Political scientist Hazony says Rubio might distance himself from Israel — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, Israeli-American political thinker Yoram Hazony said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio would distance himself from Israel if he were running for president now. Hazony said this in an interview with the Jerusalem Post.
According to Hazony, the differences in rhetoric between Rubio and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance regarding Israel are largely connected to their presidential prospects. He suggested that Rubio would not run against Vance. If Vance is defeated, Rubio may have an opportunity to run later, possibly with the vice president's support, Hazony believes.
Views of Rubio and Vance
Hazony said that Rubio has changed over the past decade, and those who still place him in Nikki Haley's political wing do not take this evolution into account. According to him, the U.S. secretary of state has moved closer to the national-conservative milieu and has published in First Things and The American Mind. He also said that Rubio's and Vance's staffers come from the same ideological circles.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Hazony, who has known Vance since 2019, spoke positively about his possible presidency. He explained that Republican Party candidates need to consider voters who seek greater U.S. distance from Israel. In his view, even a small loss of supporters of conservative host Tucker Carlson could help Democrats win a presidential election.
Criticism of Tucker Carlson
Hazony claims that Carlson and several other figures have significantly changed the intraparty debate among Republicans. He also said that Carlson's show has become the leading platform for antisemitic ideas in the U.S. right-wing political environment over the past two years.
Hazony said that earlier this year he agreed to speak with Carlson and spent more than one hour and 20 minutes explaining why he considers his broadcasts antisemitic. Later, Carlson asked to be given an opportunity to speak at the National Conservatism conference in Jerusalem, but Hazony refused. According to him, Carlson's participation could have discouraged other speakers and the audience. The conference is scheduled for October 6–8; announced speakers include former Polish President Andrzej Duda, White House counterterrorism official Sebastian Gorka, and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
