Michigan Senate debate War and Israel divide rivals

Oct 8

Goodman reports El-Sayed and Rogers's first Michigan Senate debate Thursday evening. El-Sayed criticizes Rogers's support for wars, connects it to debt and questions alliances that lead the United States into wars it does not need. Goodman says Rogers defended pro-Israel campaign support. Rogers affirms Israel's right to exist and defend itself; asked by Rick Albin whether anything could cost Israel his support, he says talk of using nuclear weapons would, while adding that he has never heard Israel propose it.

El-Sayed and Rogers hold their first Michigan Senate debate October 8. Democracy Now airs El-Sayed opposing wars he says Rogers supports and criticizing associated debt and alliances. Rogers defends Israel's existence and self-defense and says proposed nuclear use would cost it his support, while qualifying that he has never heard such a proposal. The report also describes pro-Israel campaign spending. Fox's October 9 retrospective adds the moderator's Israel-versus-Iran threat question, El-Sayed's description of both as dangerous in their own ways and Rogers's attack on his suitability for the Senate and security clearance. The complete panel retains York's favorable assessment of Rogers, Egbewole's argument that economic anxiety matters more than family/faith attacks, and Nichols's no-knockout assessment. These attributed debate clips and opinions supplement, rather than replace, the earlier direct nuclear-use qualification.