On CNN, NYT's Friedman Slams 'Sick' GOP for Sticking With Trump

During a discussion on the indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the panel on Sunday's edition of Fareed Zakaria GPS repeatedly compared Netanyahu to President Trump. The New York Times's Tom Friedman talked about "one big difference between Israel and America." He proceeded to favorably contrast the reaction of Netanyahu's Likud Party to his alleged wrongdoing in the form of "demands for a primary...to run against Netanyahu" with the reaction of the Republican Party to Trump's alleged wrongdoing. According to Friedman, "Likud ministers, at least a few of them, seem to have a little more spine, self-respect, and integrity than the entire Republican caucus...in the House and the Senate where, other than one exception, basically are not ready to challenge Trump." Nonetheless, Friedman seemed optimistic that the Likud Party turning on Netanyahu "might be a warning sign to Trump." At the end of the conversation, host Fareed Zakaria asked Friedman "why is the Republican Party so bereft of the Howard Bakers?" In his response, Friedman trashed the "ecosystem of Fox News" and expressed hope that "just one, maybe if I really dream, just two might actually say you know what? I'm going to stand up for truth and the right thing here." Friedman claimed that "the fact that you don't really says to me that our conservative party is sick...and that's why you're not going to persuade these people, you're not going to change these people. You can only defeat these people."