Republican Jewish Coalition Official Spends Day Lying To Reporters About Obama

Suzanne Kurtz, communications director for the Republican Jewish Coalition, spent her afternoon knowingly misleading -- if not downright lying -- to reporters.

On Monday, the RJC blasted out a press release calling on Barack Obama to "disinvite" Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) from his upcoming trip to Israel.

"If Barack Obama is getting advice from Chuck Hagel about Israel, then the American Jewish community has a lot to worry about," the organization's press release read, citing five examples of Hagel's "abysmal record on Israel."

The problem: Hagel isn't going to Israel with Obama. He and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) are flying with the Illinois Senator to Iraq and Afghanistan, but not to Israel or Europe. The RJC should have known this, as it was already public knowledge. The UK Telegraph (among other outlets) reported:

"The senators [including Hagel] will be part of a 'congressional delegation' to Afghanistan and Iraq likely to travel to the war zones as early as the end of this week. Afterwards, Mr Obama will break off for a separate trip on his campaign plane to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain."

And yet, throughout the afternoon, the RJC continued to propagate what was, at best, something they couldn't confirm and, at worst, a lie. Contacted by the Huffington Post at 2PM ET, Kurtz stumbled and nervously laughed away questions about whether or not she knew her organization's statement to be false. She would not answer whether the RJC would retract it, saying only, "if we retract it, it will be evident."

This, of course, was evasive. And four hours later -- with no retraction evident -- the Huffington Post contacted Kurtz once more. What followed was a foray into the surreal.

Why are you listing Hagel as a companion on Obama's Israel trip if the Telegraph and other news outlets say he won't be there?

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"I think what is really interesting is that Chuck Hagel seems to be the latest in the long line of advisers and associates that Sen. Obama surrounds himself with that really have anti-Israel statements and biases," said Kurtz.

Um... The question had nothing to do with Hagel's record.

"I think it is absolutely about Chuck Hagel's record and the votes."

Ok, let's try a different tact. Yes or no, did the RJC believe Obama was going to Israel with Chuck Hagel?

"I can tell you that it is very interesting that Sen. Obama continues to seek the counsel and companionship of those that have..."

That's not what I'm asking.

"We are going around in a circle you understand."

Yes, I do. Is it easy or difficult to have to repeat the same exact answer, no matter what?

"Is it tough to keep asking the same question again and again?"

Do you think it is the least bit misleading that your website says Obama is going to Israel with Hagel, even though he's not.

"I don't think it is misleading. I think if he is or isn't is a question to be directed to the Obama campaign."

The result: A senior aide to the Obama campaign said that Hagel would not be going with him to Israel.

And as of 7:30 PM ET, the press release remains on RJC's website.

Comments

[presto]

Mountain: Meet molehill. Obviously, the RJC is concerned about the relationship between Hagel and Obama and consequently about Hagel's record on Jewish issues. Whether he is there on the Israel segment of the trip or only the Iraq segment has nothing to do with those concerns. Badgering a press secretary who clearly did not know what was going on does not justify charges of lying, nor does the fact that you were unable to force an immediate website update based on a British tabloid blurb.

[midtown]

GOOD FOR YOU, SAM STEIN. 'Reporting 101' served you well, and now its serving us. Well. Thanks.

[mlaiuppa]

Wow. Republicans lying. That *is* news.

[nyboomer]

Who'd have thunk that a Republican would ever lie to the media and to the public?

Is there such an animal as a truthful Repubican political operative? Perhaps we'll find one when we land on Mars. None have ever been located on this planet.

[ssb752]

I know it. You know it. Some of God's children know it. The truth must be said repeatly until all of God's children know it.

[prattvictory]

Sam Fox is behind this group. The guy who helped fund the Swiftboaters.

[midtown]

So is Adelson.

[kay]

Adelson owns the largest casino in China.

He and his wife fund 527's to promote the drug war in the US.

Interestingly, they also own a chain of rip-off drug treatment centers.

The WSJ has a very unflattering portrait of Mr. Adelson in today's paper.

[whiteboyblues]

You know, one of the problems with America's foreign policy is the AIPAC

[semorg]

well said!

[JustADumbFireman]

AIPAC IS America's foreign policy!

[majorteddy]

If the Mc Cain supporters can't lie, they can't talk.

[edtastic]

Let me make a wild guess if this were about the "Republican Christian Council" do you think they would send a press release complementing Obama? Does this only matter because it is the Republican Jewish Council and all things Jewish are of some special importance?

