1y ago

Biden on hot mic: ‘Come-to-Jesus meeting’ with Netanyahu on the way

President Biden told a Democratic lawmaker and members of his Cabinet after the State of the Union address that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they will need to have a “come-to-Jesus meeting.”

Biden’s comments, captured on a hot mic as he spoke with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) on the floor of the House chamber, came after Bennet congratulated the commander in chief on his speech and pressed him to keep pressure on Netanyahu over increasing humanitarian issues in Gaza.

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Just overall a very funny comment in regards to Israel.
- I greatly enjoy that Biden is this way.
  When he was campaigning, he was in an interview about Turkey, and he said more or less if Erdoğan gets out of line we might have to get rid of him. Then he realized what he said wasn't a "say out loud" type of statement, and tried to walk it back by saying well, I don't mean with a coup or anything, just, you know, we'll have to see what we can do. Which only made it 10 times worse. The US press didn't really notice but it was a shit storm in the central-Asian press for like 6 months.
  But the thing is, every US president has thoughts and plans like that. I'm not saying it or the neoliberal empire are good things. I'm just saying that Biden has those thoughts and then sometimes actually says them out loud which I actually prefer over the "I'm so self-aware that every statement is preanalyzed and often kind of indirect" Washington standard.
  
  Biden has those thoughts and then sometimes actually says them out loud which I actually prefer over the "I'm so self-aware that every statement is preanalyzed and often kind of indirect" Washington standard.
  Which is something that MAGAs say they like about Trump, but they're always trying to cover for his most outrageous nonsense by saying "no, that's not what he meant." And in actuality, what he really does is say what he thinks will get the most applause at the time; and sometimes he overshoots.
  Whereas with this, it's like...reasonable stuff that has been caught slipping out of Biden's mouth, just reasonable stuff that most politicians won't say.
  Though I have to say, I really wish some reasonable stuff about a cease-fire and stopping arms shipments would've slipped out a few months ago.
  
  To your last point, compare and contrast with Obama, whose speech patterns were chock-full of long pauses where you could just tell he was doing higher-order political math on the next phrase. To an extent that's because that's what Obama had to do or else the Hannities and Carlsons of the world would find some minute quibble they could build out into an elaborate conspiracy with which to fan the right-wing outrage machines for another week... but for all the other problems I have with the man I do appreciate the no-fucks-given mindset Biden's brought to the job. The right wing media hate machine has become fully decoupled from reality at this point; there's no reason to soft-shoe around things that might set them off anymore.
  
  I get down voted here for saying that sometimes Joe Biden's mouth gets out in front of his brain. But it's so, so true.
  
  I mean, look at what they're doing in Pakistan right now. They didn't like Khan so they've put him in prison, and when his party still won the election despite this, they tried to steal the election (and the state department still hasn't said anything about this).
  
  The US press didn't really notice
  They're generally more interested in chasing down the next story, vs. spending more time on a current one.
  Edit: I've apparently offended people with short attention spans.
An aide to Biden then appeared to inform the president that his microphone was still on.
“I’m on a hot mic here,” Biden replied. “Good. That’s good.”
- <Dark Brandon laser eyes start charging up.>
The irony is funny, but that is a common idiom in english speaking countries. Biden isn't literally going to speak to Netanyahu about converting to Christianity as if he's some sort of political missionary.
- Uh it sounds very much like an America idiom to me mate.
  Cant say it’s something I’ve ever heard it in Australia, nor would i expect such a religious phrase (outside of expletives) to be that common.
  
  I believe it is American specifically, I haven't even heard it in Canada. But it is a very secular saying - it has a religious background but is used in irreligious contexts all the time.
  
  It’s very much an American (and specifically Christian) idiom.
  I’ve never heard somebody who wasn’t nominally Christian use it.
  
  I've never heard it in NY
- I mean, it's more likely than placing conditions on arms sales or withholding support at the UN.
- What is the idiom used for?
  
  Like a stern talking to. To bring someone in line.
- Was common...
  Like 60 years ago when Biden was in college.
  
  All my bosses over the past twenty years have used the same term about either me or a coworker.
  
  Oh it's very much still in use.
- Still, a more deft politician would avoid using that specific idiom when it comes to a conflict between Jews and (predominantly) Muslims.
  
