It's a gutsy move for Bernie to not speak to AIPAC.

[Ken Burch]

AIPAC no longer exists just to support Israel and to defend that country's best interests. It is now a right-wing extremist group that unquestioningly defends the Occupation, the illegal settlements, the continuing land theft and everything else Netanyahu and his anti-peace "coalition" do.

AIPAC works to silence all debate on the Israel/Palestine issue and relentlessly equates any criticism of Israeli security policy with antisemitism.

AIPAC is not good for America, or Israel, or anyone else.

[RepubliCON-Watch]

1. Good on Bernie!

All of this integrity will pay off for Bernie, just watch

[Mnpaul]

2. AIPAC = lobbyists

need I say more?

[arcane1]

3. The NERVE of him to think about his own country FIRST!!!

[CoffeeCat]

4. They're warmongers

They ultimately want the US to start a war with Iran.

I remember when Obama had to meet with them and give them assurances that he was willing to give them their wars. Disgusting how these mafia types make US leaders kiss their ring and promise that we'll be on board for blowing up a ton of shit.

Good for Bernie. Enough of this insanity.

[Aerows]

5. He's damned if he does

and damned if he doesn't.

IMO he believed that taking the damning that he didn't was marginally better than the damning had he done.

(Side note: Damn, that was a mouthful I did right there, and don't see how I could have expressed it better than I have done!)

[AzDar]

6. Truth.

[elleng]

7. but trump and hrc will be there.

[JaneyVee]

8. Like going to Liberty University?

[HooptieWagon]

9. More like going to Westboro Baptist Church.

[Ken Burch]

10. Not the same. Just speaking at Liberty U doesn't equate to defending Falwell.

Speaking to AIPAC means endorsing everything Netanyahu does.

Teddy Kennedy wasn't given relentless grief for speaking at Liberty U, btw.

[frazzled]

11. And speaking to AIPAC does not equate to defending Netanyahu

He can go there and say whatever the hell he wants to say. It's hypocritical to say that going to one offensive place is *terrific* but going to another would be *horrible.*

Twisted pretzel logic is ruining the campaign.

[Ken Burch]

12. Nobody has ever given a speech critical of Netanyahu at an AIPAC meeting. No one ever will.

It's all been nothing but straight Likud propaganda...and that's all that HRC and Trump are going to say. Bernie wouldn't be allowed to deviate from "the line" at an AIPAC meeting.

[2banon]

13. Good On Bernie!

[JackRiddler]

14. Not particularly, if he doesn't follow through.

I mean, we're still assuming this is an implied critique, but no one sees it that way yet. Insiders are playing it like he's too lazy/not presidential, as on this site. (How could he NOT go to this SO vital-to-democracy ritual!) Outsiders, the majority, barely know what AIPAC is, though they do know about U.S. policy on Israel. If this was a political move, it would get a lot of attention and be a high stakes gamble, but only if he makes it explicit in a speech criticizing the Likud war lobby and their pernicious attempts to influence U.S. policy toward aggressive ends (no Iran deal, carte blanche for any Israeli move, etc.). That would grab attention and be ballsy, and also carry the risk of a lot of backfire. I'm thinking some adventurousness on foreign policy (since when is peace the adventure?!) and addressing that trillion dollar elephant in the room, the Pentagon budget and associated perpetual war policy and constant terror scare and service to client states, is one of the few avenues left for him - risky, but it would happen to be the right thing as well.

[amborin]

15. Yes, it is; like so much of what he does

[Kalidurga]

16. So I think I am getting the gist of all this...

Hillary supporters are now pro-occupation of Palestinian territory.