We had the opportunity to sit down with Gary Hart for thirty uninterrupted minutes today and discuss his recent San Francisco foreign policy speech, and the concerns of some, including the hosts of CNN's Crossfire, that one line of the speech might be construed to be anti-semitic. We've investigated, here's our report. Hart's on solid footing with us. You can decide for yourselves.

First, context is everything. Read the whole speech.

"We must not let our role in the world be dictated by ideologues with their special biases and agendas, by militarists who long for the clarity of cold war confrontation, by think tank theorists who grind their academic axes, or by Americans who too often find it hard to distinguish their loyalties to their original homelands from their loyalties to America and its national interests."

Is there anyone out there in the blogistan who believes the reverse of that proposition is true? If so, we'd like to hear from you. We certainly don't.

Second, Gary Hart doesn't talk in code. If he had a problem with a particular group, he'd come out and say it. That's his nature and that's how he has conducted himself during his 30 years of public service.

If you read Hart's speech, which again, is available here, you will see that its focus was not War with Iraq, although Hart certainly mentioned it. The speech was about American's foreign policy role in the 21st century. He sets forth the principles he believes should guide our foreign policy – for the purpose of establishing a framework within which policy can be made. He says that foreign policy is no longer the province of experts -- that the engagement of the American people is necessary in the discussion. "In the 21st century, the veil separating the foreign policy priesthood from the people must be removed...our policy toward the world must be the policy of the American people."

Hart says he was not singling out any one group. He had no specific group in mind. He was referring to any group with special interests, including any group that might put its concerns and feelings for the country of its heritage over the best interests of America. His point was that where there is a difference between what is in America's best interest and what is in the best interests of the homeland or country of origin of another group, America's interest must come first in shaping foreign policy.

Hart was not referring to Jewish Americans. He was not referring to the War with Iraq. He was talking about America's long-term foreign policy role in the 21st century. His comment applies equally to Cuban, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Greek and Turkish -American citizens. He was talking about all Americans, wherever we come from.

Hart has been a strong supporter of Israel for over 30 years. His voting record in the Senate confirms this. That's not to say he's never been critical of Israel's settlement policy as a barrier to peace, but a large segment of Israelis and Jewish-Americans share that view.

His speech was about America's long-term foreign policy role–and the principles that should guide it. One of those principles is that Americans must become engaged in the discussion, so that America's role in the world does not become dictated by ideologues-- any ideologues -- who would put their special biases or agendas ahead of what is best for America.