Jewish Voters Lean Toward Clinton

Politico: Clinton Has Bulk Of Establishment Jewish Backing, But Obama Is Reaching Out For Support Too

(The Politico)  This story was written by Ben Smith.

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Eight years ago, in her first campaign for the Senate, Hillary Rodham Clinton was scrambling to put out fires with a troublesome local minority: Jewish voters.

Now, she’s emerged as the candidate with the bulk of establishment Jewish support as the presidential campaign moves to Nevada, home to Las Vegas and the fastest-growing Jewish community in the country.

Clinton, whose embrace of the wife of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1999 made the front pages of the New York Post, won her Senate seat despite receiving fewer votes from Jewish voters than the norm for a Democrat, her aides say.

She spent the next six years winning the trust of the hawkish leadership of New York’s Jewish community.

Her record, as well as an impressive roster of key endorsements, leaves her well positioned to win the Jewish vote in Nevada’s Jan. 19 caucuses and in the Jewish centers of New York, New Jersey and California on Feb. 5. Sen. Barack Obama has also pressed hard for Jewish support, winning the endorsements of influential Jewish members of Congress.

But he has been forced to wage, through surrogates, a defense of his record in the face of a viral e-mail smear campaign.

“It’s really a matter of a longtime relationship versus a new face, and there’s not a lot of dramatic difference between [Clinton and Obama] on the issues that are critical to the community,” said Douglas Bloomfield, a former legislative director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

“There’s also a right-wing assault on him that part of the Jewish community is involved in or at least passing along.”

A survey last November conducted by the American Jewish Committee found that 53 percent of Jews view Clinton favorably, compared to 38 percent for both Obama and Edwards.

Clinton spent her Senate term taking a hard line on Israeli security and working diligently on low-profile issues of concern to the community’s leadership: She helped win international recognition for the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross and fought anti-Semitism in Palestinian textbooks.

“Like so many other once skeptical constituencies, Hillary Rodham Clinton has won over Jewish voters,” said New York Democratic Rep. Anthony D. Weiner, who has endorsed her. “She is the favorite of the community now.”

Both her campaign and Obama’s have focused on Jewish community leaders with a steady stream of e-mails and conference calls that has accelerated recently.

“The Jewish vote is an increasingly important component of the bottom line as you approach Super Tuesday,” said Clinton adviser Ann Lewis.

Obama has, in some ways, started down the same course that Clinton did. In the Senate, he proved his pro-Israel bona fides by, among other moves, backing Israel’s side of the 2006 war with the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

He has the support of prominent Jewish members of Congress, including Reps. Robert Wexler of Florida, Adam B. Schiff of California and Steve Rothman of New Jersey.

Clinton’s larger number of Jewish congressional supporters includes Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley of Nevada and nearly a dozen members from California and New York.

“Like many other segments of the American community, Jewish Americans see him as a unifying figure with the intellect and skill to make change,” said Rothman.

But Obama has also stumbled a bit: At one point in a late-night speech to AIPAC, he appeared to equate the risks to Israel from terrorism with those from “cynicism.”

And he’s drawn some substantive criticism, notably for taking on Carter administration national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski as his national security adviser.

Brzezinski has clashed with pro-Israel groups since the 1970s. An Obama adviser said Brzezinski advises the candidate only on Iraq.

Obama has been the subject of a storm of viral e-mails tht seem to have gained particular currency in Jewish political circles.

One characterizes Obama, who is Christian, as a sort of crypto-Muslim Manchurian candidate.

It has reportedly appeared in Hebrew translation, as well as in a more widely circulated English version.

Another e-mail, circulating in New York Jewish circles, holds the fact that he studied at Columbia University - “a hotbed of controversial, Middle Eastern studies teachers” - against him.

“There is a scurrilous e-mail campaign going on. I’ll continually get e-mails from my father, who lives in Florida, that were sent to him, with wild accusations,” said Schiff.

“Every time someone sends me one of those e-mails, I’ll send them a copy of Obama’s positions on Israel or his speech to AIPAC, and they’ll send it to the same list,” he said.

