Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to Trump: Being Saudi Arabia's B*tch Is Not 'America First.'

[riversedge]

Source: DAILYBEAST



2. BURN 12 minutes ago


Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard took to Twitter on Wednesday to excoriate Donald Trump for his decision to apparently pardon Saudi Arabia for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, labeling the president the “bitch” of the authoritarian kingdom. “Hey @realDonaldTrump,” Gabbard tweeted, “being Saudi Arabia’s bitch is not “America First.” Gabbard’s tweet comes just a day after Trump announced released a statement—with “America First!” right at the top—that heavily implied that he will not pursue any further action against top Saudi officials, who are widely believed to be responsible for the writer’s murder, and cast doubt on the finding of the CIA, his own intelligence service. Gabbard previously came under fire for her own forays into Middle Eastern affairs, including her secret 2016 trip to meet with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria at the height of its civil war and her suggestion that Assad, a brutal dictator who has overseen the deaths of more than 500,000 people in his country, should not be removed from office.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/rep-tulsi-gabbard-to-trump-being-saudi-arabias-btch-is-not-america-first

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well, the donald will not like this one.

Link to tweet

[JI7]

1. same is true with Russia

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Ohhh...I like this person!! And what's she is saying is true. This is NOT America first. nt

[hlthe2b]

4. she's very much a "mixed bag," but on this, I give her kudos!!!

[Bfd]

6. Agree. I'd like to know where she draws that same line with Assad, but kudos to poking Trump in the

eyeball on the Saudi's.

Well said.

[George II]

11. Someone responded to her tweet with that sentiment.

[Bfd]

12. Expect they did. Did she reply?

[George II]

21. Politicians rarely, if ever, respond to tweets. That's not a bad policy!

[riversedge]

9. Yes, she is a mixed bag. But yes again. Kudos for this sapper!

[brush]

51. Same here.

[IronLionZion]

7. She's right in this case but has a checkered history

she's a complex individual, one of the first Dems to work with Trump when he won the election.

[SWBTATTReg]

13. Indeed. Once I rec'd your post (and others) about her, I looked her up. An interesting...

character indeed.

[NewJeffCT]

15. She was rumored to be in line for ambassador to the UN under Trump

though it was eventually filled by Nikki Haley

[mpcamb]

36. I think she's out of the running now.

[whathehell]

30. Her ugly, misogynistic choice of words

is decidedly 'wrong'..As a woman and a democrat, one expects more self- respect and less self- hatred.

[Achilleaze]

3. There you have it

[laserhaas]

49. It is like Crow's needing to be sexually dominated

Trump needs somebody to cry - to

[jpak]

5. Ouch!

[SpankMe]

8. We need more of this tone from Democrats

Republicans do this all the time to us, and they get credit for being all ballsy, genuine and direct. We don't want to lose our dignity. But they occasional dope-slap tweet should become SOP for Dems.

[whathehell]

31. Um, maybe the "tone"

minus the ugly, midogynistic word choice. :

[Hortensis]

46. This tone doesn't work with us.

This subject reminds me of that nasty, snide, insinuating tone that's a signature of Republican political attack ads. Works wonderfully for them, but we never copy it. Nastiness disgusts and repels most Democrats.

In more ways than one. While engineering our blue wave, the DCCC learned that pictures of Trump and children in cages on mailers disturbed and irritated many Democrats into turning them over to remove the pictures from view instead of reading. They changed to an emphasis on positive messages of what we intend to do for the nation, and...ding-ding-ding! Hundreds of wins.

[Yosemito]

10. You guys are clueless

While it is true that Trump is Saudi Arabia's bitch, Gabbard said this not because she is a principled anti-despot politician.
She said it because Saudi Arabia has called for the removal of Assad, a murderer that Tulsi worships.

[Bfd]

14. Thank you. Explains the many 'wtf' replies to her call out.

Now we know.

[brush]

19. Yep, she's appeared on FOX several time to bash Obama.

I'm glad she did this but she's a DINO.

