Bernie Sanders Suspends Jewish Outreach Coordinator After Reports of Her Criticisms of Israel

[geek tragedy]

Last edited Thu Apr 14, 2016, 07:47 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/14/bernie-sanders-suspends-jewish-outreach-coordinator-after-reports-of-her-criticisms-of-israel/?_r=1

Two days after the announcement of her hiring, the Sanders presidential campaign suspended its national Jewish outreach coordinator, Simone Zimmerman, on Thursday after revelations that she had posted vulgarities about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Facebook.

“She has been suspended while we investigate the matter,” Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs wrote in an email.

Ms. Zimmerman’s suspension comes after a report on Wednesday in the Washington Free Beacon which found a Facebook post in which she used a vulgarity and described Mr. Netanyahu as “arrogant, deceptive, cynical,” and “manipulative.” She then used more aggressive language and continued that he had “sanctioned the murder of over 2,000 people this summer.”

But members of the American Jewish establishment had been attacking her and the Sanders campaign since her appointment for her record of criticizing Israeli settlements and its policies in the West Bank and Gaza. Abe Foxman, the president of the Anti-Defamation League, also called for her firing.

This isn't her fault, it's the campaign's--for either not vetting someone in a sensitive position like this, or not thinking this kind of thing would matter. She didn't hold herself out to be anyone other than who she was.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

1. Sounds like she spoke the truth, actually.

Bernie loves Israel and the Jewish people, but like myself and most liberals, finds Netanyahu and his politics to be disgusting.

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2. absolutely, this isn't her fault.

if the campaign wasn't prepared to stand by her, never should have hired her.

That she would get attacked was 100% guaranteed.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

3. Damned if the campaign does, damned if they dont, and you know it.

I cant wait for this to be over

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4. I think it's pretty hard to deny the campaign made a mistake somewhere along the line here.

either they knew her track record and decided not to stand by her when the predictable happened, or they didn't vet someone in for a position with a bullseye on it.

[KittyWampus]

5. Yeah, I could come up with some choice 'criticisms' of Bibi and his policies but I'm not working

as an outreach director or as a spokesperson for a campaign.

So tired of American politicians having to bend the knee to AIPAC as if their positions amount to the only voice coming from Israel.

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6. agreed--our views would be disqualifying for that type of position. nt

[Walk away]

7. I have been waiting for two days for this. I can't believe it took this long.

This campaign is always good for a laugh anyway!

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8. remember when we said the media and wingnut propagandists were

giving him a free pass.

look what happens when they don't give him a free pass--he threw her under the VW minibus in a nanosecond.

[still_one]

9. It wasn't the brightest move, especially in regard to the New York Primary. Ms. Zimmerman is

controversial, with allegations of her support for the BDS movement, and other issues.

Without getting into the pros and cons of the middle east, Sanders' had no choice but to suspend her, after she saw it upon herself to tweet anti-Israeli views.

Let me make this real simple to those who may not grasp it. The purpose of a Jewish Outreach Coordinator, is to try to bring Jewish voters into the fold, not to polarize them.

It wasn't her job to critisize Israel, and put her own agenda above the campaign

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10. was she fired for stuff she said after being hired or beforehand?

she drew incoming fire immediately after they announced her hiring.

this is politics 101. not ready for prime time.

[still_one]

11. Either way it isn't good, especially if you are trying to attract Jewish voters. If she had

assumed a neutral position after her appointment, and the only thing she commented on with regard to Israel, was that Sanders' campaign was a strong supporter for Israel's security, and believes in a two-state solution, it might have slipped through, but probably not, based on her outspoken views

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12. do we know who hired her? I'm guessing Weaver.

Tad Devine would have known a lot better.

they came after her the second she was announced.

this is even more puzzling than the Vatican thing

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. All sane people support a two state solution, their religious preference notwithstanding.

She went well beyond that.

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16. She's not the one who did anything wrong, though. She's never hidden what her beliefs or positions

are.

Anyone who knows anything about NYC--or really US--politics would have seen this coming. This had to be Weaver's hire.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. She certainly didn't do anything wrong. She is entitled to her beliefs.

But her beliefs made her a poor choice for Jewish outreach.

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19. which the campaign should have known. how could they not? nt

[still_one]

21. no kidding

[still_one]

20. That's the point, and the only thing she needed to say if asked, instead of what she did say. As

much as I do not care for Sanders, I actually feel somewhat sorry for him because of this

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. I feel sorry for the young woman.

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27. tough lesson in idealism and reality nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

29. The two are often mutually exclusive.

An odd choice for an outreach director, though.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. If she believes in a 2 state solution, that puts her on the opposite side of both Bibi AND BDS.

What I think is particularly funny- this is not you, BTW- are the HRC supporters who have spun themselves into such a lather listening to their own echo chambers, that they have convinced themselves that Hillary is the candidate of the "subaltern", etc etc.

How they plan to reconcile that shit with what will undoubtedly be a more pro-likud Israel policy from a HRC administation, I have no idea.

[still_one]

22. that is correct, and the bottom line. However, if she accepted the position, shouldn't she tow the

campaign's line?

Anyway, it would be funny if it wasn't so sad

This could actually be the opening dialog to SNL

[Eric J in MN]

25. She posted that on her personal Facebook page in March 2015. NT

NT

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26. then it's completely the campaign's fault for not picking up on that. nt

[Eric J in MN]

28. The person who hired her may not be friends with her on Facebook

...and may not be able to view her Facebook posts.

Or may not have the time.

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30. the Washington Free Beacon managed to figure it out nt

[Eric J in MN]

31. Maybe one of her Facebook friends isn't a great friend

...and shared the post with the Washington Free Beacon.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. She called Bibi arrogant, deceptive and cynical?

Hell, I thought those were his campaign slogans.

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14. lol, pretty much that nt

[Eric J in MN]

24. I agree with her Facebook post.

She called Netanyahu an "asshole" on her personal Facebook page. Whoop-dee-doo.

http://freebeacon.com/blog/bernies-new-jewish-outreach-director-f-k-bibi