Tonight on THE ROSENBERG REPORT, I press Vivek Ramaswamy on why his views are deeply unpopular with Evangelicals
It’s not just abortion – it’s also his willingness to cut loose US allies like Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Fresh off the first GOP presidential debate a few weeks ago, Vivek Ramaswamy is gaining support in Iowa, where the first-in-the-nation caucuses will be held in January.
Having started the race with zero support and almost no name recognition, the highly successful CEO and entrepreneur is drawing a great deal of attention from the media, as well as withering attacks from rivals like former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence.
One new poll in Iowa now puts Ramaswamy tied for third at 7%.
Another new Iowa poll puts him at 9%.
That’s a lot of progress in a short period of time.
Of course, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump dominates the field in the Hawkeye State at 46%, according to the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is in second at 15.8%.
But as Ramaswamy rises, he’s beginning to get more scrutiny, and rightly so.
PRESSING VIVEK RAMASWAMY ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO EVANGELICALS
As I wrote last week on ALL ISRAEL NEWS – and discussed on THE ROSENBERG REPORT in Part 1 of my conversation with Ramaswamy – there is much I like about the outsider businessman’s family story and some of his policies.
But as I also explained, I do have growing concerns.
For one, I completely disagree with his position that the U.S. federal government has no right to put limits on abortion, much less outlaw it.
Tonight on THE ROSENBERG REPORT, we will air Part 2 of my interview.
WHY IS RAMASWAMY SIGNALING THAT HE WOULD CUT LOOSE THREE VITAL AMERICAN ALLIES?
I specifically press him on his approach towards three vital American allies – Taiwan, Israel and Ukraine.
Why does he say he would defend Taiwan – a key U.S. ally in the Pacific – from the threat of invasion by Communist China, but only until 2028?
Why is he giving voters the resounding impression that he would cut Taiwan loose after 2028?
Why does Ramaswamy want to end all U.S. military aid to Israel as soon as possible, ideally by 2028?
Doesn’t he see how dangerous the Iran nuclear and terror threat is, and why it is so important to have an increasingly close U.S.-Israeli alliance in the face of the Iran threat?
What’s more, why does he vow to end all U.S. assistance to the people of Ukraine the moment he takes office – no more U.S. money, no more U.S. weapons?
Doesn’t he realize that by cutting Ukraine loose, he makes it vastly easier for Czar Vladimir Putin to win, emboldening Putin to go after his next targets – Poland and the Baltic states?
Doesn’t he realize that by helping Ukraine defeat Putin now, the U.S. can dramatically reduce the prospect that the American people and the rest of NATO will have to go to war to stop Putin later?
I’m grateful to Vivek Ramaswamy for coming on THE ROSENBERG REPORT and giving me so much time – 50 minutes – to engage him on all these topics.
But I can’t say I was happy with his answers.
What’s more, I believe that the more Evangelical Christians – especially those in Iowa – discover Ramaswamy’s real views on issues ranging from abortion to Israel, the less happy they are going to be with him, as well.
ALSO TONIGHT: A SNEAK PREVIEW OF A WONDERFUL NEW FILM FOR EVANGELICALS & JEWS
Also on tonight’s show, I’ll show an excerpt from a conversation on Monday with David Friedman, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Israel during all four years of the Trump-Pence administration.
I ask Friedman why he, an Orthodox Jew from New York City, teamed up with an Evangelical Christian from Kansas – former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo – to host and produce a wonderful, beautiful and provocative new film for Evangelicals and Jews.
It’s called, “Route 60: The Biblical Highway,” and it will be in 1,600 American movie theaters on Sept. 18 and 19.
It explores some of the most fascinating and important biblical sites in parts of the Holy Land that the Bible calls Judea and Samaria but which much of the world says Jews have no right to visit nor have any claim to.
I loved this film, I highly recommend that you and your family and friends go see it, and I’ll show a sneak preview on the program tonight.
THE ROSENBERG REPORT airs on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. EST on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the most-watched Christian TV network in the United States.
It re-airs on Saturday nights at 9:30 p.m. EST.
You can also watch the program – and see past shows – on the TBN app and at www.RosenbergReport.TV.
Joel C. Rosenberg is the editor-in-chief of ALL ISRAEL NEWS and ALL ARAB NEWS and the President and CEO of Near East Media. A New York Times best-selling author, Middle East analyst, and Evangelical leader, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife and sons.
