So far it’s been kind of subdued — Beck has yet to speak.
Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador, gave a speech honoring three Christians who assisted Israel — Orde Wingate, Henry Jackson, Walter Lowdermilk.
Pastor John Hagee tried to stir the embers with a speech focused on "truth." At least three references to the "liberal media". (I can’t complain, CUFI staff has plied us with cookies.)
More substantively, there was this:
The truth that many Americans do not want to face is President Obama is not pro-Israel.
I thought that extraordinary for a group that wants to replicate the successes of AIPAC, an organization that endeavours to be bipartisan.
Also extraordinary — it came hard on the speech by Oren, who has made a career pushing back against impressions that Obama is not pro-Israel.
Most extraordinary, though, was the reaction: Hagee paused, and there was applause for his Obama diss, and it was warm, and it filled the room — but it wasn’t overwhelming.
So Hagee set aside his prepared remarks for a moment, and noting that this was being broadcast worldwide, including in Israel, he said:
Will those of you standing with Israel give a thunderous shout?
They did, and they were primed for the following jabs at Obama (not all of them based in reality):
Iran will soon become nuclear — our president is waiting for Iran to extend a friendly hand, and that is not going to happen.
If our government forces Israel to divide Jerusalem you can mark that day as the day that God will turn his back on the United States of America.
America should never pressure Israel to give up land for peace, not for any reason, to anyone whenever.
America should never pressure Israel to divide the city of Jerusalem for any reason, not ever.
President Obama told the Jewish people in Jerusalem that they could not build homes in east Jerusalem
The truth is Barack Obama has absolutely no authority to tell the people what they can and cannot do in the state of Israel.
Plenty of red meat, lots of cheers from the 5,000-plus assembled….
But why did they have to be primed in the first place? 8:53 PM
Here comes Glenn Beck.
Hagee likens Beck’s move from New York (actually, Connecticut) to Texas to the Israelites’ flight from bondage to fredom.
"Hello Christians" Glenn Beck says to applause — an affirmation of his Mormon inclusion.
Beck starts with a weird Nancy Pelosi dig — says he feels like her after having to follow Hagee.
"I have joined two organizations in my life, I joined my church and I joined the NRA.":
Says he will become CUFI member "700,001". Big cheers.
Pledges $10,000 to CUFI campus effort. More cheers.
"Fourteen days ago I did something I never ever wanted to do in my life. Fourteen days ago I spent two days in Auschwitz-Birkenau …
"There has got to be some way to make sure this doesn’t happen. A museum is not good enough. A bus trip to DC is not good enough.
"There must be some other way other than showing Schindler’s List." 9:21 PM
"You cannot break down people’s doors and snatch them…
"All of us have a right to practice peacefully our religion, to raise a family and to use our God-given talents…
Speaks of fear as he approached Birkenau.
"The fear was caused by the understanding that the world is yet again turning a blind eye to evil, the same kind of evil.
"What is the answer?" 9:24
Attempt in America to "dismiss our founders" which is why Americans are going back to school to educate themselves.
Starts quoting the Declaration of Independence.
"The founders had the answer one hundred and fifty years before Hitler showed up."
"You must be able to guard those rights. This is what the Jewish people have not been able to do. They have had no home base."
The expulsion, the Crusades…
"The Jewish people around the world need to know that Christians know their history." Applause.
"Blamed on the Jews": Black Plague, a fire in Cracow. Leads to the Ghetto.
Queen Isabella, just before she launched the Nina, "she ordered the rounding up of all the Jews."
Starts listing massacres. 9:30 PM
Culminates with the White Paper of 1939 limiting immigration to Palestine, turning back the St. Louis, Entebbe.
"It never seems to end.
"The Jewish people have been chased out of almost every country on this planet…
"This is why the nation of Israel is vital…
"Helen Thomas and all like her both left and right have been saying thee same thing for years: Go back to where you came from.
"And when they do (they’re told to leave.)
"Enough is enough."
Invokes image of Jews at kotel being stoned by stones at Temple Mount. 9:32
Israel teaches self reliance is best — Americans should learn from this, I guess an allusion to his focus elsewhere on what he sees as rampaging socialism.
Now neighbors, fences:
"This is a planet with an awful lot of space as long as you want to be part of the family of mankind.
"States can be established, but not at the expense of another state.
"Israel historically is the land of the Jews." 9:36
Beck says: "When, when has a state been declared a state by a global body?" I honestly thought he was going to segue into the Nov. 29 1947 vote, but he’s talking about the Palestinians’ statehood recognition bid.
Plays on "media" and "religious wackos"
"As crazy out of control and dangerous as all of you are, I don’t see any of you willing to strap on a suicide vest on you or your children."
Negotiating with those who think you are Satan: "We’re stupid. Americans must reconnect with common sense."
"Hopefully this time, we will not forget the real source of power, A, the people, but more importantly, our God, the God we all have in common." 9:40 PM
"I have a smaller role at the table than most of you…. I am trying to make up for lost time." (applause.)
Beck found Jefferson after he sobered up.
"In regards to the Jewish people and Israel, until you have been chased and killed in country after country, until you are truly friendless … until that is you, you have no idea what it’s like to have a place to finally rest your head, while someone in exactly the same position takes the night watch and watches for you and your family.
"It is time that the world declares firmly in a unified voice that Israel not only has a right to live but to live as a Jewish state..
"For once and for all the good people of the world must remember there is a difference between good and evil, and we must choose."
Male voice: "We love you Glenn Beck!" cheers.
Beck: "That’s somewhat disturbing coming from a man, but I mean, look at me, I’ll take it."
"Evil is becoming so clear, evil is taking the mask off. Evil always wears a hood, the KKK — it rarely comes in in a snappy uniform, but it has in the past. Only when it has scared everyone into the shadows does it take the mask off. In Iran, the mask is off." 9:45 PM
"Israel is the canary in the coalmine. As Israel goes, so goes the Western way of life."
Just noticed: Beck has a goatee!
Talking about lesson millions have died for: "We must love one another. When we stop seeing Israelis as apart from us and instead as us, we can move to the next level."
Likens life to "Angry Birds" You don’t get to the next level until you get it right.
Quotes Ruth: "To my Jewish friends: I beg of you, entreat you … where you go I wlll go, where you lodge, I will lodge, your people shall be my people, your God shall be my God, where you die I will die and there I’ll be buried." 9:52 PM
"We don’t need to become superhuman, just human…
Quotes Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Calls for a "God fearing, vigilant armed society…"
"God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to stand is to take a stand."
"I am trying to teach my children courage." (Chokes. Silence in the room.)
"I and my family will stand against anyone trying to erase liquidate or round up any group of people," includes Muslims.
In a world "trying to cast out the Jew the Gentile or the Muslim just because of who they are" he will no longer be a human.
"Count me a Jew and come for me first."
"Show me the Jews — I’m one." Raises his hand. So do people in the audience. 9:57 PM
"We are not the Christians of the Crusades, we are the Christians United for Israel and these are the things we find self-evident, and in support of this declaration we mutually declare our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. God bless you, God bless the US and God bless Israel." 9:59 PM
Lots of Israeli US flags, rams horns.
