El-Sayed on war and security Defends campaign outreach

Oct 5

Martha MacCallum introduces a tight Michigan Senate race: the displayed Fox poll puts El-Sayed at 50% and Rogers at 49% among likely Michigan voters, with September 24–28 field dates and a ±3-point margin of error, and says Obama is expected to campaign with him later in the month. She attributes Islamist indoctrination and possible Ben Gurion Airport or U.S.-base-in-Jordan targets in the FlyDubai incident to UAE investigators. El-Sayed thanks the captain and Israeli passengers, condemns terrorism and rejects blaming victims while arguing that U.S. policy should reduce violence. He opposes the Iran war, says Obama's nuclear agreement contained the threat, and blames Trump's choices for higher household costs and military losses. MacCallum disputes his nuclear-compliance and Hormuz-flow account, cites a Wall Street Journal assessment of recovering oil supply and argues that national security requires confronting threats; she later says she is presenting another perspective, and acknowledges opposition to the war. El-Sayed cites eighteen service members killed, deployments and inadequate supplies, invokes Iraq's costs and criticizes Rogers and VA defunding. Asked about Muslim Brotherhood branches in Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, he repeatedly makes support for terror designations conditional on organizations engaging in or calling for political violence, then rejects more war as the answer. MacCallum reads Piker's New York Magazine remarks expressing confidence that El-Sayed would hold Israel accountable despite distancing himself. El-Sayed says the campaign concerns gas, groceries and medical access, calls his interviews with Piker and Fox a way to reach audiences, and questions Trump's war and Canada tariffs. The complete published first part closes with a break and a preview of a separate domestic-policy discussion.

In his October 5 Fox interview, Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed thanks the captain and Israeli passengers credited with preventing the Flydubai disaster and condemns terrorism against anyone. MacCallum asks whether his earlier comments about perpetrators' pain and U.S. policy imply victim blame. He rejects that interpretation, says victims are never at fault and argues that American engagement should make people safer and reduce violence. His policy explanation is not an endorsement of attacks.