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In the 1950s, lobbying for Israel was taboo, but AIPAC transformed into a powerful political force. They focused on winning over everyday Americans and built relationships with politicians. AIPAC registered as a domestic lobby to avoid being seen as an arm of the Israeli government and to bypass restrictions. They framed their cause as essential for US goals, such as fighting communism. AIPAC used tactics like media influence and grassroots pressure to secure their first big win, convincing Congress to send aid to Israel. They organized testimonies, brought in experts, and mobilized their network to flood representatives with letters. AIPAC's success came from their lasting connection with everyday Americans and their strategic approach to lobbying. Okay, so picture this with me for a second. It's the 1950s, right? Like, poodle skirts, Elvis, the whole bit, and in this world, even saying the word lobbying when it came to Israel, that was like, taboo, a hush-hush thing nobody wanted to touch. Wild to think about. But talk about starting from the bottom, and now, well, you know the story, AIPAC is practically a household name when we talk politics. So how'd they go from taboo whispers to, like, political rock stars? That's what we're diving into today. Stock it all up, Ray. It's a wild ride. Seriously. If anyone out there is fascinated, and I mean really fascinated, by how the U.S. and Israel, you know, do their whole dance on the world stage, well, AIPAC's story is like the backstage pass you always wanted. We've got all the good stuff for you today, too, excerpts from Architects of Diplomacy, which is basically the history book on this, laying out all the plays. Plus, we dug up this super interesting academic article, originally in Hebrew, by the way, that takes us all the way back to AIPAC, like, baby's first steps, right when Israel was brand new. Fresh out the gate. Exactly. So, enough about the setup, let's get into this whole lobbying game. And lucky for us, we've got our expert here to guide us through. No blinders today, I'm already hooked on this whispers to headlines thing, so where do we even start? Well, the really interesting thing is, right off the bat, AIPAC's story is about this clash of opinions. Like, how do you actually get the U.S. to back up Israel? And it's the early 50s, Israel's still figuring itself out, so there's this urgency, you know? Yeah. Makes sense. Brand new nation in a part of the world that's, well, let's just say it's never been known for chill vibes. Tough sell, even for the best diplomats. No doubt. So, who are the big names in this early drama? Lay it on me. So on one side, you've got Isaiah L. Kenan, journalist turned lobbyist. This guy basically predicted how powerful Washington would become way before it was cool. Ahead of his time. Big time. And on the other side, you've got Abba Eban. This is a titan in diplomacy, folks. Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and the U.N., both brilliant, both totally dedicated to Israel's future. But man, did they have different ideas on how to get there. Okay, so Team Kenan, Team Eban, this is already juicy. What were their game plans? All right, so Eban, the ultimate diplomat, right? He's all about tradition. Worked those official channels, schmoozed the State Department, make your case for aid directly to the top dogs, tried and true, how it's always been done. Yeah. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. So what was Kenan's counter-argument? Why rock the boat, risk making the government folks mad? Because Kenan, he'd seen firsthand how slow that whole government machine can be, especially for something as sensitive as potentially controversial as going all in on a brand new country in a region that's already a powder keg. He was convinced, and I mean convinced, that to make the U.S. really, truly have Israel's back, you had to win over the hearts and minds of everyday Americans. Okay, so forget whining and dining the diplomats, you've got to get the people on your side. I like this Kenan guy already. Right. Bold move. And to Kenan, that meant going straight to Congress, bypassing all that, building a movement from the ground up with regular people. Makes sense. Politicians, they love to say they're representing the will of the people, so if you can actually prove the people are with you, that's smart. Dude was playing 3D chess while everyone else was still figuring out checkers. And that, right there, that's how AIPAC was born. But get this, here's where Kenan got strategic. He was adamant that AIPAC, even though its whole purpose was to help Israel, it could never be seen as some arm of the Israeli government. Wait, seriously, that feels backwards. If your whole goal is to support them. And that's why he was so clever. Back then, openly lobbying for another country, especially one as new and, let's be real, as controversial as Israel. That was a one-way ticket to getting shut down. Like bringing your parents to a job interview? Not a good look. Exactly. But then on top of that, you've got this whole other layer