Sarah Palin, Pat Buchanan supporter

Chris Hayes digs through the AP archives and hits gold -- it turns out that Sarah Palin supported Pat Buchanan's 2000 presidential campaign. (Earlier today, Buchanan told Hayes "It's great for the base. I'm pretty sure she's a Buchananite!")

From time to time, Buchanan makes interesting points, but I'd instantly disqualify from the presidency anyone who supported him for President. As a Jew, I'm particularly sensitive to his antisemitic rhetoric, but he has also uttered many a racist comment. For starters, just look at this litany of bigoted comments from Buchanan (compiled by the ADL), all made before Palin went public with her support for Buchanan in 1999.

As you may know, Pat Buchanan is also an outspoken opponent of Israel. It's one thing to criticize Israel -- I have done so and will continue to do so. But the country has a right to exist, and given Palin's support for Buchanan, pro-Israel activists should be very alarmed about McCain's commitment to Israel. (McCain has suggested James Baker, who famously said "Fuck the Jews," would be his Middle East envoy.)

Even though Barack Obama is pro-Israel, he has been subjected to an inquisition on the issue for the mere fact that Louis Farrakhan endorsed him -- even after he made it clear that he did not pursue nor did he accept the endorsement. Even after he rejected and denounced the endorsement.

If they want to be at all fair, ADL, AIPAC, and other groups ought to raise the same questions about McCain now that he has selected a VP who herself endorsed someone with the same views towards Israel as Farrakhan.

On a related note, I wonder if Palin's selection will fray McCain's relationship with Joe Lieberman. It's not just her support for Buchanan that's at issue here. She also "denounced" Lieberman's anti-global warming legislation. (It takes a special person to find criticize one of the few truly good things that Joe Lieberman is working on.)