[whathehell]

26. Another explanation

might be the ugly, sexist language. As a woman, this "expression"

sickens me.

[still_one]

40. Actually, that is an excellent point. Is the double standard ok because of her gender? I think not

[whathehell]

41. Thank you.. I agree

It's not "okay", at all.

[watoos]

16. Your explanation sounds pretty cut and dried.

Tulsi backs a murderer, and he is murdering his own people, but I believe Syria is in the middle of a civil war, correct? Following your logic, the reason that Saudi Arabia wants Assad removed is because Assad is a murderer, correct? How noble of SA to denounce someone who is a murderer, correct?

Are you sure that this situation isn't a bit more complicated? C'mon now, what's the real reason that SA wants Assad removed? I think it has to with Israel and Iran doesn't it?

Are you 100% sure that Assad gassed his own people?

Just asking because Tulsi knows a little bit more about the Middle East than you or I know.

[Yosemito]

33. Elizabeth Warren and Pelosi know more than you about the Middle East

If you and I go back and forth comparing each other to Congress Democrats...trust me.
I'll win.

Link to tweet

?s=21

Link to tweet

?s=21

[JonLP24]

34. They are both murderers

Saudi Arabia probably wants him gone for a pipeline from Turkey.


This is why she "knows" so much about Assad.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-tulsi-gabbard-became-assads-mouthpiece-in-washington/2017/01/29/215e9c70-e4bf-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?utm_term=.2fdc579c8f8e

I used to love Kucinich but he is an Assad mouthpiece too.

[watoos]

20. Pretty big accusations against a Democrat, maybe a potential presidential candidate.

When she speaks about the Middle East she does so with experience. Did she bash Obama or bash one of his policies? For all of you people here claiming that Assad should be ousted, I have but one question for you, would the Middle East be better off with Assad out of power, with a vacuum left in Syria?

I could be wrong but I think I'm hearing Saudi Arabia/right wing Israeli talking points here.

Who is going to fill in the void when Assad is ousted? Don't get me wrong I understand that Assad is a brutal dictator who murders his own people, but so was Saddam Hussein, and how many of you here believe it was a good idea for us to oust him from power? I'm 71 years old and I still remember what happened in Iraq and it sounds to me like people here are asking for an Iraq 2.0 with Syria.

Just asking.

[JI7]

29. it's not a question of whether Assad should be ousted. just like with Saudi Arabia

in both cases admitting that they have done does not mean one has to support war.

[JonLP24]

35. Assad has won the "worst human rights violator" of the year

There is a big difference plus the reasons going into Iraq was based on a made up conspiracy theory.

[lilactime]

18. K&R

[Mosby]

22. she has no credibility when it comes to the middle east.

[still_one]

28. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Cha]

48. Thank You.

[The Liberal Lion]

23. I'm neither fond of Rep. Gabbard, nor do I like her usage of "America First" in this context.

The slogan of "America First" is a chauvinistic piece of nationalist garbage. America was only a "shining City" on the hill due to our at least surface level appearance of being a partner amoung nations. Due to the make-up of America, namely that every nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, etc could be found in this land we were a role model for how a country of many could cooperate as one. That's what made us a leader, that's what made us cultural role models. The use of "America First" in any context ignores this fact of our existence and thereby our former greatness. There was better ways Rep. Gabbard could have chastised trump. This, however, was a poor method.

[ffr]

24. Oh snap!

[pdsimdars]

25. Aw, these young whipper snappers hit it right on the head.

[still_one]

27. She had no problem with Assad

[FailureToCommunicate]

38. That was mentioned already above. Did I miss her 'loving' Assad?

[still_one]

39. She sure voiced skepticism that Assad was responsible for the gas attacks, so while she may not

"love" Assad, she sure had no problem providing cover for him

[rollin74]

32. she's right

[Devil Child]

37. Rep. Gabbard is spot on and pulls no punches

[duforsure]

42. Thank You Rep. Gabbard,

Hopefully it will be looked into when he learned about this plot to kill this journalists. When did intel tell him about it, and i bet he knew before it happened and did nothing, and partly why he's running a cover up about it now . Did trump and jared have a hand in giving the prince intel on his opposition, and did they provide mercenaries for them to be rounded up for him , where they sent some to prison and murdered some of them. Did trump work with the prince to do this to his critic Kashoggi?

