(AFP) – With the approach of US midterm elections in November and facing the possibility of losing control in both houses of Congress, Republicans are training their fire on a left-wing influencer who has emerged as a liability for Democratic candidates.
“I am done! So don’t any reporter ask me again about Hasan Piker. It’s not what November is about,” snapped congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan at a reelection rally on Wednesday. Democrats are leery of Piker, a popular online commentator who has been accused of anti-Semitism, worried he will distract from their criticism of President Donald Trump’s economic record.
AFP this week spent several hours following Piker’s live program on Twitch, where he streams daily to three million followers. Dressed in a suit and tie, the 35-year-old launched into a lengthy monologue, riffing on viewer comments, discussing video clips, weighing in on current events and repeatedly attacking Israel. His tone and style were similar to those of far-right streamers who helped propel Trump to a second White House term — but unlike them, he identifies as a “socialist” and “anti-imperialist.”
Piker kicked off his Wednesday show by talking about his custom-tailored jacket and his bodybuilding workouts. At a time when young conservatives prize hyper-masculinity, the bearded Turkish American stands out among liberals for focusing on his physical appearance. He posed shirtless in a bathtub for men’s fashion magazine GQ, discussing politics and his treatment for hair loss in the accompanying article.
Dingell said she’s still trying to figure out if Piker is popular because “he exercises and looks buff.” As recently as this spring, Piker’s endorsement was welcomed by Democratic candidates in industrial Midwestern states like Michigan. He campaigned during that time with Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate now running for a US Senate seat after winning the Democratic nomination.
But all that changed on August 20, when Piker suggested on Twitch that Jews who openly support Israel are exposing themselves to attack. “I don’t know how people don’t recognize how dangerous this predicament is, how dangerous this is for Jews,” he said. “You’re running around basically tying your entire identity to a country that inevitably will be seen as basically Jewish ISIS, and you’re saying, as Jews, this is all we care about. You’re making anti-Semitism worse.”
El-Sayed subsequently distanced himself, issuing a statement Monday calling anti-Semitism a “scourge.” “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters,” he said. Elissa Slotkin, a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, also condemned the remarks: “No community should face the threat (of) violence for their political views. Period.”
On Wednesday, speaking from his California studio cluttered with knick-knacks, Piker hit back. “I fought against antisemitism my whole life,” he declared, sporting a “Free Palestine” bracelet. Piker, who has said he was raised Muslim but is non-practicing, called himself a victim of a “coordinated smear campaign” and Islamophobia. He did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.
Born in the United States to Turkish parents, Piker began his media career on “The Young Turks,” a left-leaning online political news platform founded by his uncle. He drew attention in 2019 when he said: “America deserved 9-11, dude… I’m saying it.” He later walked back the comment. Piker has said he has no intention of changing his rhetoric on Israel, asserting that his stance is gaining ground in the United States, where support for Israel has long been the political norm.
In a poll conducted this May by the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of respondents said they held a negative view of Israeli authorities, compared to 51 percent in April 2019. Regarding the Israeli people, the survey found 52 percent held positive views, down from 62 percent in April 2019.
– Aurélia END
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