Is Harris antisemitic? Tapper reminds Cotton that her Jewish husband fights antisemitism

CNN’s Jake Tapper pushed back against claims of antisemitism directed at Vice President Kamala Harris, reminding Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) that Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, actively combats antisemitism in the United States as the nation’s second gentleman. During a tense exchange on CNN’s State of the Union, Tapper noted, “Her husband is Jewish and is in charge of a group combating antisemitism in the United States,” as he challenged Cotton’s defense of former president Donald Trump’s controversial remarks suggesting Jewish voters could be blamed if he loses the 2024 election.

The controversy began when Trump, speaking at an event earlier in the week ostensibly about combating antisemitism, suggested that Jewish voters would be responsible if he were to lose the election. “Any Jewish person that votes for [Harris], especially now... should have their head examined if I don't win this election,” Trump, the 45th president of the United States and current Republican presidential candidate, said. “And I've been very good, you know, they say Trump’s been right about everything. In my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss.”

Tapper repeatedly pressed Cotton on whether he was comfortable with Trump’s rhetoric, especially given the rise of antisemitism from both the left and right. “Are you comfortable with Donald Trump saying if he loses, preemptively, it's the fault of the Jews, a group already experiencing a rise of antisemitism in this country from the left and the right?” Tapper asked, emphasizing the potential harm in such statements.

Who is more pro-Israel? 

Cotton defended Trump, stating that the former president’s comments were consistent with his longstanding appeal to pro-Israel voters. “Donald Trump has been saying things like this for at least 11 months, since the October 7 attacks,” Cotton said. He argued that Trump’s point was that “any Jewish voter, Christian voter, or any other kind of voter who cares about Israel… should not vote for Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.” Cotton continued, “The point he is making is that anyone that cares about that relationship shouldn't vote for Kamala Harris. They should vote for him.”

Tapper continued to challenge Cotton, pointing out that Trump’s language was unprecedented and specifically targeted Jewish voters in a way that could incite further antisemitism. “This is the first time he has ever said, ‘If I lose, it will be the fault of Jews,’” Tapper emphasized. He also cited the American Jewish Committee’s response on the matter and said: “Setting up anyone to say we lost because of the Jews is outrageous and dangerous. Thousands of years of history have shown that scapegoating Jews can lead to antisemitic hate and violence.”

"Are you comfortable with him blaming it on the Jews preemptively?"@jaketapper challenges @SenTomCotton over Trump's comments that if he loses in November, "the Jewish people would have a lot to do with" it. pic.twitter.com/wtuip7D7Zv

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) September 22, 2024

However, Tapper insisted that Cotton address the specific issue of blaming Jewish voters. “I keep talking about Jewish voters in the United States, and you keep talking about another topic,” Tapper said. He underscored the broader implications of such language, noting that “with antisemitism on the rise, comments that single out Jewish voters for blame add fuel to an already volatile environment.”