CNN political analyst Kirsten Powers defended Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar on Thursday in the wake of allegedly anti-Semitic comments Omar has recently made.
WATCH:
“She wasn’t speaking about Jews having an allegiance as much as she was talking about members of Congress being pressured into having an allegiance,” Powers began, referencing Omar’s comments that she was expected to have “dual loyalty” to the United States and Israel. “If you actually look at the average pro-Israel member of Congress today, they’re more likely to be a Republican or an average person out in the country. They’re more likely to be an Evangelical Christian or a Republican, so it’s not necessarily talking about Jews having an allegiance.”
“It’s talking about the fact that she feels like she should be able to make criticisms about Israeli policy without being called anti-Semitic. Now she used the word ‘allegiance.’ I think she shouldn’t have done that, because I think it does [ignite] some fears that Jews understandably have. And I think that’s been explained to her,” she continued. (RELATED: Omar Facing More Accusations Of Anti-Semitism)
Powers concluded:
But, I am very uncomfortable with the way she has been singled out here, while we have a president who routinely makes racist comments about African-Americans’ IQs. He has made anti-Semitic comments as well and he has never been condemned. There’s never been a resolution by anybody on the Republican side, no resolution condemning him basically saying, you know, there’s good people on both sides. So why is this woman being singled out in the way she’s being singled out and having the weight of all of Washington come down on her?
The House passed a resolution condemning hate of all kinds Thursday, which did not mention Omar by name. The vote was 407-23, with all the nays coming from Republicans.