Republicans, Jews, and Jim DeMint
Two local GOP chairman invoke an anti-Semitic stereotype—as a compliment
"There are some people out there who just aren't very good at compliments," said Alex Koppelman in Salon. Take Edwin Merwin and James Ulmer, the county chairs in the South Carolina Republican Party who wrote a letter to a local paper defending the fiscal conservatism of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). But, clearly, saying that DeMint is like a Jew "watching our nation's pennies" was not the best way to express their support.
This has to be "one of the more idiotic political defenses in recent memory," said David Paul Kuhn in RealClearPolitics. Sure, Edwin Merwin and James Ulmer made their dumb remark to a small-town newspaper—but it won't be "well received by the national Republican Party," which is trying to "make inroads into the Jewish vote" and portray itself as a more inclusive party. This small story won't hurt much—but it certainly won't help.
There's no denying that this was "a stupid statement," said William A. Jacobson in Legal Insurrection. "The penny-pinching Jew part of it, that is," not the bit about how Jim DeMint is helping our nation succeed by reining in spending. But let's hold all people who make hateful statements about Jews—are you listening, Al Sharpton?—to the same standards.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Making a police state out of the liberal university'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Try 6 free issues of The Week Junior
Spark your child's curiosity with The Week Junior - the award-winning current affairs magazine for 8-14s.
By The Week Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published