Philip Weiss of Mondoweiss.net joins the show to talk about the Israel Lobby’s influence over Bill Clinton’s 1992 defeat of George Bush Sr., and the ways the lobby continues to assert itself in American politics. Weiss tells the story of Bush deliberately standing up to Israeli lobbyists, thinking he didn’t need their support to win, but ended up realizing that the move probably cost him the election—to this day the lobby has a tight hold on the Republican Party, and even many democrats. Opposition to Israeli influence today is much more prominent in the form of the BDS movement. Scott explains that when Israel and its lobbyists loudly decry BDS, it only draws attention to them. More importantly, it makes Americans, and American Jews in particular, start looking into why anyone would want to oppose Israel in the first place. Indeed the anti-Zionist movement enjoys many supporters among American Jews.

Discussed on the show:

• Bush’s opposition to Israel in ’91 hurt his bid for second term, and skewed U.S. foreign policy right (Mondoweiss)
• “The Lobby – USA” (Libertarian Institute)
• Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
• “The Zion Game” (nymag.com)
• Oslo Accords
• Timber Sycamore

Philip Weiss is the long-time editor of Mondoweiss.net. Follow him on Twitter @PhilWeiss.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Kesslyn Runs, by Charles Featherstone; NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Roberts and Roberts Brokerage Inc.; Zen Cash; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; and LibertyStickers.com.

Check out Scott’s Patreon page.

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