“We’re trying to meet it very forcefully,” Schiff said.

Obama’s efforts have been aided in some of the quarters most given to alarm. Tuesday, Obama issued a statement “strongly condemn[ing] the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister [Louis] Farrakhan,” after a Washington Post column noted that Obama’s Chicago pastor had praised the Nation of Islam leader.

“When someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision. Sen. Obama has done just that,” Anti-Defamation League President Abraham Foxman said in response.

Foxman was one of several Jewish leaders across the political spectrum who signed an open letter Tuesday denouncing “hateful e-mails” directed at Obama.

The fiercely pro-Israel New York Sun has also gone out of its way to lend support to Obama.

“He has chosen to put himself on the record in terms that Israel’s friends in America, at least those not motivated by pure political partisanship, can warmly welcome,” the paper wrote, in an editorial promptly and widely circulated by Obama’s campaign.

[mahanri]

You can put it down that an adulterer is also a liar. Both the clintons and McCain are adulterers. Better go for someone else. There are many reports on the Clintons, and here''s one on McCain about how he so cruely dumped his first highly faithful wife for an adulterous relationship with his now current wife. Don''t let either the Clintons or McCain in the White House. They will lead the country to no good.

Follow this link to one of many reports on McCain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yct8PADEbGM

[cfin5]

The continuing existence of the Jew is proof positive of God''s existence, just as the existence of a Jewish state is proof positive that we are living in the last days of human government as foretold by the Bible prophets of antiquity.

There are three distinct statements made within the Divine promise of blessing given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The first is that God will bless those who bless the Jews.

When the United States wrested its seat at the council of nations from England, it became the first nation on earth to grant full citizenship to Jews.

It was the first nation to allow the Jews an unrestricted vote. It was the first nation to recognize the incomparable blessing the Jewish people have been to humanity.

America''s second president, John Adams, said, "The Jews have done more to civilize men than any other Nation. They are the most glorious Nation that ever inhabited the earth. The Romans and their Empire were but a bauble in comparison to the Jews. They have given religion to three-quarters of the globe and have influenced the affairs of Mankind more, and more happily than any other Nation, ancient or modern."

And no nation on the face of the planet today, or at any time in recorded history, has been more greatly blessed than the United States of America.

The second is that God promised that in the Jews "shall all families of the earth be blessed."

[old300d]

Birds of a feather ?

[old300d]

No group but another racist hate group would praise Minister [Louis] Farrakhan. Bottom line !

[old300d]

Quote

%u201CWhen someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision. Sen. Obama has done just that,%u201D Anti-Defamation League President Abraham Foxman said in response.


I would distance myself from that church fast. He has been in that racist group since the 80''s. He is just now catching on ?

[grazinggoat]

Maddelein Albright gave the signal to the Cabbalis, by standing next to her in public showings. This is clear enough signal not to have to kiss the candidate Obama like Juda did to Jesus. LOL!

[truedemocrat]

to: Rowdy Texan It wasn''t an anology. Jesse jr knew that the victims of Katrina were Black, Jackson implied through this comment about said that HRC didn''t care about Blacks because she is white. The comment was made right after the New Hamshire election. The idea, Jackson''s idea, was to arouse the African American voters rage in South Carolina against HRC. The voters in the primary there are 52% minority. This was followed by the comentary regrading LBJ and MLK. If he had run for any kind of office besides a local Chicago election he Obama would know better than to let this kind of thing go occur in his campagn. He figured it out and HRC and O''bama made peace before the last debate. The incidentss however shoe an extreme lack of judgement on the part of someone who claims to be a uniter. The real African Alerican leaders Johnson of BET and Congressmen Rangle rained in the stupidity.

[l00ker]

Jackson saying, if he did, that Clinton didn''t shed a tear about Katrina victims is not a racist a statement. That''s like saying that Bush is racist because he didn''t shed a tear about Bhutto being killed. Weak analogy.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by truedemocrat at 09:00 AM : Jan 18, 2008

Yes. Plus this young man has had so little testing in his lifetime that we have no idea how he would react in a true crisis. And he really believes that he can just waltz into the White House and change the world single-handedly.

