Republicans, Jews, and Jim DeMint
Two local GOP chairman invoke an anti-Semitic stereotype—as a compliment
A compliment about Sen. Jim DeMint by South Carolina supporters backfired when they used an anti-Semitic stereotype.
(EPA/Corbis/Stefan Zaklin)
"There are some people out there who just aren't very good at compliments," said Alex Koppelman in Salon. Take Edwin Merwin and James Ulmer, the county chairs in the South Carolina Republican Party who wrote a letter to a local paper defending the fiscal conservatism of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). But, clearly, saying that DeMint is like a Jew "watching our nation's pennies" was not the best way to express their support.
This has to be "one of the more idiotic political defenses in recent memory," said David Paul Kuhn in RealClearPolitics. Sure, Edwin Merwin and James Ulmer made their dumb remark to a small-town newspaper—but it won't be "well received by the national Republican Party," which is trying to "make inroads into the Jewish vote" and portray itself as a more inclusive party. This small story won't hurt much—but it certainly won't help.
There's no denying that this was "a stupid statement," said William A. Jacobson in Legal Insurrection. "The penny-pinching Jew part of it, that is," not the bit about how Jim DeMint is helping our nation succeed by reining in spending. But let's hold all people who make hateful statements about Jews—are you listening, Al Sharpton?—to the same standards.
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17 Comments
Posted by Gentry, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 1:11 pm You can take the man out of the country but sometimes it's very difficult to get the country out of the man...Note to Ed and Jim...next time you write a letter for any reason ask some one you don't know to give it the once over...I'd suggest a state GOP staffer..but they probably wouldn't have caught the gaff anyway...so maybe when you're at the gas station or the diner just show it to the guy at the next table or the next pump..or better yet, a high school English teacher....
Posted by Greg, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 2:47 pm Typical bigotry of the conservative movement. This casual everyday sterotyping is part and parcel of the conservative mindset and is tolerated by mainstream Republicans.... this is part of the reason they continue to shrink...I say good riddance to bad rubbish
Posted by dave, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 3:56 pm How can someone of this level have no one to proof read what he writes. He needs to find a new job.
Posted by Bruce., Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 6:05 pm Big deal. I am so tired of PC madness.
Posted by SNOWinformer, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 7:24 pm bruce, you are dumb
Posted by Rob, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 7:26 pm First of all, DeMint didn't write this. And while the sentiment does him honor, he has nothing to apologize for. As a Jew, as far as I'm concerned no one does.Two GOP chairmen write something commending the Torah value of thrift and it's an 'outrage'?I seem to remember when thrift was a virtue in America.I know DeMint's record and frankly I classify this as a lot of wasted wind about nothing.
Posted by Nathan Goldberg, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 8:28 pm The current Republican Party lacks leadership and direction. It also seems that they are now managed by Fox news, and right wing talk radio. They, seems to be a party of angry old white men full rage, hate, and jealousy. They are not for women rights, minimum wage, middle class families, health care reform, antitrust exemption for insurance and unions. The Republicans wants President Obamas policy to fail. Mr. DeMint, office should put out a statement condemning his supports. It seems to me that they do not see themselves in the mirror.
Posted by bruce, Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 11:10 pm Explain how I am dumb. I know a lot of people these days have come to see dumb as meaning politically incorrect. Are you tired even a little of having to walk around on eggshells in order not to offend some precious minority group?
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