Ilhan Omar embarks on new path no longer defined by ‘firsts’

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was winding up for a speech at a Minnesota clean energy facility when he spotted a lawmaker in the crowd whom he wanted to recognize. “I don’t need any of you to defend me against antisemitism,” said Rep. Jan Shakowsky, D-Ill. “My friend Ilhan Omar and I have worked together toward the values that I treasure as an American Jew and that she treasures as an American Islamic woman, the only one on the Foreign Affairs Committee.” Democrats called it payback because they had used their majority in the last Congress to oust far-right GOP lawmakers from committees for their incendiary, violent remark s. But the emotionally charged floor debate over Omar was a departure from the bipartisan outrage she faced in her first year in office. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the highest-ranking progressive in Congress, said in April 2019 that Omar may “need to do a better job speaking to the Jewish community,” but that “it is not antisemitic to be critical of a right-wing government in Israel.” Ben Rhodes, who was President Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said that after meeting Omar early in her career, it was clear that she wanted to use her background to push for structural change in foreign policy. But I think she’s gonna turn it into a real blessing,” said Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., who was an early supporter of Omar and is a member of the House Democratic leadership team. “But we share a similar worldview, especially when it comes to the African continent, where we’re both really focused on U.S. engagement, not leading with our military, but actually leading with diplomacy and centering our values on human rights and promoting good governance.” While many voiced concerns that her removal from the House Foreign Affairs Committee would effectively silence her on foreign policy, Omar said Republicans badly miscalculated, given that she was assigned to the House Budget Committee as a replacement.