Daily Kickoff
HEARD AT MILKEN — Senator Lindsey Graham on Trump, ISIS: The Republican Party has lost its way and Donald Trump as its nominee for president in the fall does not have the basic understanding how to defeat the Islamic State, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said during a panel on “ISIS and Global Terrorism: What It Will Take to Defeat Them” moderated by Daily Beast editor Michael Weiss at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Tuesday. “To the Donald, why don’t you go live in Qaddafi’s Libya? Why don’t you go live in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq? You want to be the leader of the friggin’ free world and you want dictators to come back? You reject Democracy as a good thing?” Graham said. “I’m a Republican. My party has lost its way in terms of the Donald. Here’s what I believe, we’re not the policemen of the world but we’re the glue that holds the world together.”
“To those who think you can win this war without some of us over there, you’re wrong. To those who think you can win this war through military action, you’re equally wrong,” the Republican senator stressed. Graham continued, “The consequences of the outcome of Syria, Iraq, and Libya matter a lot to us. There’s two things going on in the Middle East. The fight for social justice, and whether Donald wants it or not, people are not going to live in a country where the dictator has everything and most people get nothing. Those days are over. Number two, there’s a fight for the heart and soul of Islam between people who’d kill everybody in this room and people that live in peace with you. Here’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to side with the young people demanding a better way of life and social justice, and I’m going to work with those who would kill the terrorists and live in peace with us.” [YouTube]
Spotted on the sidelines: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and prominent attorney Norman Brownstein [Pic]
Eric Cantor at Milken admitted his Davos prediction that Trump wouldn’t win a single state was way off, adding “conventional wisdom has been wrong this entire election season and many of us have been advocates of conventional wisdom.” [Twitter]
RESULTS: “Donald Trump All but Clinches G.O.P. Race With Indiana Win; Ted Cruz Quits” by Jonathan Martin and Patrick Healy: “Donald J. Trump became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday with a landslide win in Indiana that drove his principal opponent, Senator Ted Cruz, from the race and cleared the way for the polarizing, populist outsider to take control of the party.” [NYTimes]
“Inside Cruz’s Crumbling Campaign” by Shane Goldmacher and Katie Glueck: “He sold himself as trustworthy. Rivals made sure voters didn’t buy it.” [Politico]
The Trump Tower Scene Last Night — by Jacob Kornbluh: “Unlike his New York primary victory and the 5-state sweep last week, the party at Trump headquarters last evening was more reserved and subdued. Jared Kushner and Ivanka replaced Chris Christie to Trump’s right, while Trump’s wife Melania and son Donald Jr. stood to his left. Kushner, who reportedly drafted his father-in-law’s AIPAC speech, smiled shyly as Trump acknowledged him in his victory speech. He was also noticed clapping heartily as Trump promised that if elected as president, Americans will say “Merry Christmas” once again.”
“Trump’s senior staffers Corey Lewandowski and Michael Glassner could hardly contain their emotion as the networks called the race for Trump. As Cruz delivered his concession speech, aired on CNN, they stood with their arms folded and closely watched their now-defeated rival exiting the stage. Following Cruz’s remarks, Lewandowski, Glassner and Trump’s social media director Dan Scavino joined in a group hug to celebrate the news.”
Heard on MSNBC: Brian Williams commenting on the ‘reporter’ in the live TV frame at Trump Tower wearing a “stunning shirt and matching yarmulke” The gentleman said he donned the yarmulke in a show of support to his daughter who’s on a trip to Israel. [Twitter]
Ari Fleischer: “There’s a lot about Donald Trump that I don’t like, but I’ll vote for Trump over Hillary any day.” [Twitter] • Fleischer’s prior tweet six hours earlier: “The Media Keeps Letting Trump Get Away With His Iraq Lie” [Twitter]
Noam Neusner: “Clearly I’m disappointed that Mr. Trump is now the leader of our party in the upcoming election, because I don’t recognize the Republican Party in many of his views, and also in his manner.” [Twitter]
Jeffrey Goldberg: “Tomorrow, Obama national security team will begin debating plan to arm moderate Republican rebels.” [Twitter]
Box CEO Aaron Levie: “Dear people outside America: Don’t judge us by our presidential election process, judge us by our Apple products.” [Twitter]
Rabbi Shmuliy Boteach: “Nick Muzin did an amazing job for Ted Cruz. a proud Orthodox Jew, he is now the best candidate for President of Yeshiva University.” [Twitter]
Cruz Senior Advisor Nick Muzin tells us: “None of us should ever get used to losing, but I am proud of the campaign we ran, which by all accounts was the most disciplined and effective campaign of this election season. The Jewish community’s contributions to our efforts cannot be overstated. The financial support was critical to help Senator Cruz break out of the pack of 17 candidates, and enabled our campaign to outlast many others, but also the friendship and moral support (and votes) helped lift our spirits during a rough and tumble campaign. For that, Ted and I will always be grateful. It was a blessing to work with so many friends, and I know we will continue to work together to do great things in the years ahead.”
