סי קנן

In the early 1950s, journalist turned lobbyist Isaiah L. Keenan was the mastermind behind AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group. Despite disagreement from the Israeli ambassador, Keenan believed in playing the long game and navigating the limitations of being seen as a foreign agent. He strategically cut ties as a foreign agent and registered as a domestic lobbyist, laying the foundation for what would become AIPAC. Keenan focused on building bipartisan support, rallying public pressure, and packaging aid for Israel as part of a broader Middle East aid package. He countered opposition in Congress with expert witnesses and successfully passed the Morse Taft Act, providing aid to Israel. This victory validated Keenan's approach and laid the foundation for the U.S.-Israel relationship we see today. Keenan's story teaches us the power of strategic thinking, building influence, and connecting with people on a fundamental level to achieve big goals. ever wondered how AIPAC got so powerful in Washington? Today, we're going way back to the early days of AIPAC. It's a fascinating story about how this group became such a force. By the way, we're talking about the early 1950s here. Israel's this brand new nation facing huge economic challenges. Exceeded health and fat. Exactly. And that's where our story really kicks off. This is where our protagonist, Isaiah L. Keenan, steps onto the scene. He's the mastermind behind AIPAC, a journalist turned lobbyist. So you might think creating a pro-Israel lobbying group, that's a no brainer. Seems obvious in hindsight, right? But get this, it wasn't so straightforward. The Israeli ambassador at the time, legendary Abba Eben, he actually disagreed with Keenan's whole approach. He did. Can you believe it? Eben, he was all about traditional diplomacy, you know, working through the usual channels, focusing on the executive branch. Lobbying to him, that was a temporary thing, a quick fix for fundraising. Interesting. But Keenan, he had a different vision, a much bolder vision. So what was Keenan's grand plan? Why was he so set on this homegrown lobbying effort? Keenan, he understood something crucial about Washington. He knew that to really make an impact, you had to play the long game and you had to play it from the inside. He also recognized the limitations of being seen as a foreign agent. That's right. FARA? Exactly. FARA, the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Always lurking in the background. It was a huge obstacle for anyone lobbying for foreign governments. So how did Keenan navigate that? It was a brilliant move, really. He formally cut ties as a foreign agent. He did? Sent one letter to the Justice Department, another to Congress. Wow. This time, registering as a domestic lobbyist. That's strategic. It was a masterstroke. So he, essentially, he wrote his own rule book. Exactly. And that move, that was the foundation for what would become AIPAC. Wow. Now, his organization at the time, it wasn't called AIPAC just yet. It was AZCPA. Catchy. Not quite as catchy, I'll admit, but just as ambitious. Right. Keenan, he focused on building bipartisan support, getting allies in Congress, and crucially rallying public pressure. So he understood that to really move the needle in Washington- You need the public behind you. You need those everyday Americans putting pressure on their representatives. He was way ahead of his time in that sense. So he's building this grassroots support. He's got his lobby going. But Israel still desperately needs that aid. How does he convince a hesitant Congress to open the coffers? Well, this is where Keenan's strategic genius really shines. Okay. Even, remember him, he wanted to go for a bill specifically for Israeli aid. Seems logical. Logical, sure. But Keenan, he saw the bigger picture. Okay. New Congress wasn't exactly eager to single out Israel. Right. Especially so soon after its founding. Exactly. So he pushed for something much bolder. What's that? A broader Middle East aid package. Now, that sounds counterintuitive. Does it? Wouldn't that mean helping out some of Israel's rivals? Well, Keenan understood that in politics, it's all about how you frame it. Okay. By packaging the aid as a way to address the whole humanitarian crisis. Right. And promote regional stability. Which was huge during the Cold War. Exactly. He made it a win-win. Instead of just a special interest. Precisely. And he was a master of public relations, too. Okay. He got newspapers on board. Even the New York Times, right? Oh, yeah. Front page story. Wow. That's impressive. It really helped swing public opinion in favor of the aid package. So he's got the public on his side. But I'm sure it wasn't all smooth sailing in Congress. You're right about that. Who are the main roadblocks? A group of Southern congressmen. Okay. Led by this guy, Harold D. Cooley. What did he do? Cooley? Oh, he went on this supposed fact-finding mission to the region. Hmm. I bet that was interesting. Oh, he came back with these stories about the Palestinian refugees. Let me guess. Very sympathetic to their plight. Painting a certain picture. You could say that. Trying to drum up opposition to the aid package. Exactly. So what did Keenan do? Keenan, always the strategist, he had a counter move. Okay. Well, what was that? He brought in expert witnesses. Like who? This renowned economist, Robert Nathan. Oh, wow. Someone with real credibility. Exactly. To give a more objective perspective. That makes sense. Combating those biased accounts. Exactly. So what happened? Nathan's testimony. Oh, it resonated with Congress. What did he say? He talked about the potential economic benefits of aiding the region. Good. Smart. It was the counter narrative they needed. So they could ignore those biased accounts? Exactly. And paid the way for the bill to pass. And it did pass. It did. The Morse Taft Act. What a victory for Keenan, for Israel. It was huge for Israel. How much aid did they get? $18.78 million directly to the Israeli government. Wow. And another $50 million for refugee aid. That's a lifeline for a brand new nation. It was essential, absolutely critical for them at that time. It was more than just the money, right? Exactly. This win. Yeah. It was a blueprint for AIPAC's future. Validated Keenan's whole approach. Bipartisan support, public pressure, strategic framing. All of it. Wow, that's incredible. It really laid the foundation for the U.S.-Israel relationship we see today. It's amazing how one piece of legislation could have such a lasting impact. I know, right? It shows the power of strategic thinking. Of understanding how things work in Washington. Exactly. And Keenan, he saw the potential in that relationship. The U.S.-Israel relationship. Long before many others did, and he knew it needed a new approach. Not the old way of doing things. Not even close. It makes you think, if he could pull that off back then. Get aid for a brand new nation. What could we achieve today if we apply those same principles? Right. What seems impossible now. Good question. It really makes you think. It does. It really does. Yeah. It really puts things in perspective. It does. So it seems like Keenan's story, it's more than just a history lesson, right? Oh, absolutely. It's like a master class. Yeah. In building influence. It really is. From the ground up. You know, it reminds us that even when things seem impossible, like huge challenges, big goals, we can achieve them. Right. If we think strategically. Exactly. Think outside the box. Build those unexpected alliances. And he really understood that human element. He did, didn't he? He wasn't just focused on winning over politicians. Right. He knew he had to get everyday people invested. He knew how to connect with people. Tell a good story. Absolutely. And that resonates. It creates real change. That's a powerful takeaway for anyone, right? Oh, absolutely. Whether you're in government or just in your community. Trying to make a difference. It's about connecting with people on a fundamental level. Yeah. Finding that common ground. Exactly. And Keenan, he was a master at that. So we've learned a lot today. We have. It's been fascinating. About vision, determination, and the power of human connection. It's inspiring, isn't it? It is. And it shows that with the right approach. And a bit of audacity. You can achieve amazing things. No matter the odds. Well said. This has been an incredible deep dive. I've really enjoyed it. Full of fascinating insights. It's amazing how exploring the past can teach us so much about the present. It really is. And maybe even inspire us to shape a better future, right? Exactly. Well said. It's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me.