editorials
The Not-So-Small Mouse That Roared
T he political organization named “No Labels” has
been around since 2010. It is not directly affi liated
with any political party, and its leadership claims it
has no intention of creating a new one. Instead, No
Labels’ goal is to bring warring members of Congress
together to discuss and implement practical solutions
to problems.

No Labels, founded and led by veteran political
fundraiser Nancy Jacobson, decries political
partisanship. It faults Republicans and Democrats for
unprincipled party allegiance. No Labels’ watchword is
bipartisanship — and it promotes what it believes to be
common sense, “centrist” solutions to issues like the
economy, immigration, energy, climate and a host of
others. No Labels touts several bipartisan successes,
including help in the recent passage of the Biden
administration’s infrastructure bill.

No Labels has attracted the active involvement of
some very recognizable “center-leaning” political names,
including former Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.),
former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, and
Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.). It has also started to
attract some signifi cant donations.

It is against this backdrop that No Labels prompted
a tremor in the presidential sweepstakes earlier this
month when it announced a $70 million plan to put a
candidate on the ballot in all 50 states for the 2024
presidential election. No Labels has not identifi ed its
candidate. In fact, it says it doesn’t have a candidate
at this time. Rather, it claims that the 50-state ballot
project is an “insurance policy” in case Democrats and
Republicans both nominate “unacceptable” candidates
next year.

Although No Labels won’t come out and say it, the
handwriting is on the wall. No Labels has condemned
Donald Trump and Joe Biden as extreme or overly
partisan and does not appear willing to endorse either
one in the coming election. If Biden and Trump are both
nominated, No Labels will back someone else. And No
Labels claims a centrist candidate could prevail in some
40 states and win a three-way election.

The track record of third-party candidates is not
good. And it is not likely that a No Labels candidate
could win in a national three-person race. But
there is a real possibility of a serious No Labels
candidate playing the spoiler role — and therein
lies the rub.

Democrats are threatened by the No Labels move and
recognize that a third-party, centrist candidate would
almost certainly draw nervous or anti-Trump voters
away from Biden. If that happens in states like Arizona,
where Biden won by a slim margin in 2020, the overall
result could be aff ected. Republicans are less agitated
but recognize that a third-party, centrist candidate could
tip the balance on an issue like abortion, which would
draw votes from Trump and help Biden.

No Labels says it will wait until its planned April 2024
convention to see who the Democrats and Republicans
nominate before it declares its next steps. In doing so,
No Labels has achieved what appears to be its real
objective — forcing Democrats and Republicans to
think more carefully and strategically about who they
nominate and what their party platforms will be.

No Labels may not be able to win the presidency, but
it may be in a position to have a signifi cant impact on
who does. ■
Needless Provocation
United States Congress
H ouse
Speaker Kevin
pause on fi nal consideration of
McCarthy (R-Calif.) will
the judicial reform proposal. Yet,
lead a bipartisan congressional
shortly after that concession,
delegation to Israel next week.

Biden told the press he would not
The visit — in honor of Israel’s
be inviting Netanyahu to the White
75th anniversary — should be
House “in the short term.”
cause for celebration in the Jewish
Netanyahu feels slighted. He has
state, hopeful anticipation in the
been back in offi ce almost four
pro-Israel community and a timely
months and still hasn’t been invited
opportunity for Israel’s leadership
for a photo op at the Biden White
to reassure American leaders
House. So, in vintage Netanyahu
and rekindle what is perceived to
style, he turned to Republicans to
be a waning U.S. interest in the
help him fi ght Democrats. In this
Middle East.

case, he is using McCarthy, the
But that’s not going to happen.

fl edgling speaker of the House,
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Instead, Prime Minister Benjamin
to respond to Biden’s perceived
Netanyahu plans to use the visit
interference and slight.

to settle a score with President Joe Biden. In doing so,
McCarthy has his own problems. He holds the
Netanyahu will likely alienate even more members of coveted speaker position but is struggling to fi nd his
the Democratic Party.

footing. He limped through 15 ballots to be elected
Biden and a rising number of Democrats in Congress and, in the process, sold his soul to his party’s extreme
have expressed concern about Israel’s controversial right wing. The razor-thin but ideologically divided
judicial overhaul plan and other policies. That chorus majority held by Republicans in the House has not
of opposition — largely in support of hundreds of been able to move forward on several major measures,
thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets including border security and a budget plan. Fractured
in peaceful yet powerful protest — helped sway Republican leadership is struggling with debt-limit
Netanyahu to announce a soon-to-expire Passover issues. And they are having diffi culty gaining traction in
promised investigations of all things Biden.

Leadership of a bipartisan delegation to Israel seemed
like the perfect opportunity to elevate McCarthy’s profi le.

That was made even better — at least for McCarthy —
when Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu ally,
announced that McCarthy will address the Knesset,
only the second time a House speaker has been invited
to do so.

The last time was 25 years ago, when Newt Gingrich
led a similar bipartisan delegation to honor Israel’s 50th
anniversary and was invited to speak by then-prime
minister Netanyahu. The Gingrich invitation was widely
viewed as Netanyahu’s confrontational response to
demands being made by then-President Bill Clinton
for Israeli concessions in talks with Palestinians and
criticism of Netanyahu’s eff orts to rally Republicans to
oppose Clinton’s demands.

Now, a new speaker, a new president, but the same
Netanyahu. Although Israel should unquestionably welcome and
honor the McCarthy delegation, we don’t see the point in
using the visit to incite discord or resentment. Netanyahu
is already at the center of multiple controversies. He
doesn’t need more criticism or hurt feelings from
Israel’s most signifi cant ally, and he certainly shouldn’t
use the McCarthy visit for needless provocation of the
U.S. president. ■
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