Dershowitz warns Democrats to drop Media Matters

Harvard University Professor Alan Dershowitz recently warned Democrats that they will lose the presidential election this year if they stick with Media Matters for America.

Dershowitz, a strong defender of Israel, reportedly made the remark during a press conference earlier this month in which he defended Israel against a group at University of Pennsylvania that is urging the university to boycott, divest and sanction the Jewish state for its longtime dispute with Palestinians over borders and security.

Among the speakers at a conference held by PennBDS (Pennsylvania boycott, divest and sanction) was Max Blumenthal, son of Sidney Blumenthal, a powerful Washington attorney and Bill and Hillary Clinton ally.

Max Blumenthal, a UPenn graduate who used to work with Media Matters, wrote a scathing op-ed for the school newspaper about Dershowitz in which he called the professor "an open advocate of torture" and suggested Dershowitz could be responsible for violence against Israel's critics.

Asked about the article, Dershowitz reportedly recounted the many fallacies in it and then remarked about its author.

"Let me tell you, Max Blumenthal and Media Matters will be singlehandedly responsible for (Obama) losing this election. They (the Democrats) cannot win the election and keep this affiliation with them," he is quoted saying, according to American Thinker's Laurie Lowenthal Marcus, who tweeted the comment to Blumenthal.

Blumenthal replied on Twitter: "@LoriLMarcus @AlanDersh.That's the funniest thing I've heard since I watched @TheDersh's speech last night. Who can take that seriously?"

Blumenthal's comment comes after Media Matters senior fellow MJ Rosenberg received critical attention for deploying the expression "Israel firster" to describe American lawmakers and others who voice unwavering support for Israel, implying that their loyalties are to Israel first, and to America second.

The expression, used by anti-Israel bloggers, was widely condemned by the Anti-Defamation League and Simon Wiesenthal Center. The Center for American Progress, which The Daily Caller reported on Monday sends a representative for regular meetings with folks from Media Matters and the White House, stopped its use of the expression after the criticism. Media Matters did not.