Monday, January 22, 2024

Running into Angus King

 


A friend of mine named Mick ran into US Senator Angus King (Independent-Maine) in the nearby city of Bath outside a local shop a couple days ago. 

Mick called me afterward and told me about the conversation. He strongly urged King to stop funding the Ukraine war and the war on Palestine by Israel. They spoke a good while. 

King used an old political trick when Mick brought up the early 2022 Russia-Ukraine peace deal that was killed when Boris Johnson flew to Kiev and told Zelensky the agreement was a 'NO GO'.  

King insincerely responded to Mick saying,  'Oh, I didn't know about that. Send me something on it'.

King likes to come across as an easy-going Mainer who is an independent thinker. He caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate. He is a former governor of the state and has always been easily reelected.

King told Mick that he was paying attention to the current situations in both war zones. (He ought to considering he sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Armed Services Committee).

Mick did a fine job of letting King know that the public is increasingly restive over the possibility of full-blown global war that Washington is pushing along with its UK and EU allies. 

My own run-in with King

On Sunday, while heading into the grocery store in Brunswick, I saw Angus King talking to another man. I politely stood next to them until King turned to enter the door. I followed him and told him that I was fed up with him 'supporting the Ukraine and Israeli war on Palestine'.

He immediately tried to mollify me by saying that he was becoming very concerned himself. I challenged him by saying, 'Then stop sending both countries more money - you are supporting a blood bath'.

I added that I knew the Congress is controlled by AIPAC. He denied the fact and claimed 'J Street' (a liberal Jewish NGO) was powerful in Washington - and implied that they 'balance the impact of AIPAC'. 

BS I told him in return.

King then turned toward the plastic bag recycling bin and while shoving his waste inside bragged, 'I  just recently met with Netanyahu'. 

I quickly brought up Netanyahu's statement that the 'two-state solution' was dead. King acknowledged Israel's supreme leader had made that comment.

We then went different directions in the store but I called out: 'We're watching you'.

'Good' he replied, to which I shouted so all could hear, 'You are getting a bad reputation!'.

Bruce

2 comments:

Pony Trotsky said...

Good for you!

Zinn Reader said...

If what Netanyahu is doing to Gaza is predicated on keeping himself & his family out of prison, then he is even more despicable than I thought.