We’ve always had a dual role in the region – friend of Israel, and honest broker. We’ve given up the honest broker role completely.
Meaning of the quote
The United States has tried to play two roles in the region - a friend to Israel and an impartial mediator. But the quote suggests that the U.S. has now given up its role as an impartial "honest broker" and is only a friend to Israel.
About Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews is an American political commentator, retired talk show host, and author. He hosted the weeknight talk show ‘Hardball with Chris Matthews’ on MSNBC from 1997 until 2020. He announced his retirement following an accusation of inappropriate comments made to a guest four years earlier.
More quotes from Chris Matthews
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My audience is much more center right, or centrist.
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Reagan was all about America, and you talked about it. Obama is, ‘We are above that now. We’re not just parochial, we’re not just chauvinistic, we’re not just provincial. We stand for something.’ I mean, in a way, Obama’s standing above the country, above – above the world. He’s sort of God. He’s going to bring all different sides together.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
It doesn’t serve an American interest. It really doesn’t really serve Israeli interests – it serves the interests of the political party that’s getting the votes of the settlers on the West Bank.
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We’ve always had a dual role in the region – friend of Israel, and honest broker. We’ve given up the honest broker role completely.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
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You know, there were 29 Democratic votes for censure in the Senate. And if the Republicans had any sense, they would have censured him before the ’98 midterm election, and they would have won the election.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
I’m not just gonna go after the black Jesse Jackson they all want to make fun of, but I know the wrong people are gonna laugh at that. I don’t want to play to that crowd. I don’t.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
C’mon. He’d be embarrassing upstairs at the White House. So I think she’d have a hard time. I think a woman president would have to be very conservative to get elected.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
Then the administration tied it in to the regional dispute between Israel and its enemies, as if that’s about international terrorism. No, it’s not.
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The difference between me and them is that I’ll look at Jesse Jackson and I’ll see four Jesse Jacksons, and they’ll just see one, the clown ambulance chaser.
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Once it was suggested that Saddam Hussein might give his weaponry to terrorists, or might use weapons himself in the region, then it became hard for the Democrats to say, ‘Well, that can’t happen.’
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Sarah Palin – now don’t laugh – is writing a book. Not just reading a book, writing a book. Actually, in the word of the publisher, she’s ‘collaborating’ on a book. What an embarrassment! It’s one of these ‘I told you,’ books that jocks do.
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I mean, the idea that Bar could have sent him off on a Grand Tour. But he wasn’t the least bit interested. Why? Why isn’t he interested in the world? Because here’s the bad news for him: He’s in the world now.
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
You don’t know whether he’s thought through how this is going to affect the Middle East.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
Unity is the most important thing on the road to stamping out terror. You need global rules of law and order, and they have to be enforced. Start with that principle.
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
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Just look at who won the third debate between Bush and Gore. I knew Bush won, because people liked him more. People just didn’t like Gore. But all the journalists thought Gore won big, he cleaned the guy’s clock.
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
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American political commentator, former talk show host, and author
Keep your enemies in front of you.
American political commentator, former talk show host, and author