Daily Kickoff
CONVENTION ROLL CALL — Fred Zeidman emails us… “I’m not going. No special reason just didn’t have any compelling reason to go. I was all in for Jeb and once he dropped out I just decided to be a spectator.”
Jay Zeidman: “I am not going. It is sad that so many people who spoke out against Trump are now willing to support him just because he’s the nominee. You don’t have to vote for either candidate, but rather can focus on important House and Senate races. People like Elise Stefanik, Will Hurd and Carlos Curbelo are the future of our party and that’s where we need to put our energy. Supporting an a egomaniac who uses Twitter bullying tactics to communicate his message of division, petty attacks, and lack of policy depth is not someone who is fit to step in to the Oval Office.”
Charlie Spies tells us: “I anticipate pressing client matters keeping me in DC during the convention.”
Also not going: Tevi Troy, Noam Neusner, and Yitz Applbaum.
TOP TALKER: “New GOP Platform Language Removes Two-State Solution” by Jacob Kornbluh: “We reject the false notion that Israel is an occupier,” the platform’s language on Israel, approved by a subcommittee in Cleveland on Monday, reads. “Support for Israel is an expression of Americanism, and it is the responsibility of our government to advance policies that reflect Americans’ strong desire for a relationship with no daylight between America and Israel.” The platform reinstates a reference to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital of Israel by saying, “We recognize Jerusalem as the eternal and indivisible capital of the Jewish state, and call for the American embassy to be moved there in fulfillment of U.S. law.” [JewishInsider; CNN]
Jeff Ballabon tells us: “The language of the Clemmons amendment was adopted by a landslide. We wholeheartedly endorse the new Israel plank and we hope and pray and are working to ensure that the full committee adopts the subcommittee’s language as well. The new language is much more in line with GOP voters – and stands far more clearly with Israel’s sovereignty and security. Pro-Israel voters will be confronted with a very, very clear choice in 2016.”
NJDC on GOP platform: “When it comes to Republican rhetoric on Israel and the two state solution, they can’t even find themselves to be inline with the rhetoric of the Prime Minister of Israel. But as the GOP platform overcompensates to the right on Israel, the Republican nominee still has a less than impressive pro-Israel record. As they antagonize the Jewish left and the Jewish right at the same time, Trump and the GOP have quite an unproductive marriage — at least for our community.”
PAGING SHELDON: “Trump Eyeing Gingrich for National Security Position” by Terrence Dopp, Jennifer Jacobs & Mark Halperin: “Trump is considering picking Gingrich for a top national security post should he be elected president, according to three people familiar with the the candidate’s thinking.” [Bloomberg]
Jennifer Rubin: “Trump is likely to set back considerably the GOP’s effort to woo American Jews. It would not be surprising if Hillary Clinton gets 90 percent of the Jewish vote. The question however is whether in its vain attempt to rally around the nominee the RJC has done permanent damage to its own reputation and credibility. For many the answer will be an emphatic ‘yes.’” [WashPost]
“At Cleveland convention, a twist on oppo research: a Trump pop-up museum” by Catherine Ho: “The liberal group American Bridge 21st Century plans to rent a loft near Quicken Loans Arena, site of this month’s Republican National Committee convention, to set up a makeshift “Trump museum” — a collection of articles, 6,000 video clips dating back to the 1980s and about 40 Trump-branded items including bottled water, vodka, golf balls, men’s ties and a child’s onesie. American Bridge receives donations from billionaire George Soros, tech billionaire Phillip “Terry” Ragon, retired software executive Paul Egerman, as well as labor unions.” [WashPost]
In an interview with Democracy Now TV, Rep. Keith Ellison discussed the Democratic Party platform’s language on Israel: “I think we could’ve had a clearer statement on two-state solution and the U.S.’ aspiration to have peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. I think we are a little bit weak on that. It is important that, you know, the United States state that we don’t think that the occupation of what will be the Palestinian state should continue. I don’t think there is any fear of using the ‘O’ (occupation) word, if you will. I mean, Ariel Sharon used it, the U.N. uses it. I mean, it’s a commonly used phrase to describe what’s going on. I think we could’ve also made some stronger statements about — I think there’s a humanitarian crisis going on in Gaza… So, something like that, I think, really could have been identified much more clearly.” [DemocracyNow]
KAFE KNESSET — by Amir Tibon & Tal Shalev: The surprising visit to Jerusalem on Sunday by Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, launched a series of speculation about a possible breakthrough in the peace process. Two weeks before he met Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Residence, Shoukry visited Ramallah for a long meeting with Palestinian President Abbas. In the last 48 hours, a number of Israeli media outlets reported that at the heart of these two visits was an attempt by Egyptian President Sissi to make good on his promise to renew direct negotiations for peace, with possible mediation by Egypt. Sisi has stated publicly a number of times in the last year that the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a high priority for him.
A source informed of the talks between Shoukry and Netanyahu said that Egypt is eager to host a peace conference attended by both Netanyahu and Abbas, but in order for that to happen, the Palestinian leader demands restrictions on building in the settlements, and Israel’s releasing the 24 prisoners it promised to set free during US-led talks in 2014. Netanyahu, on his part, says he will only attend the talks if there are no pre-conditions from either side. If both sides stick to those positions, the Egyptians will have a lot of mediation to do even before a date for the conference is agreed upon.
