Dem Rep. Carson: Rep. Omar Not Antisemitic — ‘She Has Strong Support from the Jewish Community’

Wednesday on CNN’s “Newsroom,” Rep. André Carson (D-IN) argued Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was not antisemitic despite her antisemitic tweets.

Carson said, “I think President Trump is speaking to his base, signaling to his base he’s with them. Ilhan is a good friend, like my little sister in many ways. She’s a genuine person. I believe her statement. I know who she is, she’s not anti-Semitic. She is a loving person. She has a wonderful world view. All of us said things we’ve had to walk back. That is the nature of being in politics. But going forward, there are talks right now. There are discussions. I think the whole controversy has opened up a different kind of dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jewish brothers and sisters. So good things have come as a result.”

He continued, “She and I talk regularly. Again, she’s not antisemitic. She’s not an antisemite. She has strong relationships with the Jewish community. She has strong support from the Jewish community. These kind of dialogues have to be ongoing. They have to be honest. No one is above reproach. No one is above condemnation.”

He added, “We have to be objective enough to take criticism, understand critiques, learn from those critiques if we drop our egos and move forward.”

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