Talking with Tom Basile is like having coffee with that friend you don’t see often, but the conversation starts as if you are continuing a conversation with someone you deal with daily and with affection. It’s hard to disagree with him, because like my hashtag for my podcast, Basile speaks about issues that unite, don’t ignite, and with common sense.
Basile is the host of "America Right Now" on Newsmax TV and his articles have appeared in many publications including Forbes, FoxNews, and the Washington Times. Basile is the author of the 2017 book Tough Sell: Fighting The Media War In Iraq.
We discussed politics, Trump, the latest headlines and of course, Israel, American Jewish issues and worldwide antisemitism. Basile doesn’t take for granted working at Newsmax, where his boss, Christopher Ruddy, encourages factual and historical content about Israel.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has done much to protect more Muslims and save more Muslim lives than any other leader in the middle east, this by standing up to the extremists and Iran. He’s not just saving Israel. He’s saving Judaism. He also has a unique opportunity to make it clear to the American Christian community that Israel will protect the Christian presence in Israel and the greater Middle East as well.”
So I then asked, “How do you explain the growth of antisemitism on the extreme right, including many social media platforms that claim to report the truth and the America First agenda?”
Basile was adamant that these “so-called conservatives” are no better than the extreme left. “Anyone that attacks Israel doesn’t understand what is really going on and is not really MAGA or a Trump supporter. This should be a moment when we bring Christians and Jews together to defend the history and relevance of values that are under attack, not only in Israel but here as well. Jews are under attack by a coalition of the far left and Islamic extremists in an attempt to eviscerate the Biblical history that is the underpinning of Western civilization.”
Basile added, “Prime Minister Netanyahu and his team must do more to connect with American Christian Zionists, stress their government’s successes and express solidarity Americans guided by Judeo-Christian values.”
I changed the subject to American politics and the Jewish vote. Basile has worked in the federal government and in the New York GOP. I told him my concerns about the national Republican and state leadership and he explained that when the courts empowered PACS and Super PACS, they weakened state and local party committees in many places. That doesn’t change the fact that strong party leadership is necessary must help drive a strategy that maintains the Trump coalition across the country.
His advice for Jews and Zionists is to focus on issues and policies not just party politics. “President Trump has built an historic voter coalition and keeping it together is about common sense policy, not about being Mr. Republican.” More voters are leaving the two main parties and registering as Independents or not registering for any party, he said.
“Everything and everyone is on the table now, except the far left. Today’s voters pull the lever for who has shown real leadership on issues that matter. There’s an openness in our politics today that is refreshing, but rarely discussed by the media. For Jews, it should be a clear choice. If you are afraid of the rising antisemitism in America then you support the candidates who support the Trump-Netanyahu policies and goals for peace and security.”
Basile served as an advisor to the Coalition government in Iraq in 2003-04, earning the Joint Civilian Service Commendation from the Defense Department for his work in Baghdad. He is also a former Director of Communications for the US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington where he managed the EPA Administrator’s public liaison operation and developed stakeholder outreach initiatives for a variety of environmental issues.
During the Bush Presidency, he was often called upon by the White House to help plan significant meetings and events for President Bush including the memorial service for the Space Shuttle Columbia Astronauts in Houston, the President’s 2002 meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, activities surrounding the 57th United Nations General Assembly and Bush’s visit to the Nazi concentration camps outside Krakow, Poland.
Tom is a member of the Roman Catholic Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem where he holds the rank of Knight Commander with Star. He and his wife Carrie have three young children and a golden retriever named Liberty.
The message is clear, we are living in a time of threat but also opportunity. Could the right actions lead to permanent peace? Tom Basile - and I - hope so.