In carefully prepared written statements, Dan Seals says he stands with Israel...
"We must stand firmly and unequivocally with Israel against Iranian aggression." -- Seals Campaign Website
"During the 2006 Lebanon War, I spoke up forcefully in support of Israel." -- Seals Campaign Website
"I am absolutely committed to the safety and security of Israel." -- Seals Campaign Website
His Record
But when he’s not scripted, you never know where Dan really stands…
On Iran:
Dan Seals was asked who he would side with in a war between Israel and Iran. His answer: "I think you come down on the side of peace." Watch the video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=GNA_uuleoJM
On the 2006 Lebanon War:
Dan Seals was asked his position on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the midst of the 2006 Lebanon War. His answer: "You'll actually increase the number of radical Islam. We need to move toward a ceasefire." Watch the video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=pPuSvhVRN4E&feature=related
On U.S. Support for Israel:
On July 1, 2008 Dan Seals sent campaign workers to record a town hall meeting held by Congressman Mark Kirk in Buffalo Grove. One Seals campaign representative stood up and told the audience that America's image in the world has declined, in part due to America's biased support for Israel.
Keeping Strange Bedfellows:
On May 29, 2008, Dan Seals sent an urgent e-mail plea: "Help Bring General Wes Clark to the District!" Dan Seals asked supporters to help him "Serve with the General." Regarding U.S. policy toward Iran, Wes Clark told the Huffington Post: "The Jewish community is divided but there is so much pressure being channeled from the New York money people to the office seekers." In response, the Washington Editor of the Israeli Newspaper Ha'aretz made this comment: "It is, actually, rather troubling, even scary. People in elite circles somehow came to the conclusion that denouncing the Jewish community and its support for Israel is now becoming acceptable. Walt and Mearsheimer came first, then former president Carter, now Clark."
In 2007, Dan Seals served as a featured "Future Leader" panelist at the YearlyKos Convention in Chicago. DailyKos regularly features anti-Israel and, in some cases, anti-Semitic blog posts. The Convention featured only one panel on foreign policy – and it featured anti-Israel notables including John Mearsheimer and Juan Cole. In an interview at the Convention later posted on YouTube, Cole said, "These are my homies. This is my audience. The bloggers and the blogopshere are really people who know my work."
Also last year, former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. -- a Democrat -- took the founder of DailyKos to task on his Web site's slanders against Jewish-Americans.
Earlier this year, DailyKos named Seals one of its top candidates for 2008. They even set up a fund raising drive for him called "Orange to Blue."
Seals went a step further and took contributions from DailyKos' founder, Markos Moulitsas.
This year, YearlyKos changed its name to "Netroots Nation" and hosted their annual conference in Austin, TX. Seals attended Netroots Nation as a featured "future leader." Seals told Real Clear Politics. "We have a relationship. Long before the Democratic Party was returning my phone calls, we had the interest of the Netroots who quietly discovered our campaign and started writing about it and spreading the word. So that relationship is already there, and I'm indebted to the work of a lot of people who've helped out."
That means Dan Seals is indebted to people who say Iran has a right to attack Israel; people who blame "Apartheid Israel" for trying to start World War III; and people who write a eulogy on the decline and death of Israel.
Overall Experience on U.S.-Israel Issues:
Dan Seals has visited Israel only once in his life -- in the spring of 2006 after he won the Democratic nomination for Congress.
Even Democrats Question His Support:
Former White House Jewish Liaison Jay Footlik ran against Dan Seals in the Democratic primary this year. During their joint appearance before the Chicago Tribune on December 11, 2007, Footlik blasted Seals:
"Footlik: We disagree also as it relates to a comment that my primary
opponent made last time. He was asked in a conflict between Iran and Israel
where he would come down. He said it was a false choice, he'd come down on the
side of peace. I would clearly come down on the side of our allies – one of our
strongest allies in the region – one of our most important strategic
relationships.
Chicago Tribune: Do you think that [Seals] has taken any positions on
tangible issues that would undermine Israel's security?
Footlik: Well if he is not willing to come out forcefully and oppose Iran.
And I don't know that he is not willing to do that, but certainly his statement
saying that he would come down on the side of peace suggests to me that he may
not know what to do."
If fellow Democrats are even questioning Seals' commitment to Israel, don't you think there's a problem here?
