OH SURE, THEY CHANT “DEATH TO AMERICA,” BUT…: MSNBC Analyst, a Former Obama Official, Calls Iran ‘Most Western Nation’ in the Middle East.
MSNBC political analyst and former Obama administration official Rick Stengel questioned why the United States is aligned with Israel rather than Iran, which he called “the most Western nation” in the Middle East. Though Iranians chant “death to America,” Stengel said, they also “love American movies.”
“Why is it a foundation issue for Trump that Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon?” Stengel, who served as an undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs under former president Barack Obama, asked during a Thursday appearance on MSNBC. “Why are we allied with Israel?”
When pressed on Iranians’ “death to America” chants, Stengel recalled a 2014 trip to the country. “I was sitting … at a rally,” he said. “These young guys were chanting ‘death to America.’ … They finished the chants. And two young men came over and said, ‘Are you American?’ I said yes, [and they said,] ‘We want to welcome you to our country. We love American culture. We love American movies.'”
The 1963 comedy album, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks at the Canne Film Festival kicked off thusly (audio available at the Wayback Machine):
CARL REINER: Ladies and gentlemen, we are at the Cannes [pronouncing it “Can”] Film Festival here in Lower Italy. And we are going to meet some of the producers, directors, and stars of the films that are being exhibited here for the annual competition.
First, I’d like you to meet the German representative from Nartsi? Narsi? Narzi? From the Narzi Film Company! Herr Adolf Hartler. Good afternoon, Herr Hartler.
MEL BROOKS: Heil Hartler! How are you?
REINER: Now, this is a strange name. It’s Narzi Films.
BROOKS: Yes, we… well, we… well…
REINER: That doesn’t have anything to do with Nazi, does it?
BROOKS: No, are you kidding? They are our worst enemies. We are against them. We always were! Are you kidding?
* * * * * * * *
REINER: Sir, sir, you’re wearing your bathing suit, I noticed.
BROOKS: Yes, yes.
REINER: And as you scratched your head, I noticed a little “SS” tattooed under your arm. What does that mean?
BROOKS: Oh, oh, oh, well, wait! That’s the Simon Says! Umm, umm, Simon Says, We played that on the beach. I’m the captain of the Simon Says team! And that’s where we get SS from! I’m serious about the game, I love it, and so I had myself tattooed, “Simon Says!”
REINER: How did you feel about the motion picture, Stanley Kramer’s motion picture, Judgment at Nuremberg?
BROOKS Unfair!
REINER: Why did you consider it unfair?
BROOKS: Well, because he didn’t tell the whole truth. What was the picture about? Really about a misunderstanding, really, wasn’t it? I mean, look, you have, you send people to camp, don’t you, in the summer? We sent a few people to camp. I don’t know what the whole fuss is about! Sent some nice people to camp…mostly in the summer!
I’m pretty sure Brooks and Reiner thought they were recording a comedy album, not a how-to guide for “Progressive” diplomacy with the Middle East.