Your point is so well taken since Dole specifically mentioned “Jews in Hollywood and there friends”, puting me and Rich in the exact same boat. What? Dole never mentioned Jews at all? Then I guess you have no point at all, Patrick.
People are always talking about “Germans and their friends”, “Mexicans and their friends”, “Chinese and their friends”. Well, maybe not. But it’s a perfectly innocuous phrase that doesn’t belie any conspiratorial, paranoid attitude at all. No sir. Badge of honor.
I fairly recently reread Rich's column and he did not allege whatsoever the words you quote here. Rich merely said that when he heard people criticizing Hollywood he could devine anti-Semitism behind it, much as you have done with the "friends" remark.
Now if Dole did in fact say what you quote here, I would like very much to see it. It would dramatically change my view of this whole incident, an incident which powerfully effected my attitude on these matters.
If you can give us a citation for those words by Dole, please....
If you can not provide that citation, yes, you have joined Rich in a contemptible slander of an honorable American who suffered all his life from the severe injury he suffered fighting Nazis.
I am waiting...