Are there deeper fissures in the Democrat’s facade than they’re letting on?
Sure, at first glance, things seem to be coalescing nicely (for the most part) around Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who comprise the Democratic ticket for the forthcoming election.
The ritzy Democratic National Convention in Chicago has certainly utilized a varied and star-studded cast of speakers to hammer the Harris-Walz ticket home.
Polls are abruptly more favorable, “momentum” is building, enthusiasm seems to be on the upswing, and the Harris campaign suddenly feels that they’re in enough of a position of strength to ditch debates.
On its face, it certainly seems like a good time to be a Democrat.
But is it?
Because underneath much of that optimism and cheer lies a deeply divisive issue for which Democrats can offer no catchy slogan or A-list celebrity endorsement to gloss over it.
And that’s the issue of Israel.
While there is certainly some division among conservatives about whether or not it’s prudent to be sending Israel so much aid while the U.S. is struggling, that’s a far cry from the actively anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian splinter cell threatening to split the left in two.
Do you think a two-state solution would actually work?
And that was made painfully, awkwardly and abundantly clear on Tuesday night during a debacle of an interview between late night talk show host Stephen Colbert and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Colbert-Pelosi interview following Night 2 of the DNC was largely upended by anti-Israel agitators.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” is doing a week’s worth of live shows during DNC week, and the unpredictability of live television reared its ugly head on Tuesday night when an anti-Israel protesters crashed the set.
“Free Palestine!” one protester, simply described as “a woman,” said, while also further questioning America’s support of Israel.
A different protester asked Pelosi why the U.S. supplied Israel with weapons after the former speaker claimed that “war has no place in a civilized society.”
Things got chaotic enough that even Colbert had to acknowledge that Pelosi’s responses were “unsatisfying to some people,” per the New York Post.
And “unsatisfying” might’ve been underselling it.
“Will you listen to her response?” an exasperated Colbert asked, begging with the unruly protesters to give Pelosi a chance.
At a different point, while discussing the preference for a two-state solution, more shouting from protesters overtook the interview segment.
“Please don’t interrupt my guests,” Colbert said, this time not asking anything of the protesters.
“Madam Speaker, we’re a live show so we have to go at this point. Please come again, and we can continue the conversation,” Colbert said to close the disastrous segment.
You can see some of the chaos for yourself below, courtesy of NewsBusters editor Brent Baker:
Mid interview with Nancy Pelosi, at 12:56 AM ET live @colbertlateshow from Chicago interrupted by anti-Israel protesters. #Colbert pic.twitter.com/FfRRnfKpHT
— Brent Baker 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@BrentHBaker) August 21, 2024
After ad break on the live show, Stephen Colbert empowered the protesters shouting at Nancy Pelosi: “As you can see from the continuing protest out here, that answer is unsatisfying to some people…Would you like to respond to what they’re saying?” @colbertlateshow #Colbert pic.twitter.com/9A9gf8aHnu
— Brent Baker 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@BrentHBaker) August 21, 2024
The DNC, and ostensibly these anti-Israel protests on a national stage, will continue through Thursday.
