Newsom FLIPS On Israel 'Apartheid' As Dems FLEE AIPAC

California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly shifted his position on Israel, retracting his previous use of the term 'apartheid' and committing to not accepting money from AIPAC. He clarified his 'apartheid' comment by referencing a Tom Friedman article, stating it was a concern about the 'direction' of Benjamin Netanyahu's government and the potential for full annexation of the West Bank, which he believes could lead to such a situation. This move is seen as an attempt to navigate the complex political landscape within the Democratic Party.

Newsom stated, 'I believe in I I rever the state of Israel. I'm proud to support the state of Israel. I deeply deeply oppose BB Netany's leadership... Do you regret using the word apartheid to describe? I do in this context that I said it and I referenced why I used it a Tom Freriedman article in that same sentence where Tom used it in the context of the direction that BB is going... if they see the full annexation of the West Bank then that's not something that's a word you may hear others use.' He also previously said he wouldn't take AIPAC money.

Senator Cory Booker, historically a strong proponent of AIPAC's agenda, has also announced he will no longer accept PAC money, including from AIPAC. The hosts characterize this as a 'smart' strategic move for a presidential campaign, noting that corporate PAC money (capped at $5,000) is less critical for presidential candidates who rely more on billionaire donors or grassroots funding. This decision allows Booker to align with a growing progressive sentiment without significantly impacting his fundraising for a national race.

The host states, 'Cy Booker, guess what? Just like Gavin Newsome, he went from, you know, getting embarrassed in an interview to saying, you know what, okay, I'm not taking Apac money. ...when you're running for president, here's what people don't quite know. Corporate pack money is capped at what? 5,000? It's not much... That's not enough for a presidential campaign. For that, you need billionaires or regular people.'

AIPAC's Super PAC, the United Democracy Project (UDP), employs a strategy of funneling money through what the hosts call 'fake popup PACs' (e.g., 'Elect Chicago Women,' 'Affordable Chicago Now') to influence local elections. These committees are funded by UDP and other AIPAC donors, but their connection to AIPAC is often not officially disclosed until after the campaign concludes. This tactic allows AIPAC to exert influence while maintaining a degree of deniability during the election cycle.

The host explains, 'UDP is United Democracy Project. That's Apac's Super PAC... we've been reporting for many weeks that it was Apac money that was funneling through these what what they call local committees. And those quote unquote local committees were they're called elect Chicago women, affordable Chicago now, and one other progressive something something. There were fake popup packs that would then be funneled that would then be funded by UDP, APAC super PAC, plus a bunch of AP pack donors. And then you don't learn that officially until after the campaign is over.'

Democrats achieved significant victories by flipping two Republican-held state legislative seats in Florida. One notable win was in a State House district that includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago, which Trump carried by 11 points in 2024. The Democratic candidate, Emily Gregory, narrowly won with 51% of the vote. Another flip occurred in a Republican Senate district. These results are framed as part of a broader '10-20 point swing' observed in recent special elections, potentially making previously safe Republican districts vulnerable.

The host states, 'Democrat flips Republican held Florida State House district that includes Trump's Mara Lago... Emily Gregory, according to NBC, quote, narrowly won the special election for the district Tuesday night. According to AP projections, Trump carried this district in 2024. Gregory got 51% of the vote to 49% for the Trump endorsed candidate... Democrats flipped two seats in Florida that had been Republican held before. I think the Republicans had won Trump's Mara Lago seat by 11 points before.'