July 24, 2024, may be one of the most special days in America.
In the end, the events of the 24th did not bring the same overwhelming shock and trauma as the September 11, 2001, attack on Pearl Harbor or the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
but,noNever before in American history has a current or former president and an Israeli prime minister preached in the same country, on the same day, on such crucial issues of the greatest consequence for their respective nations.
beginningAt 2 p.m., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress for the fourth time. In a bid to stay politically viable, Netanyahu has been taking aim at the country’s far-right and using support from the Republican-leaning Congress to bolster his cause.
Four hours later, Donald TrumpRally at Bojangles’ ColiseumAt the speech, which took place near Charlotte, he was scheduled to unveil his campaign platform to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in November’s election.
To accomplish these three goals, President Joe Biden will hold an 8 p.m.Speaking from a resolute desk in the Oval Officewill not seek reelection and will insteadTurn the torch” to the next generation.
The combination itself was extraordinary, but what was said and how it was said was equally extraordinary.
Carefully prepared and hotaddressPrime Minister Netanyahu broke all the bounds of cynicism and hypocrisy he displayed in that chamber.
that About 40,000 Palestinians died So far, no legitimate observer has worst Of all I’ve ever seen Not mentioned By Mr. Netanyahu. Instead, Mr. Netanyahu Claimed The Israel Defense Forces carried out one of the most successful operations in history to minimize collateral damage.
Despite the evidence and analysis,weandEnglandIn response to the military’s complete denial of these allegations, Prime Minister NetanyahuClaimBased on findings from the soleFacultyAt West Point.
Netanyahu is veryDeadlyAmerican protesters against the Gaza warA useful idiotWhat would have been the reaction of Israelis if an American leader in the Knesset had called Israeli citizens exercising their right to free speech “useful idiots”?
The worst part is the number of people standing.ApplauseNetanyahu made some of his most repulsive statements and blatant lies, and many of the events that followed were unacceptable to extremists on both the left and the right. All of this was perversely abnormal.
Trump said:newAfter narrowly escaping death, Trump could have abandoned his preference for a scorched earth approach in which insulting, denigrating and denigrating his opponent would be the means to victory.
But Trump quickly dismissed the idea and reverted to past practice.Liar Kamala,“”of”Worst Vice President in History.”
Clearly, Trump will choose ad hominem attacks as his weapon of choice to bash Harris rather than cast his lot in a serious debate on serious issues. That is how and why Trump lost in 2020, a stunning admission of political malfeasance and incompetence.
To most observers, Biden’sfarewell addressNot only was it disappointing, Biden failed to present a compelling argument for why now is the time to pass the baton in defense of democracy, and why he should not immediately step down from office.
Biden expressed relief and resignation at the decision, but what was extraordinary about his speech was his failure to acknowledge the gravity of this historic decision.
Netanyahu and Trump presided over what can only be described as a show devoid of facts, truth and common sense, both of whom relied on demagoguery to promote their cause and future.longevityWhat holds the power lies in how well each can distort the record to appeal to the rawest emotions of their cult-like devotees.
Biden’s case is sadder and more selfish. By waiting until he was forced to make this decision, Biden denied Democrats any opportunity to choose a successor. Harris’s pick may have been inevitable, but this was an extraordinary rejection of the democratic process and the reasons we should defend our democracy.
Where does America go from here?
In Congress, we may never know how far that institution will descend in abandoning decorum and standards.Most Americans wanted an alternative.Harris may not be the right choice for Trump and Biden, but there are two conclusions to be drawn here.
First, shame on Congress for giving Prime Minister Netanyahu a platform to vent his frustrations, and second, shame on the American people for allowing our politics to deteriorate to this point.
Dr. Harlan Ullman (@harlankullman) is a senior advisor at the Atlantic Council and lead author of “Shock and Awe” Military Doctrine. His twelfth book, “The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How a Massive Disruption Attack Became a Looming Existential Crisis for a Divided Nation and the Entire World,” is available on Amazon.
