Soccer Dad

Edwards, variety, bonior, israel

Israel Matzav has a good rundown on the John Edwards that Israel presented "greatest short-term threat to the world" flap. (Or is that flip?)

But even granting Roger L. Simon's critique of the interview, there's a serious reason to be wary of Edwards's view towards Israel. Edwards has taken on longtime Congressional Israel basher, David Bonior, as his campaign manager.

Apparently even Edwards realizes that Bonior is a potential liability among Jews.

He drew loud applause when he endorsed AIPAC's trademark issue: isolating Iran as long as it resists nuclear transparence.

“For years I have argued that the United States has not been doing enough to deal with the growing threat in Iran," he said. “While we've talked about the dangers of nuclear terrorism, we've largely stood on the sidelines as the problems got worse. I believe that for far too long, we've abdicated our responsibility to deal with the Iranian threat to the Europeans."

Such talk has helped draw major Jewish donors to Edwards' campaign. He raised eyebrows late last year, however, when he named as his campaign director David Bonior, a former Michigan congressman noted for his tough criticism of Israel.

Bonior and Edwards reached out to top pro-Israel figures and assured them that Bonior's role would not extend to foreign policy.

I'm willing to cut Edwards slack that he mis-spoke in the Variety interview and didn't mean to imply that Israel was the threat. However his appointment of Bonior speaks louder than any words he said or didn't say.

Crosposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.

Blogdigger tags: Israel, John Edwards, David Bonior.