Progressive Podcasters Fume Over Newsom Backtracking on Israel Criticism: ‘Political Suicide’

Progressive media stars Jennifer Welch and Kyle Kulinski slammed California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for softening his recent claim that Israel is an “apartheid state,” with Kulinski arguing it was yet another example of Israeli lobbyists having a “stranglehold” on the Democratic Party. Kulinski added it was “political suicide” for Newsom to pull such “chickensh*t nonsense.”

The two pundits skewered Newsom on Welch’s I’ve Had It podcast on Wednesday. They started the show off by playing a clip of Newsom walking back his harshest claims about Israel a day earlier in an interview with Politico’s Jonathan Martin.

Newsom said “I revere the state of Israel. I’m proud to support the state of Israel” — before adding he “deeply, deeply” opposed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

When Martin asked if he regretted calling Israel an “apartheid state” during a podcast with former Obama officials Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor earlier this month, Newsom said “I do, in the context that I said it.”

Those comments did not sit well with Welch and Kulinski.

“I’ve heard enough,” Welch said, as she threw up her hand and stopped playing the clip.

“Why are we in this world where you cannot say a fact? That Israel is an apartheid state,” she continued. “Why do we have Democrats that are denying facts in the same way that MAGA does?”

“The main reason is the Israel lobby, right?” Kulinski responded.

Kulinski said Newsom was going against what “every major human rights group on the planet” believed about Israel — and that he was wrecking his chance of becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 2028 in the process.

Here was his key take:

At this point it’s just political suicide to still split the difference and somehow take like this middle path to the issue of Israel. Read the room!

Like, the Democratic base, I’ve seen polls, anywhere from 3% to a maximum of 15% actually supports Israel, and you think you’re going to be the nominee doing this chickensh*t nonsense? There’s no way that’s gonna work.”

Kulinski also argued Newsom was leaning on the “one bad man theory of politics,” where Israel would be great if only Netanyahu wasn’t leading it. Kulinski said that is “total BS.”

He pointed to Yair Lapid, the leader of the opposition party in Israel, who he said favors a plan where “Israel gets to crusade through the Middle East, basically steal the entire Middle East and create their own version of the Fourth Reich.”

Watch above via YouTube.

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