[EricMaundry]

43. I don't get the criticism of Gabbard on this thread.

Pretty off putting.

[Small-Axe]

44. Why, her embrace of Assad is deplorable.

[EricMaundry]

47. The pro-Trump press has denounced her for this as well

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/assad-apologist-tulsi-gabbard-is-not-the-best-person-to-lecture-on-foreign-policy-morality

You're not in the best company here.

[brush]

52. Do more research on her. She used to appear on FOX bashing Obama and she...

cozied up to trump when he "won." and was on the short list to be UN ambassador which Haley got. Plus she's an Assad apologist.

Many here are aware of these things.

[EricMaundry]

53. Not digging on the Dem hate here, dude.

Maybe this needs to go to the jury. I'm filing a complaint.

[brush]

54. Oh, threats now? Well help yourself, but do your research.

[EricMaundry]

55. "Many here are aware of these things."

Sounds like something Trump might say.

[brush]

56. Educate yourself. Gabbard leans right on several issues. God, why don't you know this?

[EricMaundry]

57. Sorry. Doesn't justify Dem bashing

And honestly, I am wondering what your real motivations are.

[brush]

58. I'm wondering what your's are since you're fairly new here. DU is a discussion board...

that allows criticism. I'm far from the only one noting Gabbards previous Obama bashing on FOX and her providing cover for Assad. Do your research.

[EricMaundry]

59. How many posts do you have to make to be allowed an opinion?

I've actually had this acct for quite some time. But I work a lot, so the board fly thing is not available to me.

[brush]

60. You've been here long enough to know then this is a progressive site, not right-leaning.

[EricMaundry]

61. I don't see Dem bashing as being a progressive value

Was there a memo?

[brush]

62. Is it bashing to note that Gabbard is the actual one who has appeared on FOX...

Last edited Mon Dec 3, 2018, 10:20 AM - Edit history (1)

several time bashing Obama?

Do your research then get back to us.

[EricMaundry]

63. Can you supply me with a list off who in the Democratic Party I am allowed to support?

Obviously there is some sort of commissariat in session.

You sure you're not just upset that she called Trump a bitch?

[brush]

64. Pay attention. Those who go on FOX and bash a sitting Democratic president...

and later cozy up to trump makes one wonder if they're actual Democrats or DINOs.

[EricMaundry]

65. She called Trump a bitch

In my book that is enough for forgiveness.

[brush]

66. That part I agree with her on. Let's see how it plays out.

[laserhaas]

50. Exactly!

[Hortensis]

45. Oh, brother! Ms. Gabbard has a little committee problem

she needs to focus on instead of building fake foreign policy cred to run for president on. Yes, I know.

The job her constituents just elected her to do is to be on some pertinent (to them) committees and to do work, real work, on those committees, to serve her state and nation, plus whatever duties require her presence in Hawaii.

One problem is that she famously has a history of causing trouble for those she works with, something of course known to all her colleagues, including something like 116 heads of their committees and subcommittees. It doesn't help that she not only refused to do the fundraising expected of all, but that the DCCC had to invest a lot more than usual to help her hold her seat against the Republican candidate. Needless to say, she's not well regarded among her colleagues.

The other is, again, that Ms. Gabbard wants to be President Gabbard. Chances of making it through the primaries are somewhat less even than Trump's would have been after subtracting his draw of our authoritarian and/or progressive populists (his trumpsters) and Putin. But in practical terms it's apparently basically physically impossible to wage a 2-year campaign for president and even partially adequately serve her state, which is 4700 miles from DC. Meanwhile, 2020's already approaching irritatingly fast and we have build on our majority, not lose seats.

But the world needs her. How else are we ever going to get peace in the Middle East?