When 26 centrist Democrats in Congress wrote to the Biden administration expressing their opposition to withholding weapons from Israel, their letter was addressed to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Interestingly, one Democrat who’s running for Congress and has not expressed an opinion on that policy is Sullivan’s wife, Maggie Goodlander.
Last week, Goodlander launched her bid for the Democratic nomination in the Second Congressional District. And, like the other candidates already in the race — Colin Van Ostern and state Sen. Becky Whitley — she declined to respond to questions about the Biden administration’s policies regarding Israel and its war on Hamas.
President Joe Biden’s threat to withhold some precision offensive weapons from Israel as it wages war on the terrorist army of Hamas has been met with anger from members of both parties. Several prominent Democrats have been unflinching in their criticism of Biden’s treatment of America’s longtime ally.
But not in New Hampshire, where Granite State Democrats have been silent on the topic. And nowhere is that silence more notable than from Goodlander. A former Navy intelligence officer, her resume includes national security and foreign affairs adviser to former Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Not to mention her husband’s current job.
And yet there is no mention of Biden’s Israel policy in her social media or on her campaign website.
The backlash against Biden from supporters of Israel began on Wednesday when he publicly announced the warning he had issued to Israel.
“I’ve made it clear to Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support if they go [into] these population centers,” Biden told CNN.
On Sunday, Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken repeated the administration’s threat, and said even more restrictions may follow if Israel pushes into the Gazan city of Rafah to wipe out what’s left of Hamas.
“If Israel launches this major military operation into Rafah, then there are certain systems that we are not going to be supporting and supplying for that operation,” Blinken told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
Democrats like Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said “I differ with President Biden’s recent decision” to threaten Israel over going into Rafah.
“This was a horrible mistake,” added the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
But like Goodlander, New Hampshire’s Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D), a senior member of the committee, has not commented on Biden’s threat, nor has she said if the U.S. should withhold aid. However, Shaheen has said Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack has been disproportionate, and she believes the U.S should pressure Israel not to go into Rafah.
A search of the campaign websites and social media feeds of all of the Granite State federal Democrats, along with the candidates for Congress and governor, finds no mention of the Biden policy that has generated so much response from both parties.
For example, every Republican in the U.S. Senate (except isolationist Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky) joined a resolution that, according to lead sponsor Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) states “that we believe Israel is a rule of law nation, “That they have an ethical, well-regulated military,” that “the weapons that we’re providing to them are necessary for their continued survival, that you have Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran, all dedicated to the destruction of Israel, not the uplifting of the Palestinian people.”
Sen. Susan Collins from neighboring Maine is supporting the resolution, and her fellow Mainer, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden is one of 26 House Democrats who wrote the White House on Friday.
“We are deeply concerned about the message the administration is sending to Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist proxies by withholding weapons shipments to Israel, during a critical moment in the negotiations,” they wrote. “With democracy under assault around the world, we cannot undermine our ally Israel, especially in her greatest hour of need. America’s commitments must always be ironclad.”
Pappas didn’t sign the letter and, according to the National Republican Congressional Committee, is silent as “Biden is blocking Congressionally-authorized aid to Israel.”
“Make no mistake, this nakedly political move is Biden and Chris Pappas caving to the far-left, pro-Hamas mob destroying college campuses. Pappas serves his party bosses and the terrorist sympathizing wing of his party, not New Hampshire families,” said NRCC spokeswoman Savannah Viar.
Goodlander’s candidacy could create headaches for Sullivan and the Biden White House. If she breaks with Biden, it could be embarrassing for her husband. If she defends Biden’s “betrayal” of Israel (as some Democratic critics call it) and struggles to gain support, it could be viewed as a verdict on the policy.
Meanwhile, the bipartisan criticism continues.
Both the Republican Jewish Coalition and Democratic Majority for Israel have issued statements opposing Biden’s treatment of the Jewish state.
“Joe Biden has cemented his legacy as the worst president for the Jewish community and the state of Israel ever,” said the RJC.
“We are deeply concerned about the administration’s decision to withhold weapons now and potentially impose further restrictions,” said the Democratic Majority for Israel’s Mark Mellman.
“A strong U.S.-Israel alliance like the one President Biden has created, plays a central role in preventing more war and making the path to eventual peace possible,” he added. “Calling the strength of that alliance into question is dangerous.”