Republican Jewish Council .... Emphasis on REPULBICAN. They are trying to get McCain elected, the whole point is to DOG OBAMA. I am not outraged because they are doing what they suppose to. Tampering with the truth is apart of politics. You can call them on it, they will just lie about something else next week. That is politics.

What I want to know is where does the RJC get off attacking Chuck Hagel. I am pretty tired of people lobbying for foreign interest, Chuck Hagel ought not be penalized for putting America first. If Chuck Hagel was not being Pro America then fine, but if he is not being Pro Israel why should we care. The premise of their attack was wrong. We are not all Pro Israel, but the RJC clearly takes our support for granted. I guess that is how you put together the meme of invincible support for Israel.

Lastly, enough of this Jewish Vote obsession already. Their are plenty of demographics to cover if anybody bothered. That last time I checked the election is about more than 2.2% of the population and a their assumed relationship with Israel.

[dsbsh]

Add to your comments the fact that despite all the GOP chest-pounding about Israel, over 75% of the Jewish Vote is reliably Democratic. Most Jewish Americans are liberal to moderate-liberal, and the GOP has a crappy track record on minor issues like social justice and equality. It's not about votes; it's about the money that groups like RJC and AIPAC get from a tiny group of wealthy Jews-- who merely pretend to speak for most of us.

[darthdarcy]

The Old Testament is drenched in Blood...

I'm a New Testament guy myself that's why these Evangelists and Jewish zealots are always for war they are all about the Old Testament and not about Jesus and humanity...or humility...

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

There is plenty of blood through both testaments of the Bible. Perhaps it time for a re-read.

[70sFez]

Yes, read it cover-to-cover and you will realize atheism is the place to be.

[whatsthatsound]

Please, please, please....
Exactly WHERE in this post do you find anything that leads you to make blanket statements about a whole group of people, and disparage their culture? Or is that just your stuff?

[pkohan]

That's why all those "Left Behind" novels are so peaceful, right? That's why we have such periods of history as The Crusades and The Inquisition, right?

[popecorvo]

It is not the "Old" Testament.

It is the Hebrew Bible.

[Mort]

Seems to me there's something in the law of Moses about bearing false witness.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

One of the top ten, if I remember correctly.

[Passenger57]

This is one of the things that bugs me about organized religion...
A) The religion will be used to justify barbaric actions, when necessary.
B) The religion will be completely ignored, when necessary.
C) If all else fails, the person asks "to be forgiven" for what they did.
Or the religion is used to control the populace,while the controllers are living REAL good.And when they're called on it,what do they do? See A,B,or C above...

[cdnnewsjunky]

'Seems to me there's something in the law of Moses about bearing false witness." - Mort

Your just looking at the easy to read parts of the tablets, the ones written with lightning bolts. Apparently a needle was employed to minutely scratch in some caveats for Republicans and sociopaths, for compassionate reasons.

[MrJaxon]

There you go with your FACTS Mort....

[111]

before false witness there is an admonition to not kill/murder ... that doesn't seem to count for much

[Birdman]

I guess the only thing to conclude here is that you are a republican through and through regardless of your religious beliefs, You would think though that the supposed holier then thow crowd would get it that lying is not exactly going to get you brownie points with god.

[JJBerg]

are you kidding? that's all that crowd is good at...

[BaileyWo]

Not true. They make the best potato salad in the world to go with the fried chicken and grape cool aid.

[mollysgran]

And she probably wonders why people get upset with RJC. But, if they do, then she can turn it around and call it discrimination.

[pakiman]

Or anti-semitism...

[TexasDem0]

Lying is a badge of honor for cheerleader Republicans praising the BushCo crime syndicate.
However, if a Democrat lies, it becomes the trigger for the elephant stampede for impeachment.

[BaileyWo]

That's right. "I did not have sex with that woman," got Bill Clinton impeached. "Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction; he helped al Qaida attack New York; and he's planning to attack Saudi Arabia, Israel, Thomas Road Baptist Church and the Vatican Archives with nuclear missiles" got over 100,000 civilians killed, cost America 850 billion dollars and got Bush reelected. I can see the mushroom cloud over Michael Moore's house now. Has Jeb Bush opened up his bomb shelter bid'ness yet?

[Trogenhorse]

Thank you Huffington Post for trying to get to the trueth. So rare does any media system do real journalism

[BaileyWo]

FYI, there's no "e" in "truth." That's what cost Elvin Hayes his place on the OJ Simpson grand jury.

[kellygrrrl]

it seems pretty clear that the ReThugs have got nothing to go on but LIES

it seems equally clear that many Americans are perfectly comfortable with the LIES

[ThomasMc]

Of course they lie. Republicans are psychopathic liars.
That's why they're Republicans. Duh.