of legal stuff, FERA, the Foreign Agents Registration Act. I have a FARA, FARA, okay, yeah, rings a bell. But be honest, could you give me the spark nuts version? What is the big deal with this FARA thing? Okay, so imagine FARA is like this massive spotlight, yeah. And it's shining on anyone who even thinks about messing with US policy, but like on behalf of another country. The whole point is to stop shady deals from going down, make sure everything's out in the open. And trust me, it comes with a lot of strings attached. So it's not just signing up and calling it a day. Not even close. We're talking limits on who you can talk to, what you can say in public, even how you can spend money. The goal, keep foreign influence on a tight leash. Imagine trying to rally support with one hand tied behind your back. That's air, F, or O. So if AIPAC had gone that route, registered under FARA. Game over before it even started. They're instantly slapped with the foreign agent label, suspicion everywhere. Any move analyzed under a microscope, I doubt they'd have achieved even half of what they did. That's some serious foresight right there. Understanding the rules of the game so well, you can actually bend them without breaking them. Power move. Pure and simple. And it wasn't just about dodging restrictions either. Kenan's genius, the real genius, was that by registering as a domestic lobby, AIPAC could build this image, right? They're just another group of concerned American citizens. Blending in to stand out. I like it. But hold on. We're talking about a time when it felt like every group had a lobby, right? What made AIPAC different? Why didn't they just fade away like all the others? You're right. Back then, you had a lobby for everything. Irish Americans, Armenian Americans, even folks pushing for nationalist China. You name it, they had a group. And they all just disappeared. What was in AIPAC's secret sauce? Here's the thing. A lot of those other lobbies, yeah, they might have had cash or some connections, but they were missing one crucial ingredient, a real lasting connection with everyday Americans. So not just about schmoozing politicians and calling in favor. Exactly. Kenan was building a movement. He focused on relationships not just with politicians, but with normal folks, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. He understood the power of a mom writing to her congressman, neighbors chatting about this stuff over the fence, letters to the editor flooding those local papers. That's grassroots done right. Powerful stuff. You've got the visionaries, the strategy. But what about the action? Let's get down to brass tacks. How does this brand new lobby actually score its first big win? Okay. So this is where Kenan's genius, tactically speaking, it really shines. 1951, Israel needs money desperately, and the State Department is dragging their feet. So Kenan sets his sights on Congress, on this one really important piece of legislation that would become AIPAC's first big win, getting the U.S. to send aid to Israel. Talk about a trial by fire. What did this master plan look like? Give me the highlight. Kenan, he knew that how you frame something is everything. Going in with a, hey, help us, because you should plead. That wasn't going to fly. So instead of pushing for aid just for Israel, which, let's be honest, could come off as a little self-serving and might even rub some folks in Congress the wrong way, he brilliantly connected it to bigger U.S. goals. Okay. So it became bigger than just Israel. He found a way to make it matter to everyone in the room, not just the folks who already agreed. Exactly. And that's where understanding what was going on in the world back then is key. We're talking about the Cold War. Everybody's scared. Nobody knows what's going to happen next. Kenan, he tapped into that fear, saying, look, aiding Israel, that's how we keep the Middle East from going totally off the rails. And, of course, he hammered home the point that supporting Israel helps keep communism in check, which at the time, that was public enemy number one. Okay. That is some aid maneuvering. He turned aid to Israel into a win-win for America, fighting communism, A.N.D., keeping things stable. But come on. It couldn't have been Al Smoot sailing, right? What about the stuff happening behind the curtains, like political wheeling and dealing? Oh, Kenan was a master tactician, for sure. He knew that to win in Washington, you got to play the game. He organized congressional testimonies, brought in all the experts, academics, economists, even refugees, all making the case for why helping Israel was helping America. So it's about putting a human face on the problem, right? Making it real, making it urgent for the folks in those fancy chairs, making decisions. One hundred percent. But he didn't stop there. Kenan was a media darling. He knew how to use the press to his advantage, made sure all the big newspapers were painting a good picture. And, of course, he knew nothing speaks louder than the people themselves. And that's where that grassroots army he built comes in. Bingo. He told