Josh Mandel Cuddling With Christian Nationalism Again, Just Kidding He Never Stopped

Here, have some theocracy.

Donald Trump is wrong about most things, but he's correct in thinking Ohio GOP Senate candidate Josh Mandel is a "charisma-free weirdo and dork," as the Daily Beast put it in a piece where they reported that Trump thinks Mandel is "fucking weird" and spends a lot of time gossiping about Mandel's sex life. The Beast says when Trump talks about Mandel's alleged sex life, he does it "often in disgust." That's part of why he had to endorse sentient human butt hair sculpture JD Vance. That guy's not gross like Josh Mandel haha yes he is.

HUMAN BUTT HAIR SCULPTURE:  Something You'd Like To Share With The Whole Class, JD Vance? 

The field is very tight in Ohio, but at least one recent poll has Mandel barely at the top of the pack. So it's a good time to talk about this new AP interview with Mandel, where he gives one of his full-throated mouth hugs to authoritarian Christian nationalism, which continues to be a bit odd at first glance, since he is Jewish.

“From my perspective, you know for me, I’m a proud American, I’m a proud Marine Corps vet and I’m a proud Jew,” he explained. “And when I look at the U.S.-Israel relationship, I think liberal Jews in America should be ashamed of themselves for supporting anti-Israel groups like J Street*. And I think the best friends of the U.S.-Israel relationship in America are evangelical Christians.”

Oh, that old thing, where evangelicals "love" Israel like pedophiles love children, because they believe Israel has to exist so Jesus can come back and throw all the Jewish people in hell. It's all part of their prophecy!

Mandel touts his opposition to abortion and a belief that “there is no separation between church and state,” signaling a willingness to support policies such as prayer in public schools and permitting private businesses to turn away customers based on their religious beliefs.

“You know, people want faith instilled in the classroom, in the workplace, in all aspects of society,” Mandel said.

In other words, "Handmaid's Tale"-style Christian theocracy. Because "people" want that. (Normal people do not want that.)

This has always been Mandel's thing, though, trying to be the biggest bigot in the clown car, and specifically declaring that the great majority of American Jewish people aren't the right kind of Jewish people. He called the director of the Anti-Defamation League a "kapo." He cites alt-right weirdos like Mike Cernovich and Jack Posobiec, who have trafficked in anti-Semitism, as "patriots." He's really into Christian nationalists like Michael Flynn and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

He sends out tweets like this:

Liberal Jews and radical Muslims are irrelevant to our campaign. Evangelical Christians, Jewish conservatives and devout Catholics are our army.

— Josh Mandel (@Josh Mandel) 1637191248 

In other words, most American Jews are his enemy, because he thinks most American Jews are bad Jews, and evangelical Christian nationalists are his real pals. It reminds us of the philosophies of noted Jewish scholars Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani and Michele Bachmann. 

And oh boy, this AP interview just brings the batshit throughout:

Before digging into his six-egg omelet at a bustling northeast Ohio diner, Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel stopped to bow his head.

“Bless our food, our time, our conversation, in Jesus’ name,” said Pastor J.C. Church, who joined Mandel after a campaign event at a local church. ”Amen.” [...]

“Usually, when someone’s running for U.S. Senate or governor or Congress, they’d go to all the Republican rubber chicken dinners and clam bakes and hog roasts, stuff like that,” Mandel said in a recent interview between campaign stops. “We’re blowing up the playbook. I’m sidestepping all of the Republican Party groups and, instead, I’m running a campaign through churches.”

Indeed, Mandel’s campaign is steeped in Christianity. His website features a picture of a cross and an American flag. He pledges to make decisions in Washington with “the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other.” And he holds most of his campaign events at evangelical churches.

Josh Mandel might have the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other, but Donald Trump's little bitty hands are full of JD Vance, because again, despite Mandel's slobbering, Trump gave Vance his endorsement. According to Axios, Trump thinks Mandel looks "embarrassing" in debates, and yet again, Trump ain't wrong. 

But good try with all the fascist Christian nationalism, Josh Mandel. Very good try. It's almost as appealing to regular human beings as Mandel's bromance with fellow lovable person Ted Cruz.

* Rebecca, Wonkette editrix, guesses she should asterisk here that her uncle Victor is on the board of directors for J Street, for "full disclosure" or whatever the kids are calling it these days, so FYI and all that.

[ AP ]

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