  He was talking to a US Senator, not an Israeli or a Palestinian
  
  Have you ever avoided saying "It'll be a slam dunk" in front of us Bostinians because you're afraid we'll interpret that as you assuming we're all fond of Dunkin Donuts and that's a generalization?
For the 12th time in the last two months
X doubt.
- I have no doubt he wants to finally explain to Bibi how weak he is domestically and picking a fight with Biden by meddling in US domestic politics can be a two way street. I don't, however, believe Biden actually wants to stop the genocide. The point is, Bibi is very vulnerable to someone actually hitting his weak points for once and a vote of no confidence on the war cabinet is very possible.
  If Biden had any sense, he would've already been going after Likud this whole time. Instead he's been allowing himself to be dragged around by his ear while Bibi openly supports him getting replaced by Trump.
  
  Bibi openly supports him getting replaced by Trump.
  And Putin says he prefers Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the White House
"hot mic"
If he's still selling them weapons for genocide and still running interference for them at the UN, he is still supporting genocide.
Biden needs to stop supporting genocide. Biden needs to have a come to Jesus moment.
- I'm not getting the come to Jesus thing ... what does it mean?
  
  You've received several responses but the meaningful "come to Jesus" story actually relates to Saul (Paul, who is responsible for much of Christianity) on the road to Damascus.
  Paul was persecuting primitive Christians and while he was traveling to Damascus to arrest them, he was temporarily blinded by divine intervention that led to his conversion and stopped him from continuing to persecute people. The dramatic intervention disabused him of the errant beliefs that caused him to injure people, in other words.
  See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_of_Paul_the_Apostle
  That's what the comparison is talking about. It's a metaphor that relates to needing a dramatic and often violent wakeup call to snap someone out of doing something wrong. From a Christian perspective you can see how Paul being shaken up enough to change his name, religion, profession, etc was a real "come to Jesus" moment.
  That's the key context I think you're asking about. It's not really about converting to Christianity. It's more about having a BIG wakeup call that you're on the wrong path (literally in Paul's case) and you need to change your ways because you're hurting people (or you'll stay blinded if you're Paul I guess).
  Hope that helps!
  
  It's an idiom or phrase that means he's going to yell at Netanyahu and possibly set an ultimatum.
  
  It means to repent.
  
  It's an enormous faux pas when you're talking about a Jewish person that's for damn sure
- With Hamas being very clear about wanting to commit genocide, the choice is this conflict is not genocide vs. no genocide. The choice is about which side is given more opportunity to commit genocide. Horrific that is the choice, but it's not like disarming the Israelis would result in fewer human deaths in that region.
  
  Well, at least you're open that you support Netanyahu's genocide instead of flinging accusations.
  
  Hamas does not have anything like the resources to actually enact a genocide and they never will. Regardless of this, the people of Palestine do not deserve to be executed en masse for Hamas' crimes.
  
  When you colonize a region and then try to say it's an US vs Them situation like you both should be allowed, it makes your argument a lot less valid. It's not like these 2 peoples just woke up in a cage together. It's a colony. One group forced themselves into the area.
  This isn't to say to genocide the Jews or something like your fucked up brain imagines is the only solution. But it does mean that the state of Israel doesn't get to just stop here and keep all its genocidal spoils. It's going to have to give up and lose some of its land and absolute power over these people. It has to stop treating palastinians like subhumans. It has to give up control over some things. As long as it's unwilling to do so, it will continue creating people who hate it to the point of utter annihilation, and it will be the state of Israels fault for treating people that way.
- "Genocide" LMAO
  
  Are you denying it's a genocide, or do you think Biden's support of Netanyahu's genocide is funny?
  Not that either answer changes anything about who you are.
I award him no credit for this. Same as we find out Republicans who privately despite Trump but publicly defend him.
On purpose accident?
That’s actually hilarious.
Other than sanctions and cutting off trade, what kind of pressure can the world put on Netanyahu to stop the madness in Gaza?
- Biden doesn't want to stop it, he wants to reduce the noise. And to achieve that his best option is to use indirect and direct support to knock Bibi out of control of the knesset. It's something that should've been done since the inauguration. The idea that he was going to somehow get the support of Bibi in any capacity was idiotic.
  https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/the-biden-plan-to-ditch-israels-netanyahu.html
  Edit: I'm genuinely curious what makes this so controversial of a take. That I'm arguing for realpolitik interventionism or that I'm criticizing biden?
  
