.

It is actually
3) The President will be pro-Israel (not being an Arab) and Rahm will not be sweeping floors but in a position of influence.

“... the president to be pro-Israel… “Why wouldn’t he be? What is he, an Arab?”
* * *
This ALL refers to Obama, stating that Dr. Emanuel asks why Obama would not be pro-Israel, since he is not an Arab (and therefore has no ax to grind and can see the objective justice if Israel’s position).

Then, when he says “He’s not going to clean the floors of the White House.” that refers back to the first sentence, “Obviously he will influence the president…”

Shai will ask - so why didn’t he say exactly that? Because the languages and the thought processes do not map directly. He was basically saying two things intermingled and interrupted himself. What makes that true is that the first way does not make any logical sense. The translation was accurate but makes no sense unles you associate the thoughts as I just did.

By the way I disagree with Dr. Emanuel but I hope he is right and I am wrong.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 11/12/08 at 5:15 pm

The issue of “mopping” is a distraction.  Why is Rahm’s father talking about Rahm’s role in the White House (to be) to the foreign press?

Does he speak for Rahm or the White House?  If not can he keep his mouth shut?  If not then the White House (to be) needs to repudiate him.

Comment by daniel on 11/17/08 at 1:41 am

Rahm’s father lives in Israel, where he was talking in Hebrew to the local press. Just like if your son got an important public position, and the Dogpatch Daily asked you what you thought.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 11/18/08 at 3:23 am

I totally disagree with your statement he said his son is going to be pro-Israel.  “What is he,” he asks rhetorically, “an Arab?” (The implication, of course is Arabs are not pro-Israel.)

Comment by Sabel on 11/18/10 at 4:42 am

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