Quote · The Rest Is Politics: US
199. White House Shouting Match: Is Trump Sabotaging His Own Party?
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Can a Jewish or Gay Candidate Win the Presidency? And What Does Netanyahu's Legacy Mean?
At 37:12 · chapter starts 33:20
The conversation deepens into the question of electability and identity. Katty Kay sets up the Josh Shapiro problem: he is a formidable governor of Pennsylvania with strong executive credentials, but his position on Israel — supporting US military aid while being critical of Netanyahu — is no longer viable in today's Democratic primary. [1] — Anthony Scaramucci "Anthony Scaramucci asked bluntly: can a Jewish candidate or a gay candidate win the US presidency today? His honest answer is no — despite …" 36:17 She contrasts him with Jon Ossoff, the Georgia senator who has been sharply opposed to blanket military aid, and notes Ossoff is gaining momentum while Shapiro's numbers face headwinds. The Israel needle, she argues, can no longer be threaded. Scaramucci goes further — he asks the direct question: can a Jewish candidate win the presidency? His honest answer is no, and the same goes for Pete Buttigieg. Both men are clearly qualified, he says, but the country isn't there yet. On America's 250th anniversary, Katty Kay delivers a sobering coda: all men are still not created equal in the eyes of the electorate. The hosts then discuss Joe Scarborough's Monday monologue — which Scaramucci generously calls phenomenal — and his claim that Netanyahu has damaged the Israeli brand in America. Scaramucci reflects more personally, drawing on his visits to Yad Vashem and the historical assimilation of Jews in Germany, to ask whether it is fair to see Netanyahu as a disaster for that brand. Both agree it is fair. Kay adds the generational dimension: the Democrats now going to the polls have only ever known Netanyahu, and they associate the entire state of Israel with his actions.
Katty Kay argues Josh Shapiro is a superb candidate in almost every way — but the Democratic Party's shift on Israel makes it impossible for him to hold the position he currently holds and win a 2028 primary. The New York results this week made that clearer than ever.
Katty Kay argued that Josh Shapiro, despite being a strong candidate otherwise, will struggle to thread the needle on Israel in today's Democratic Party and may be unelectable in a 2028 primary.
Anthony Scaramucci said that despite their qualifications, he believes neither a Jewish candidate nor a gay candidate could currently be elected president of the United States.
Anthony Scaramucci asked bluntly: can a Jewish candidate or a gay candidate win the US presidency today? His honest answer is no — despite Josh Shapiro and Pete Buttigieg both being exceptionally qualified. On America's 250th anniversary, this is a sobering verdict on how far equality has actually come.
Democrats swept New York City's primaries with democratic socialists. Republicans will use that footage in every suburban district from Iowa to Pennsylvania. Katty Kay's warning: the voters deciding the midterms are not in Brooklyn — and Democrats risk handing the GOP a perfect script while celebrating in Manhattan.