“Politicians, diplomats pen letter urging stronger ties with Iran” by Louis Nelson: “In a letter to President Barack Obama, more than 75 high-profile signatories praise the controversial nuclear accord and urge the president to bring the U.S. and Iran even closer together. Spearheaded by The Iran Project, a group dedicated to improving U.S.-Iran relations while preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the letter’s signatories include retired Sens. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.) and Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), as well as former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.).” [Politico; Letter]
“Bayh shocker upends battle for Senate control” by Burgess Everett and Maggie Severns: Now, Democrats are favored to win two states and are legitimately competitive in another half-dozen — improving the odds that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will bequeath the title of majority leader to Schumer, who will take over running the Democratic Caucus next year. “This was done single-handedly by Chuck Schumer. I’d like to take a lot of credit for it, but Chuck’s worked on this,” Reid said in an interview on Monday afternoon. He called Schumer “the best recruiter. I’ve done OK but I’m in the minor leagues compared to what he does.” [Politico; TheFix]
Flashback: Bayh served on the advisory board of AIPAC’s 501(c)(4) group Citizens of a Nuclear Free Iran[Politico]
JI reader Jesse Gabriel emails… “I’m obviously biased because he is my old boss, but this is a tremendous development for the pro-Israel community. Senator Bayh was one of Israel’s strongest and most vocal supporters in the Senate, and the original author of some of the toughest provisions in the Iran sanctions bill signed into law in 2010. Since leaving office, he has remained close to the Jewish community, and has continued to speak out forcefully and publicly about the threat from Iran. For those of us who care deeply about Israel’s security, this was a great start to the week.”
“Truth Catches the Iran Deal” by Bret Stephens: “Mr. Obama says Iran is honoring the nuclear deal, but German intelligence tells us Tehran is violating it more aggressively than ever. He promised “snapback” sanctions in the event of such violations, but the U.S. is operating as Iran’s trade-promotion agent. He promised “unprecedented” inspections, but we’re not permitted to inspect sites where uranium was found. He promised an eight-year ban on Iran’s testing of ballistic missiles, but Tehran violated that ban immediately and repeatedly with only mild pushback from the West. He promised that the nuclear deal was not about “normalizing” relations with a rogue regime. But he wants it in the WTO.” [WSJ]
BUSINESS BRIEFS: “WeWork Cancels Plan for London Canary Wharf Office Space” [Bloomberg] • “WeWork Is Not Afraid to Go Public” [Fortune] • “The story behind the rise of Starbucks’ Howard Schultz, who just gave a raise to every US employee of his $82 billion coffee company” [BusinessInsider] • “Miami Condo King Perez Prepares to Hand Over Empire to His Sons” [Bloomberg] • “Gary Barnett planned to build another luxury condo tower on West 57th St. Now it’s replacing a 17-story building with one that’s… 18 stories” [Crains]
SPOTLIGHT: “Facebook Accused in $1 Billion Suit of Being Hamas Tool” by Gwen Ackerman: “Facebook has knowingly provided material support and resources to Hamas in the form of Facebook’s online social network platform and communication services,” making it liable for the violence against the five Americans, according to the lawsuit sent to Bloomberg by the office of the Israeli lawyer on the case, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner. [Bloomberg]
TALK OF THE TOWN: “The Unseen Wires That Maintain Ancient Jewish Tradition In San Francisco” by Adam Brinklow: “San Francisco has two eruvs. The Sunset District wire, established by Adath Israel congregation on Noriega Street in 2009, was reportedly the very first in city history. The presence of Golden Gate Park meant that a huge eruv around the entire west side wasn’t practical. It wasn’t until 2012 that the Richmond received one of its own, maintained by the Chevra Thilim congregation on 25th Avenue. There’s even a Twitter stream with updates about whether the Sunset eruv is intact. The hard-to-spot wires must be inspected weekly to make sure they haven’t blown down.” [CurbedSF]
“DNC mourns ‘dedicated, selfless’ staffer killed in D.C.” by Nick Gass: “Seth Rich was shot several times near his home in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, according to local reports, which stated that there were no witnesses to the shooting. Rich’s father, Joel I. Rich, 68, said he believes that his son was killed after resisting a robbery in which the assailant got nothing — the victim’s watch, wallet and credit cards were not taken.” [Politico; WashPost]
SPORTS BLINK: “Miko Grimes uses anti-Semitic language to blast Dolphins’ brass” by Jenna Laine: “Miko Grimes, the wife of former Miami Dolphins and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes, blasted Miami brass on Monday, using anti-Semitic language that she later tried to clarify. The family of her husband’s current team — the late Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer — Bryan, Edward and Joel Glazer and Darcie Glazer-Kassewitz — are the descendants of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and lost family members in the Holocaust.” [ESPN; Yahoo]
DESSERT: “Freshman is driving force behind DC’s new kosher food truck” by Renee Ghert-Zand: “Carly Meisel is the engine behind Brooklyn Sandwich Company, a glatt kosher food truck that rolled onto the capital’s streets for the first time earlier this month. She aims to serve kashrut-concerned fellow George Washington University students, as well as young professionals working in the city’s central core.” [ToI]
BIRTHDAYS: Ruderman Family Foundation’s Executive Director of Gateways, Arlene Remz… Liz Rodgers Adelman, the First Lady of Jewish Des Moines… Toby Dershowitz, Vice President of Government Relations and Strategy at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (h/t Julia Schulman)… Bestselling author, screenwriter, and playwright, sister of the late Nora Ephron, Delia Ephron turns 72… Co-founder of Imagine Entertainment, Oscar and Emmy award winning film and television producer, Brian Grazer turns 65… Senior White House reporter for Politico, Edward-Isaac Dovere… Barry Mannis (yesterday)… Rabbi Hershey Novack (yesterday)…
