Peter Beinart is senior political writer for The Daily Beast, a former editor of The New Republic and author, most recently, of the book The Crisis of Zionism. Before talking about Israel and its relationship to Jewish Americans, Beinart took questions in the green room about his driving ability, his breakfast choices, and his feelings about being on T-shirts printed up by admirers.
Q. What is it like to have your image on a T-shirt?
A. Embarrassing, a little weird, not something I expected to happen, or expect to happen again.
Q. What is your preferred breakfast?
A. It’s not the breakfast I usually eat, but given my druthers I’d probably have a very spicy vegetarian breakfast burrito. I like kippers as well.
Q. What non-human animal fills you with terror?
A. Tasmanian devil. They’re very fierce. They have their name for a reason. They’re ferret-like.
Q. What’s the best hotel in Israel?
A. I have strong positive associations with the breakfast buffet at the King David Hotel.
Q. Do you think argument has the power to persuade?
A. Occasionally.
Q. Who is your favorite South African musician?
A. I’ve always been a huge fan of Miriam Makeba.
Q. Of what notable superstition are you guilty?
A. Superstition is in the eye of the beholder. One person’s religious law is another person’s superstition!
Q. Who, in Israeli politics, has the best hair?
A. Actually, I think there a lot of Israeli politicians with good hair. Eli Yishai has a lot of hair.
Q. What is the kindest thing you can say about Washington?
A. That, if you like talking about politics, you’re not likely to be bored.
Q. What are you like behind the wheel?
A. Because of what I’m like behind the wheel I’m not that often behind the wheel.
*Photo by Felipe Ruiz-Acosta.