The National Jewish Democratic Council blasted the Republican National Convention over the decision to show a short film paying tribute to Rep. Ron Paul, the erstwhile Republican presidential hopeful (who, it should be noted, has not endorsed Mitt Romney).
Here’s what the NJDC’s president, David A. Harris, had to say:
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It is extremely disturbing for so many Americans — especially American Jews — to see that the Republican Party will be honoring anti-Israel Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) at its convention next week, but it is not the least bit surprising. Throughout the campaign, every alarm bell possible has sounded signaling that Paul is a legitimate factor within the GOP — whether it was his ‘strategic partnership’ with Mitt Romney, his delegates winning multiple state party conventions, his former spokesman receiving a senior position at the RNC, or the legions of followers who turned out the cheer him on during debates. As these alarms were sounding, Jewish Republicans and other pro-Israel Republicans utterly failed to counter Paul’s influence. Now they will be sitting respectfully — or perhaps even applauding — while their Party honors one of the greatest opponents of the U.S.-Israel relationship on Capitol Hill.
Paying tribute to this man who disparaged the U.S.-Israel relationship on Iranian television and empathized with Iran’s nuclear weapons program — on top of the history of his hate-filled newsletters — is a national disgrace. Romney and the RNC should cancel the tribute and end this dangerous strategic partnership once and for all.
Politico reports on the mix of techniques that Republicans have used to keep Paul and his supporters from making a scene at the convention.
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