When you’re forced to say, “I don’t speak for Jews,” in the middle of your interview with a former MLB pitcher, you can be certain that things have entered weird territory. That’s what happened Friday when Jake Tapper spoke with possible 2018 U.S. Senate candidate from Massachusetts Curt Schilling. The former pitcher is rumbling about taking on current Senator Elizabeth Warren for her seat, but first he’s making the media rounds and supporting current GOP nominee Donald Trump.
Schilling’s appearance on The Lead with Jake Tapper seemed to be aimed at discussing his possible run, his support of Donald Trump, his desire to share memes that many would call racist and offensive, and how he plans to take what is traditionally considered a “blue” state. And while it is troubling that Schilling would use the old, “retweets are not endorsements” tactic in reference to those memes, the real problem comes when the former player decides to turn the discussion to Jewish people and Tapper’s own Jewish background:
“I don’t understand — and this is, maybe this is the amateur, non-politician in me — I don’t understand how people of Jewish faith can back the Democratic Party,” Schilling said, “which over the last 50 years has been so clearly anti-Israel, so clearly anti-Jewish Israel.
“I don’t know what else would need to be done, said or happen for people to understand that they don’t — the Democratic Party is alive for Israel only because we have agreements in place to make them have to be.”
That’s where Tapper comes in with the “I don’t speak for Jews” line, continuing on to say that most Jewish people likely support the Democratic party due to their stance on social issues, but none of it really saves Schilling. It’s not his worst media appearance in recent weeks, especially with his defense of Trump’s underage comments, but the rambling nature and comments don’t speak well for his political aspirations.
(Via CNN / Death And Taxes)