Palin plays the fear card on Iran

Posted By Rebecca Frankel Monday, September 22, 2008 - 5:04 PM Share

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was slated to give a speech at today's rally sponsored by New York Jewish groups protesting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to the United Nations General Assembly. The organizers of the event canceled her appearance to avoid the appearance of partisanship. (New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was also scheduled to talk but backed out last week after learning Palin had been added to the line of speakers.)

Palin's scheduled remarks, published today in the New York Sun, are in some ways fairly predictable. Yet in addition to the standard calls to support Israel and stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the vice presidential nominee's speech is peppered with phrases guaranteed to hit the fear button in the Jewish community -- "Final Solution", "Never Again," and "Holocaust." The close of Palin's speech offered this:

Senator McCain has made a solemn commitment that I strongly endorse: Never again will we risk another Holocaust. And this is not a wish, a request, or a plea to Israel's enemies. This is a promise that the United States and Israel will honor, against any enemy who cares to test us. It is John McCain's promise and it is my promise."

As, I said last week, I don't think for a second that Iran is experiencing, or will experience, a change of heart when it comes to Israel or the United States. But anytime a politician uses the vocabulary of fear in this manner to incite solidarity, I get extremely wary.

EXPLORE:MIDDLE EAST, DECISION '08, IRAN, ISRAEL/PALESTINE, UNITED NATIONS
 

CINDY

5:51 PM ET

September 22, 2008

Who's playing?

Blogger Rebecca Frankel is Exhibit A of why it's refreshing that Palin is using such unambiguous, reality-based vocabulary. This is no game being played.

 

KIDZIB

6:55 PM ET

September 22, 2008

It's a game for the Democrats

You see, all us Democrats are actually great fans of the idea of a second Holocaust. Didn't you hear Obama? He wants to go eat ghormeh sabzi and koobideh with Ahmadinejad! What a sissy game-player! Oh, I feel a wave of cool refreshment washing over me... Thanks, Sarah!

 

DELLIS

11:42 AM ET

September 23, 2008

Ehhh

Iran is a state sponsor of terrorist groups Hezbellah and Hamas. Is it really that strange to suggest that a state sponsor of terror against Israelis might employ all the weapons in its arsenal in an attempt to carry out the professed goal of its president and Supreme Leader - wiping out the Israeli state?

 

KIDZIB

9:15 PM ET

September 23, 2008

Wrong

No Iranian official has ever once professed the goal of wiping out the Israeli state. Ahmadinejad did once say that Israel will "vanish from the page of time" like the Soviet Union did and was mistranslated as saying Israel would be "wiped off the map." Thanks for spreading this misinformation, though! It helps drive the admirable goal of an increased probability of war!

 

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