AIPAC's network, which was growing every day, to blow up their representatives' phones, flood their offices with letters. Remember, no Internet back then, so we're talking snail mail, telegrams, thousands of messages, all with one clear message. Get behind Israel. It's crazy how some tactics never get old. Public pressure, classic, but effective. And I'm guessing those senators, they felt the heat. Oh, they felt it, all right. Imagine opening your office door to mountains of letters all saying the same thing. Suddenly, this wasn't some far-off foreign policy thing anymore. It was personal. It was about listening to the folks who put them in office. And that, folks, is how you demonstrate the power of a well-oiled, grassroots-driven machine. It's not about twisting arms. It's about giving a voice to the people those politicians are supposed to represent. So last time, right, we were on the edge of our seats. Did Congress actually approve that aid to Israel? Did AIPAC's big move pay off? It was a close one, no doubt about it. I mean, reading Kenan's own words from back then, you can practically feel the tension. Heated arguments, folks pushing back hard, especially certain guys in the House. Some were sympathetic to the Arab states, others, they just weren't sold on spending U.S. money to support this brand-new ally, this Israel, that nobody really knew yet. And remember, we're talking the 1950s here. Israel wasn't the powerhouse it is now. Exactly. Still finding its footing on the world stage. So wild how one piece of legislation turns into this whole battleground for different agendas. But you mentioned Kenan and how he was laser-focused on getting both parties on board. He knew this whole thing. It wouldn't work if it was just a Democrat thing or just a Republican thing, right? Spot on. And that, my friend, that focus on bipartisanship, on selling support for Israel as something good for the whole country, not just one side of the aisle, that became AIPAC's signature move. Kenan saw it early. A bill that only one party likes that can disappear the second a new guy gets elected. He was building something that would last. Makes you think, you know, with how divided things are these days, that strategy feels more relevant than ever. Tell me about it. Kenan was ahead of his time, that's for sure. You can still see his fingerprints all over politics today. But OK, back to 1951, getting Democrats and Republicans to agree. Not a walk in the park. Kenan was practically a permanent fixture on Capitol Hill, meeting with these lawmakers nonstop, listening to their concerns, and always bringing it back to how supporting Israel was good for America, plain and simple. With that show, Don't Tell Strategy, love it. And having big names like Senator Morse, a Democrat, and Senator Taft, a Republican, both saying we're in on this bill, man, that's a power move. Pure genius. Kenan knew how important perception was. You get these two heavy hitters from opposite sides of the spectrum, standing together, backing Israel. It sends a message. This isn't about scoring political points. It's about what's right. OK, so the bill limps out of the House after a whole lot of back and forth. But what about the Senate? Weren't those guys known for holding on to the purse strings for dear life, especially when it came to sending money overseas? Oh, yeah, the Senate was a whole other beast. Those senators, they always wanted to be seen as the careful ones, not throwing money around. So they started proposing cuts to the aid package, big ones. This is where things could have gone south real fast. So what saved the day? Did Kenan have some kind of ace up his sleeve? Better than that. Remember all those everyday folks, those connections he'd been building? This is where it all paid off. The public part of public affairs actually gets to flex its muscles. You got it. Kenan basically sent out an SOS. He told AIPAC's network, all right, people, time to make your voices heard. Flood those senators' offices with letters, with telegrams. And he made sure those messages, they weren't just generic form letters. They were personal, from the heart, impossible to ignore. It's crazy how a handwritten letter in the age of email and all that, it still hits different, you know. Did those senators get the message? Let's just say they got the message. Thousands upon thousands of letters all saying the same thing. It was impossible to ignore. These senators, they realized this wasn't just some abstract political thing anymore. It mattered to the people they work for, the people who put them in office. And that right there is how you show the power of people coming together, making their voices heard. So what happens? Bill passes. Aid to Israel gets the green light. You know it. And just like that, AIPAC's a player in Washington. Oh, it's more than just being a player. This win put them on the map. It proved that their whole approach, this mix of smart lobbying and getting everyday people fired up, it worked. They could actually make things happen, even when it came to really tough issues. They cracked the code, figured out how to