Green Party presidential candidate, truther, and world-class crackpot Cynthia McKinney was attracted to the media buzz surrounding the drama in Gaza like a Kennedy is drawn to an appointed Senate seat.
With the 60-foot yacht Dignity beneath her, the voluble Ms. McKinney accompanied a gaggle of Palestinian apologists and international members of the tin-foil hat-wearing, busy-body brigade on what was characterized in the compliant media as a “humanitarian mission.” As is so often the case with the confrontational American politician, her interests collided — this time with a vessel from the Israeli navy.
Passengers on board the Dignity claimed that the Israeli patrol boat rammed their vessel, but Israel said the two boats collided as the Israeli navy was trying to contact its captain.
Bearing 3.6 tons of purported medical supplies donated from Cyprus, the leftist crew of the good ship Dignity intended to defy the Israeli blockade of Hamastan and deliver its relief supplies to the Palestinian cause. The so-called peace activists represent a group called Free Gaza, whose toxic website can be viewed here.
The group’s spokesperson, Caiomhe Butterly, has been neck deep in pro-Palestinian agitprop for years. To get a taste of McKinney’s Irish counterpart’s insights, try to read the self-promoting screed posing as an interview titled “I wasShot while Trying to Protect Jenin’s Schoolchildren.”
It’s as though Ms. McKinney believes that by glomming onto yet another cause that contradicts current American policy she could endear herself to President-elect Barack Obama. She had stated her intention to petition Obama to speak up for the Palestinians after her mission was completed. Now that the mission has the added element of a dramatic collision at sea, look for the PR hungry, but not necessarily savvy McKinney to charge toward the media lights.
Fortunately, Obama’s political instincts are a bit more refined than those of Ms. McKinney. Perhaps best known for an alleged assault of a U.S. Capitol policeman, the former Georgia congresswoman was deposed by the voters in her district and predictably blamed the result on racism. A review of the Green Party candidate’s intellectual portfolio is cringe-inducing, even to run-of-the mill Democrats.
Not only does she have a full subscription to the 9/11 conspiracy (“A complete investigation might reveal … [that] President Bush or members of his administration have personally profited from the attacks of 9-11“), but she has appeared with Louis Farrakhan, called globalization a “cruel hoax,” advocated for Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, accepted campaign donations from terrorists and terrorist sympathizers, and even attempted to solicit funds from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal after New York Mayor Giuliani rejected his proffered “gift” to New York after 9/11.
That Ms. McKinney continues to pop up and pop off is no surprise. In her own words: “I won’t sit down and I won’t shut up.” This isn’t the first time Ms. McKinney’s Dignity has run aground. Watch for the fireworks when she is finally able to find a microphone and a camera. Designated as the “Democrat from Conspiracy” by Matthew Continetti, McKinney is making the rounds of the Lebanese consular offices, apparently attempting to generate a formal grievance.
Journalists from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution spoke with McKinney’s father Bill McKinney, a former Georgia state representative, for additional insight. He confirmed that Cynthia was headed for Beirut and added that “(she) had traveled to Cuba a few weeks ago and was ‘very well received’ by President Raul Castro and that she had recently tried to visit Syria but had been turned away when she attempted to board the flight.”
No word from the senior McKinney on whether Cynthia had plans to visit Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-il, or Hugo Chavez. Perhaps she believes that if she is able to put together this terrorist/Axis of Evil twin trifecta she will finally generate the respect she deserves. Ms. McKinney is apparently unable to recognize that she is already getting it.
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