It''s time to look at his backers, examine his motivations and take a step back. To give somebody with so little knowledge of the reality of the problems of this country is precipitious at the least.

[truedemocrat]

I just had a horrible thought. You realize that Jesse Jackson Jr. is one of Obama''s campaign managers. He recently was on national television claiming that Hillary did not shed a tear for the victimes of Katrina. A racist slam if I have ever heard one. Imagine Obama will make him Secretery of State. He will then be sent to Isreal to negotiate the peace process. Yikes!! You do remember what his Dad said about New York?

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by jack3213 at 08:22 AM : Jan 18, 2008

Ummm, which republican would that be, Jack? I think the whole of the United States right now is embarrassed by the republicans? How could somebody else possibly be worse?

Especially Hillary????

[jack3213]

The hypocritical lies of a party that is not qualified is really embarressing. If we realize that another, more appealing, Republican is actually better for the country, we could stand up and be proud instead of ashamed.

[l00ker]

Why doesn''t the media give the percentages of the jewish vote during elections, the way that they give the black, hispanic, white, catholic and evangelical vote.

[l00ker]

One can only admire the steel and tenacity of a guy who withstands the constant media bombardment of the Clinton special-interest-media Blitzkrieg, and still keeps a cool head, and not shed any tears. What a president.

[l00ker]

Yeah, and did you see Hillary on Tyra Bank''s show yesterday, with he "I feel your pain " girlfriend ***. Right, so why has she waited until she was running for the White House to say this, or go on the VIEW and slobber that drool out to Barbara Walters, or Oprah even. No, she''s trying to get the young black women, many who have had similar experiences, to drink her poison pander. Bill has been around and studied black women long enough to know which button to pull, and these people aren''t being Machiavellian with race and gender, right. She''s after the young black women vote, especially the single mothers, because Hillary is going to promise she is going to end men cheating on women as we know it. Desperation on hyperdrive; pandering to its fullest, but running on empty.

[bywill]

Historically Jewish Americans have said publicly stated for many years, that they feel the plight of the African American. But seldom do they show this! It seems to me that they feel that if Americans wouldn''t vote a Jewish American into this office, why should they support an African America have the chance. I say shame on you! You can''t be for and against. OBAMA BIDDEN 08!!

[jedi08]

Of course they favor Hillary. She is trying to Jew Obama as we speak

[rowdytexan2]

I sit right in the middle of the Commanche, Kiowa, Jumani, and Apache lands of Texas. They were wiped out by Christian Americans.

I sit in the land of the confederacy that peacefully seceded from the United States of America, who chose to attack the South because the north could not compete with them in the world markets. Our home were razed, our lands stolen, and many of our people genocided by the great Abraham Lincoln and his followers.

It is abhorrent to me that one people feel like they have the right to kill and take whatever they want from sombody else. But before I make judgments about the actions of the people of other lands, I remember the old adage, he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

I didn''t kill anybody, I didn''t steal anybody''s land, and I will fight to the finish to keep what I bought and paid for.

But don''t kick the bull unless he tries to gore ya!

[prinzowhales]

For any one who cares...and apparently from the nothing-but-race discussions among Democrats, they are...East Asians top out on IQ tests...followed by whites...then blacks...several theories for this...but all that gray matter didn''t keep East Asians from slaughtering each other like pigs in World War II and in Communist China...and, though #2 tried harder, they just couldn''t make it over the hump and kill as many of their own as Mao did of his...#3 is just coming into his own, he must be getting smarter because he has been a killing machine in Africa of late...

Was it Freud or Woody Allen, or both of late who made the age old connection between cerebrality and death?

Take race, *** or intelligence and what have you got?--something to talk about between wars...give peace a chance...and don''t vote for these freakin'' mainstream war pigs!

[kansas1946]

Gosh I thought the only folks who would believe all of this "Muslim" BS about Obama would be the red-neck, more-fingers-than-teeth, crowd. I thought the Jewish community was more educated than that.