turn those whispers into headlines, how to pull off what everyone thought was impossible. But we got to be real, right? The world in the 1950s, that's not the world we're living in now. That's change. And change they did. Because as we get into the 21st century, well, AIPAC found itself facing a whole new ballgame. New challenges, new rules. All right. So we went from those early days of like super secretive lobbying to AIPAC's first big win in Congress. But we all know, right, in politics, the only thing that stays the same is that everything changes. What were some of those big shifts that made AIPAC rethink how they did things? Like they couldn't just rest on their laurels, right? One of the biggest game changers, honestly, is the whole political scene, especially what was happening with the Democrats. Remember how keen he was all about both parties being on board, that supporting Israel isn't about being a Democrat or a Republican thing. Right. Like it was their superpower or something, bringing everyone together. Exactly. But fast forward to the 21st century. Things are different. New voices are popping up, especially within the Democratic Party. And they're not afraid to call out Israel. And it wasn't just like a couple of people on the sidelines, right? This was a whole chunk of the Democratic base, folks who were saying, hold on, maybe there's more to this U.S.-Israel thing than we thought. A hundred percent. And then you've got groups like J Street coming onto the scene, offering up a more, shall we say, progressive take on being pro-Israel, challenging the whole idea that there's only one right way to support Israel. Suddenly AIPAC's got a whole new set of problems to deal with. Yeah. When your superpower is bringing everyone together and then everyone starts picking sides. How did AIPAC deal with that? They did what they've always done. They adapted. But this time, it meant getting a lot more, how do I put this, assertive, maybe even a little aggressive. They realized that the old playbook, the quiet talks and backroom handshakes, wasn't going to cut it anymore. Less whisper. More shout. Give it to me straight. What did this new, bolder AIPAC actually do? Okay. So remember how Kenan was dead set against AIPAC having a political action committee? APAC? He didn't want them anywhere near that campaign money game. Thought it looked bad. Right. Keep that grassroots image squeaky clean. Exactly. But get this, total 180 AIPAC decides to create a super PAC. Okay. Pause for a sec. For those of us who don't speak fluent politics, what the heck is a super PAC and why is it a big deal? Think of it like a PAC, but with like rocket boosters strapped on. They can raise unlimited cash from big companies, unions, even loaded individuals. And they use that money to either back a candidate or take them down. So serious financial firepower and AIPAC was done playing it safe. Done. They jumped headfirst into that campaign money pool, dumping millions into races they thought they could swing, especially those with democratic primaries, targeting anyone they thought wasn't pro-Israel enough. The message is clear. You're either with us or you're against us. And they've got the cash to back it up. That's one way to put it. And it's worked too. about Israel. They've won elections with AIPAC's help and some of their biggest critics, they've gone silent. But like anything, there's always another side to the coin. Right. And this is where things get really interesting or maybe messy is a better word. What were the downsides of AIPAC getting so hands on? Well, for starters, it made some people nervous. Like are they too powerful now? Even folks within the Jewish community were worried. This whole aggressive thing, it could backfire, make people say AIPAC's got too much control over what America does in the world. So it's this tightrope walk, right? You want to get things done, protect Israel. But you also got to be careful not to step on too many toes, especially when the whole political scene is already kind of volatile. And on top of that, there's the bipartisanship thing, which we've talked about. It's been AIPAC's bread and butter for decades. So when you're this involved in elections, picking sides so openly, are you really bringing people together or are you driving them further apart? It's a gamble, that's for sure. And the million dollar question is, did it pay off or will this come back to bite them? We'll have to wait and see. And that, my friend, is the perfect place to leave it. We've gone from whispers and smoky backrooms to front page news from those early days in Congress to the whirlwind of campaign finance. AIPAC's story, it's just getting started. So to everyone listening, here's something to chew on. How do you think AIPAC's journey, their wins, their losses, their changing tactics, how is it all going to play out for the U.S. and Israel down the road? Because this goes way beyond the headlines, people. This is about power, about how countries stick together, about how history is always being written and rewritten right in front of us. And that's a wrap on our AIPAC deep dive.