  You are attributing active malice, like Biden wants this shit to go on.
  There is a big difference between not wanting to pressure somone to stop something vs WANTING that something to go on.
  I'm sick of people acting like it's somehow OUR responsibility to stop Israel.
  WTF is Biden getting shit for some other asshole leader doing shitty things?
  How about blaming Benjamin Netanyahu? Or blaming the assholes that voted for Netanyahu?
  This whole Israel thing just smells like some Republican bullshit trying to blame Democrats for something ridiculous.
Yeah good luck with that, I'm not certain Bibi is all that interested in what Jesus would have to say on the matter.
- It probably was just common usage, but it's much funnier if he used it specifically because of bibi religion.
- Supply Side Jesus.
  Biden is going to extol the virtues of exploitation over eradication.
  
  This is basically the capitalist model for foreign policy.
  It was also the basis of the Roman empire.
  
  Cute way of admitting that nothing Biden can do can do will please you I guess.
- Why would Bibi listen to someone born in Palestine?
- Probably just something about a fig tree anyway.
Ah yes, like how you said we were supposed to have the ceasefire on Monday after you knew the uncommitted vote was coming.
Fuck you.
oh, whoops, i dropped my monster statement that i use for my come-to-jesus dong
He does a lot of talking. He also structures arms deals so that they don't meet the minimum requirement for oversight from Congress in order to supply arms to a country engaged in an obvious genocide. I guess he's a pretty good multitasker!
- Let me guess: If Biden does actually reverse several generations' worth of mass-murder-enabling Israel policy, and brings about a positive change to the absolute worst thing that the US does and has been doing for the last 50 years, it'll suddenly be something else that you're incredibly upset at him about which is your reason you can't possibly support him.
  No? Maybe not. How do you feel about his actions in regard to climate change?
  
  Lemme guess, Biden could go over to Netty’s for a little Palestinian-Baby bbq, and you’d still support Biden?
  It’s fair to criticize Biden for supporting and enabling genocide. It’s also fair to point out that. Biden has been a senator for most of those fifty years.
  It’s also fair to point out that corporate subsidies aren’t going to solve climate change or bring resiliency to what change is now unavoidable.
  It’s also fair to recognize that Trump is an even greater asshole.
  But it’s not fair to point to Trump and say it’s unfair to criticize the sitting president for their actions.
  
  I was legitimately thrilled with the Inflation Reduction Act. That was huge. But I can't turn a blind eye on the travesty that is the Gaza genocide. It's not just a continuation of US foreign policy. But maybe our foreign policy wouldn't be so awful if people like you didn't just shrug.
  
  Well the fact that he allowed record oil extraction under his watch says that he doesn't take it as seriously as he should.
  I don't support Biden for a lot of reasons. One of which being I'm Canadian. Trump is worse than Biden. Does that allow me to pass your purity test? Do you have anything at all of substance to add to my comment or just fucking argumentative bullshit?
  
  So how's the ceasefire deal coming?
- It really looks like he's about to start taking concrete actions, you're perfectly correct in criticizing how long this took but in the past few days he's started the floating harbor plan and is probably going to come down hard on Netanyahu. Skepticism is fair, but everything is currently moving in the right direction.
  
  Any day now he might actually do something to stop doing what he's doing.
  
  Maybe if there wasn't an 80 year old Zionist in the Whitehouse things wouldnt take a fortnight to ponder.
  
  Biden will come down on Netanyahu when Ukraine gets its F-16s
  
  I'm seeing 10-year-old walking skeletons on Instagram, but in two months Butcher Biden will finish building his floating harbor.
  
  He's not doing anything though. The air drops are literally useless (some of the meals were even expired), and the port is gonna take two months, which is too late to save anyone unless aid arrives by truck. If he really wants to do anything he could just force Netanyahu to allow in aid.
- Yeah but he was caught in this totally unscripted “hot mic” event looking like he’s going to do something. Thats all he needs to do for the sycophants to swoon over him.
  Fuck the 30,000 dead, its Dark Brandon time baby. He’s totally gonna one day do something to stop what he is already doing for Israel!
  
  It will be funny watching these guys backpedal next week when fucking nothing changes.

164 comments