Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate seeking to oust longtime Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, visited with the Israeli Defense Forces upon returning from a short 36-hour trip on the ground in Israel, Fox News reported. – Explained digitally and considered the experience as evidence. After the October 7 Hamas attack, there have been calls for “solidarity” as the conflict poses a serious “test” for US leaders.
McCormick, a West Point graduate, Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient, is still digesting an “emotional” day and a half he spent visiting Israeli communities along the Gaza border where dozens of people were killed in October. “I can't stand it,” he told Fox News Digital over the phone. On the 7th, he will also meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Parliament Speaker Amir Ohana.
He and his wife, Dina Powell McCormick, who served as deputy national security adviser in former President Donald Trump's administration and were instrumental in the Abraham Accords, described the “emotionally tearing” experience of meeting with the families of Israeli hostages. Ta.
“We have six daughters, and I just try to be in their shoes and listen to their stories,” McCormick said. “I believe today is the 90th day since the hostages have been gone, and their families are still exploring the possibility of bringing their loved ones home.”
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Dave McCormick, Israeli Republican Senate candidate. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
McCormick said they also saw footage of Hamas attacks compiled by the Israel Defense Forces, which “highlights the incredible evil, wickedness and ferocity of Hamas, and makes clear that Hamas must be eradicated.” I'm just highlighting the facts.”
“We cannot coexist with this kind of evil genocidal act,” he added.
Recalling his meetings with Israeli Defense Forces officials, he said, “We literally looked over our shoulders to see how parts of military operations are working and how to minimize innocent casualties by innocent civilians.'' “I saw firsthand the precision and care that was taken to keep the number of cases to a minimum.”
“Seeing it first-hand reinforced the need for solidarity on behalf of America, solidarity with the Jewish people of Israel, solidarity with the forces of good versus evil, and the need to come together and stand against this horrific, horrific genocidal attack. .The need to eradicate Hamas,'' McCormick said. “If you listen to the conversations here in America, you'll see that there's no two sides to this story. There's only pure evil that needs to be eliminated. And it's impossible to coexist with a group of people who orchestrated “This is a horrific attack of this kind. So those were the two points: unity and the need to support the steps Israel is taking to completely eliminate Hamas.”
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick looks at photographic evidence of Hamas attacks on southern Israel. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
It also cited the rise in anti-Semitism in the United States since October 7, and Congressional testimony from the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who did not condemn calls for the slaughter of Jews on their campuses. McCormick said the Israel-Hamas war will serve as an “inflection point” and a test of the morality of American life.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick visited Israeli communities destroyed by Hamas. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
“This is a moment. This is a test. It's kind of a turning point, both in what's going on in America, but also in what's going on in the world. And it's a turning point, where leadership has complete moral clarity. “This is a moment where we need to stand up and look at what's going on and why America needs to take a very active leadership role in the world,” McCormick told FOX News Digital.
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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick meets with Israeli officials. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
“We have a progressive ideology that has kind of hijacked some of the fundamental principles that make America special, the idea of meritocracy, the belief that America is a force for good in the world. , and our leadership has been very weak, “not being able to proactively call balls and strikes about what's right and what's wrong,'' McCormick said of the United States. “And my opponent, Bob Casey, is a very clear example of his lack of moral clarity. He is not actively criticizing or actively criticizing people who are.” is. ”
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick sees a rainbow during a visit to Israel. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
When asked for comment by Fox News Digital, Casey's office said last month that Secretary of State Nihad Awad was “happy to see” the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. When asked about his support for CAIR, he pointed out that the senator “condemned this act.” “We unequivocally condemn this brutal and vicious attack on innocent Israeli civilians.”[s] Anti-Semitic and hateful comments by CAIR leadership, and any comments praising the despicable acts of Hamas terrorists. ”
The senator also released a statement on Oct. 7 saying the United States “must support Israel and its right to self-defense,” and in December he told leaders of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the department. A letter was sent requesting additional funding. So that the Office of Education and Civil Rights can address rising levels of anti-Semitism.
But Mr. McCormick criticized Mr. Casey for not “quickly calling in” the three university presidents who “educate some of the brightest minds.” In response, Casey's office pointed to a social media post in which he called current and former UPenn President Liz McGill's testimony “offensive,” saying, “Calling for the genocide of Jews is antithetical. It's Semitic, it's harassment, and it needs to stop completely.” Following McGill's resignation, Casey released a statement saying, “Her resignation allows the University of Pennsylvania to develop new policies to address anti-Semitism on campus.'' “We must ensure that the University of Pennsylvania campus is a safe environment, not a hostile one.” So that all students can learn without fear of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or racism of any kind. ”
Mr. McCormick's criticism of the incumbent Mr. Casey is not limited to events after Oct. 7, but also points out that the Democratic Party has been supporting the policies of the Obama and Biden administrations for several years, which weaken the U.S. position in the Middle East. He accused them of turning him into a
Dave McCormick visited Israel's Western Wall. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
“The original sin in relation to what's going on with Israel in the Middle East is the treatment of Iran,” he said. “And this, you know, started under the Obama administration. That kind of weakness and collusion carried over through the Biden administration, with Bob Casey and three different votes supporting the Biden administration. It has been wholeheartedly supported every step of the way.''The deal with Iran. ”
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick meets with IDF officials. (Dave McCormick Campaign/FOX News Digital)
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McCormick added that U.S. leadership “must start with the recognition that Iran is at the center of promoting this dangerous ideology and taking on terrorist groups around the Middle East.”
These groups include Hamas and Hezbollah, which continue to attack Israel, as well as Yemen's Houthis, who attacked ships in the Red Sea.
“So I think this is the moment that we're facing. That's the need for leadership, the need to be clear about right and wrong,” McCormick said. “About America – What is so special about America, with so many dark chapters, what makes it the greatest, most unique, and most exceptional country in the world?”