TOP TALKER — Trump: Israel should keep building West Bank settlements: “In an interview with Daily Mail on Monday, Trump was asked whether he would call on Israel to halt new construction in the settlements in order to bring the Palestinians to the negotiating table. “No, I don’t think there should be a pause,” Trump said. “I think Israel really has to keep going. They have to keep moving forward.” There are “thousands of missiles being launched into Israel,” Trump asserted. “Who would put up with that? Who would stand for it?” Nevertheless, Trump reiterated his commitment to pursue peace between Israel and the Palestinians. “I mean lasting peace, not a peace that lasts for two weeks and they start launching missiles again,” he stressed.” [DailyMail; JI]
Marc Schulman: “When I was discussing the American election with a neighborhood barista Monday morning, he said to me, “Trump will be good for Israel.” But among more sophisticated foreign policy experts, the view is quite the opposite. There is real fear that if Trump were to become the next American president, the U.S. would withdraw from the world.” [Newsweek]
“NY Poll: Jewish Voters Overwhelmingly View Trump Negatively” by Jacob Kornbluh: “Trump’s image among Jewish voters is underwater by 58 percent. Only 19 percent view the father of Ivanka Trump and former Grand Marshal at the Israel Day Parade favorably. A whopping 77 percent have an unfavorable view of him. Clinton is viewed favorably by 57 percent of Jewish voters and unfavorably by 42 percent. In February, Clinton had a 16-point negative rating (37/53 favorable/unfavorable).” [JewishInsider]
Aaron David Miller: “Mrs. Clinton may have more hawkish instincts than President Obama, but there is little reason to doubt that her preference for U.S. engagement in the world is through diplomacy, political and cultural soft power, and economic strength.” [WSJ]
“Hillary Clinton Pressed for an Israeli National Unity Government in 2009, New Book Claims” by Barak Ravid: “On Hillary Clinton’s first visit to Jerusalem as U.S. secretary of state in 2009, about a month after the elections in Israel, she pressed then-Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to accede to Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal for a national unity government, according to a new book published in the US.” [Haaretz]
MOU: “Differences over missile defense, fine print snag U.S.-Israel aid deal” by Dan Williams and Patricia Zengerle: “Negotiations meant to enshrine U.S. defense aid for Israel over the next decade have snagged on disputes about the size, scope and fine print of a new multibillion-dollar package, officials say. Israel is seeking up to $10 billion more than the current 10-year package and billions more than the U.S. administration is offering, partly by asking for guaranteed funding for missile defense projects hitherto funded on an ad hoc basis by the U.S. Congress, the officials said.” [Reuters]
The Jewish Journal’s Ryan Torok attended a Milken panel with Admiral Michael Mullen and Gen. Stanley McChrystal where Admiral Mullen was asked about the Iranian regime: “There is a path there possibly for a peaceful outcome in Iran and in that part of the world [but it is a] very, very difficult path and it is a tough issue. It [the Iran deal] wasn’t a 100-0 vote on the part of myself but I am petrified of the regime. I led in the military where I lost an awful lot of Americans. I know the hardliners that are in that country they have a long term view of the country—[they want to see] the state of Persia—[they’re looking at] the history of civilization and their implementation of that scares me to death.”
