Karine Jean-Pierre caused controversy with her response to a Monday question regarding the rise of antisemitism after Hamas killed Israeli Jews and other people on October 7th.
Jean-Pierre was asked by a reporter if the administration is concerned about an increase in antisemitism, given that there are protests across the country. Some of these protests call for genocide. Instead of addressing the matter, the White House press secretary immediately deflected, stating that Muslims “have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks” before showing sympathy for Palestinian-Americans.
“What is [Biden’s] level of concern right now about a potential rise of antisemitism?”
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: “Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks” pic.twitter.com/q1WYkpbKmn
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 23, 2023
Reporter: How concerned is Biden right now with the potential for an antisemitic rise in light of all that is happening in Israel?
Jean-Pierre: Okay, a few things. We have not seen any credible threat. I know that there are always questions about credible threats and I want to be sure it’s there.
Look, Muslims, or those perceived as Muslims, have suffered a disproportionate amount of hate-fueled incidents. President Biden is aware that our Muslim, Arab, and Arab-American family members, as well as Palestinian-Americans, are concerned about the hatred directed toward their communities. You heard him mention this in his speech last Thursday.
The president’s team has been directed to prioritize prevention and disruption against any threats that may harm the Jewish, Muslim, Arab Americans, or any other community. This is what the president sought to achieve from the very beginning. You know that the president campaigned on bringing together communities but also protecting the souls of the nation. The president takes this very seriously. We will continue to denounce all forms of hatred towards any American.
As I continue to watch the clip, it seems like Jean-Pierre did not even understand that the question was about Antisemitism. That’s at least the most charitable explanation for why she would take a direct question about antisemitism and turn it into an admonition about alleged Islamophobia. You can actually see her reading the exact answer from her binder. This makes me believe that she simply chose to make a statement about hatred towards Muslims because it was all she had.
What does this say about her ability to communicate clearly with the American public as a Press Secretary?
The other explanation, of course, is that she and her administration are so committed to their far-left talking point that they would gladly downplay the antisemitism to support the idea that Muslims were the real victims in our current moment. I cannot find any evidence to support the claim that Jews are more targeted than Muslims in hate crimes. I think a press secretary who makes such a statement should be required to display her work.
Imagine being a Jew living in America and having to deal with the hate coming from the far left, only to have the White House lecturing you about alleged Islamophobia. This is so clichéd that it’s almost parodic. Democrats cannot simply denounce racism without drawing some equivalence that suits their political predispositions.
