Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) revealed Thursday that former President Barack Obama said he was “proud” of her during a meeting this week with House Democrat freshmen in Washington, D.C.
“President Obama met with us new members of Congress and it was a thoughtful discussion. The best part was when he looked straight at me and said, “I’m proud of you,” Tlaib wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of her posing with the former president.
The Michigan Democrat, who is first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress, has quickly established herself as one of the most divisive lawmakers in Washington. Hours after being sworn in, Tlaib spoke before a reception held by the progressive MoveOn.org in which she vowed to “impeach the motherfucker,” a reference to President Trump. She has also pushed several antisemitic tropes, accusing pro-Israel lawmakers of forgetting which “country they represent.”
Tlaib has a history of associating with anti-Jewish radicals, including Abbas Hamideh, an anti-Israel extremist and staunch supporter of the Hezbollah terror group, who she posed for a photo with at a swearing-in ceremony. She is also a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, a global campaign promoting various forms of boycotts against the Jewish state.
According to several reports, Obama met with Democrats to discuss how to advance legislation in an ever-polarized Congress. He also warned that bills or proposals attracting too much media attention before ample support is secured could hurt its prospects of being turned into law.
One source told the Washington Post that the former president also told the House Democrat freshman they “shouldn’t be afraid of big, bold ideas—but also need to think in the nitty-gritty about how those big, bold ideas will work and how you pay for them.”
While Obama did not single out a specific policy, some inside the room believe Obama was referring to the Green New Deal, the far-left proposal to pursue 100 percent non-combustible energy by 2030. The proposal, unveiled earlier this year by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), was voted down in the Senate this week 57-0, with 42 Democrats voting “present.”
Obama on Tuesday posted to social media about the formal meet-and-greet with Democrats, tweeting: “Last night I had the chance to meet with first-term Democrats in Congress – it’s a young, diverse class, stocked with a bunch of my campaign and administration alums who’ve taken the torch. This group is going to be driving progress for a long time to come.”
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