“I believe if Iran wants a nuclear weapon they will get a nuclear weapon. I had some hope [Iranian President Hassan] Rouhani is the right guy. Recent elections were somewhat constructive in that regard but I think he has long way to go. The younger population is looking for different way of life, I understand that… [but] until they stop the enhanced level… of terrorism, which they support, until they show they want to be a legitimate international country on the international stage—from a responsibility standpoint they have an opportunity to create incredible turmoil in a part of the world so tumultuous anyway.” [Video]
BUSINESS BRIEFS: “Ari Bousbib’s IMS Health to Buy Quintiles in $9 Billion Pharma Data Deal” [Bloomberg] • “Salesforce’s Marc Benioff Has Kicked Off New Era of Corporate Social Activism” [WSJ] • “Mark Ghermezian’s Appboy lands $20M to fast-track worldwide growth and focus on the mobile marketer” [VentureBeat] • “Marc Rowan’s Mediterranean restaurant The Arbor to replace Ciao by the Beach in Montauk” [Newsday] • “Connecticut Home of Edgar Bronfman Sr. Seeks $7.995 Million” [WSJ] • “Sheldon Silver Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison” [WSJ]
STARTUP SPOTLIGHT: “Israeli immigrant is hummus broker to New York’s elite” by David Kaufman: “His chickpea spread’s très chic. By day, Ohad Fisherman, 30, is a handsome, smartly dressed real estate broker. By night, he’s a hummus maker for the city’s elite legume lovers. Three years ago, shortly after moving to New York from his native Israel, Fisherman launched Hummus Joonam. He was fed up with subpar American brands such as Sabra and thought he could do better. “I figured, let them try my version,” says Fisherman. “The rest is history.” Gotham real estate titan Joe Sitt had 20 Joonam tubs flown via private jet to Tulum, Mexico, where he was on vacation. Other fans include Joe Nakash, the billionaire founder of Jordache jeans; Kardashian ex Scott Disick; and reality star Jonathan Cheban.” [NYPost]
STARTUP NATION: “Will.i.am’s Smartwatch Startup Acquires Israeli Firm” by Garrett Reim: “Smartwatch manufacturer i.am+, founded and backed by hip-hop musician will.i.am, has acquired Israeli machine learning company Sensiya. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. I.am+ of Hollywood makes a smartwatch named the Dial, which hasn’t been released yet. The company has been working with Sensiya to develop software that learns from the behavior of watch wearers and adjusts to anticipate users’ needs. Sensiya employs a team of 25 people outside of Tel Aviv, Israel.” [LABizJournal]
OFF DUTY TRAVEL: “A Luxurious Adventure Vacation in a Place You’d Never Expect” by Roger Toll: “Mitzpe Ramon—the only town in Israel’s largest national park, the Ramon Nature Reserve—is a playground for thrill-seekers. “It’s all-out adventure there,” said my friend, “You can go mountain biking, trekking, camping and off-roading into beautiful, remote areas.” That got my attention, but then he sealed the deal when he told me about Beresheet, an ultramodern resort hotel perched on the lip of the crater, that appears to have emerged whole from the desert.” [WSJ]
TALK OF OUR NATION: “‘Jew.’ Why does the word for a person of my religion sound like a slur?” by Susan Sommercamp: “My first boss right out of college was terrific — ambitious, warm and open to friendly lunches outside the office. Then one day in December, the topic turned to her plans for Christmas. She asked where I would be celebrating the holiday, and I said, “Oh, I don’t celebrate Christmas. I’m a Jew.” She gaped. I wasn’t expecting her response: “Why would you say something so derogatory about yourself?” “What?” She whispered, “You called yourself a Jew. That’s an awful word to use. It’s like saying n—–.” “No, it’s not. I’m just saying that I’m Jewish.” “They’re not the same. ‘Jewish’ is fine. ‘Jew’ is not. Really, I’m surprised you just said it out loud at work.” I tried to explain that to say one is a Jew is not offensive in the slightest, but she was adamant.” [WashPost]
“Films play special role in remembering Holocaust” by Aron Heller: “Israel will come to a standstill on Thursday as sirens wail for two minutes. In the annual ritual, pedestrians typically stop in their tracks, while cars and busses pull over and people step out to stand and bow their heads. Solemn events are held, melancholic music and interviews with survivors fill the airwaves, and TV stations show documentaries about the genocide. Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust museum has kicked off its annual remembrance ceremonies with a special screening of the Oscar-winning film “Son of Saul,” acknowledging the unique role movies play in maintaining the memory of the Holocaust.” [AP]
ACROSS THE POND: “Chief Rabbi: Labour has a ‘severe’ problem with anti-Semitism” by Peter Dominiczak: “In his first intervention in the anti-Semitism row that has engulfed Labour, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis criticises the “poisonous invective” and “politics of distortion” from party members such as Ken Livingstone.” [Telegraph]
DESSERT: “Backing ‘Brexit,’ A Salmon Smokehouse Says It’s Been Swimming Upstream” by Lauren Frayer: “On the banks of a canal in industrial east London sits Britain’s oldest salmon smokehouse: H. Forman & Son. Inside, 80 employees help fillet and salt salmon by hand, then hang the fish in giant smokers. It’s the same method used by the company’s founder, Harry Forman, 111 years ago. “He was an Eastern European Jewish immigrant that fled the pogroms — he came from Ukraine — and settled in London’s East End in the late 19th century,” says his great-grandson Lance Forman.” [NPR]
BIRTHDAYS: Former Chairman of AIG, Maurice R. “Hank” Greenberg, turns 91… Best selling Israeli author, Amos Oz (born Amos Klausner), turns 77… URJ’s Director of Youth Engagement Bradley Solmsen…
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