Obama Courts Jewish Voters In Florida

Democratic Candidate Touts Commitment To Israel, Seeks To Improve Black-Jewish Relations

(AP)  Barack Obama on Thursday promised "an unshakable commitment to Israel's security" as he sought to reassure doubtful Jewish voters. He also said he hopes to help improve relations between American blacks and Jews.

In a passionate appearance at a synagogue, Obama courted Jewish voters by reaffirming his opposition to negotiating with the militant Palestinian group Hamas and said talks with Iranian leaders could help strengthen Israeli security.

On the verge of clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama is now introducing himself to Florida, where Democrats agreed not to campaign during the primary because the state violated the party rules by holding a primary in January.

Some Jews fear Obama's willingness to speak with Middle Eastern nations that oppose Israel, while others wonder whether he is a closet Muslim.

Obama asked his audience to hear him out.

"Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American and people are concerned about memories of the past," he said.

"When I am in the White House, I will bring with me an unshakable commitment to maintaining that bond between the United States and Israel and an unshakable commitment to Israel's security," he told the audience of several hundred at B'nai Torah.

Obama said he is distressed by strains between blacks and Jews in America, two groups "who have been uprooted and been on the outside." Martin Luther King Jr. would not have been able to accomplish so much in the battle for civil rights without help from Jewish supporters, he said.

"I want to make sure that I am one of the vehicles by which we can rebuild those bonds," the Illinois senator said.

In his remarks, Obama touched on everything from the persistent e-mail rumors about his faith and patriotism to his controversial former pastor and his strategy for reducing Iran's world influence.

E-mails circulating have claimed falsely that Obama is a Muslim and that he refuses to salute the American flag. Obama is a Christian who attends Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and he occasionally wears an American flag pin.

But his relationship with his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, poses another problem. Wright has published pro-Palestinian comments and praised Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who has harshly criticized Jews.

Obama has denounced both Farrakhan and Wright, but the connections have alienated some Jewish voters.

Obama has said he should not be held responsible for Wright's comments any more than Republican candidate John McCain should be held responsible for statements by fundamentalist minister John Hagee. On Thursday, McCain rejected Hagee's endorsement, and Hagee later withdrew it.

An adviser to the Palestinian group Hamas recently said he hoped Obama wins the presidency, and McCain has tried to use that against Obama. That, coupled with Obama's stated willingness to meet with Iranian and Syrian leaders, has raised questions about whether a President Obama would protect Israel amid the turmoil of the Middle East.

Obama said he wouldn't negotiate with Hamas and that talks with Iran would actually improve Israeli security.

Demanding concessions from Iran in exchange for offers of economic aid would give America "the moral high ground," he argued. That would make it easier to build international support for sanctions to pressure Iran into halting its nuclear program and its support of terrorism, he said.

Obama said Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah have only grown more powerful under President Bush's approach to the region.

"How is it that the Bush-Cheney-McCain policy has been good for Israel?" he asked.

In response, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said Obama's proposals are "naive and weak leadership."

"It's weak judgment for Barack Obama to believe that an unconditional summit with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would not strengthen the worst elements in Iran, embolden the tyrant's standing in the region and put the world's security at risk," Bounds said in an e-mail.

Obama's visit to B'nai Torah lacked the pep rally atmosphere of many of his town hall meetings. He got an enthusiastic reception, but also some tough questions about his name, his policies toward Iran and how he could handle Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

One person asked if he would consider every qualified person as a potential running mate "even if his or her spouse is an occasional pain in the butt?" Obama chuckled at the reference to Hillary Rodham Clinton, but said it was too soon to start talking about running mates.

Shirley Kann, a retiree from Boynton Beach, said Obama has a lot of work to do to build support among Jewish voters. She said she knows people who believe Internet gossip about him and who hesitate to vote for a black man. She doubted that he can win them over.

"I don't see it. These are my friends who aren't too smart," she said.

[syofie]

I call on all Jewish voters not to vote for the phony Obama. Let''s not forget his friend and mentor is also Louis Farrakan who said that "Judaism is a gutter religion." Obama is a phony who needs the Jewish vote, but don''t believe his lies and he can''t be trusted. Continue voting for Hillary like you did in January.

[randomcments]

RE: Obama is now introducing himself to Florida, where ... the state violated the party rules

The people in Florida simply do not consider it democratic to disenfranchise the voters of Florida for the fact that the Republican Controlled state legislator chose to violate a DNC rule.

Barack simply does not understand the damage he is doing to himself every time he comes out in opposition to democracy. A recent poll, reported by CBS News, gave McCain an 8.3% margin of victory over Obama in Florida, while giving Clinton a 3% margin of victory over McCain. That is the level of anger in Florida.

If McCain adopted the slogan %u201COne Person, One Vote; Vote for McCain%u201D how would Barack answer?
%u201CWell, my opposition to democracy is only for the states of Florida and Michigan%u201D?
%u201CI did not oppose democracy, so... don''t replay my early speeches%u201D?

If the rest of the country starts to sympathize with the plight of Florida and Michigan, the way West Virginia and Kentucky have, Barack is in trouble. If the Hillary supporters perceive they lost because of a refusal to count their votes, Barack is in trouble.

With the job %u201CW%u201D has done, this should be an easy victory. But Barack clearly has put his own nomination ahead of the good of the party.

Barack has dug himself into a hole; his supporters are making it worse. He better start digging really hard to get himself back out or he will %u201Csnatch defeat from the jaws of victory%u201D

[spinster2]

Obama you can give it up on the Jews. They will not support ANYBODY who''s planning on giving up our military edge on the rest of the super powers. They know better than most why that isn''t a good idea.

Here it is, strait from the horses mouth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs

[renonv5]

Sounds as if he is a day late and a dollar short. I hope they don''t believe a word that the arrogant, empty suit says.

[libh8er]

Obama is not electable. You can bet the Republicans will be bringing all of these things up over and over.
Posted by ERoosevelt08 at 04:20 PM : May 23, 2008

You can bank on it, Eleanor! BTW, were you really a vagitarian? :)

[libh8er]

Goooo tell Obamaka
Pandering to jews is nowhereaka
Better off playing harmonica
In his native country of Kenya

all apologies to Adam Sandler

[cfin5]

Good,....I was hoping the Jewish community would reject Obama. I thought his visit there would serve to destroy his credibility even more. This guy has been surrounded and mentored by traitors his whole life! This Islamocrat thinks he''s gonna pull the wool over the Jews with all of his lifelong "associations" with Israel''s enemies. LOL!

[eroosevelt08]

With respect to Senator Obama''s comments about Reverend Wright on April 29, 2008: What? Has Senator Obama been in a coma for 20 years? Did he sleep through the sermons? Was he even there? His hangdog story that he ALL OF A SUDDEN figured out what Reverend Wright is about insults my intelligence. If he is that dense, why on Earth would anybody want to vote for him?

And now there is a ruling about a Lawrence Sinclair by Judge Kennedy, related to statements about Obama? What will that turn out to be?

Then I read things to the effect that Mrs. Obama has screamed at him over his appeal to women? Do we want a screamer attending state dinners? What of this is true and what is not?

Obama is not fully vetted and has no accomplishments of note to date.

I agree that if Obama wins the Democratic nomination the Republicans will win the White House and the shirttail results could be that they increase their numbers in the House and the Senate too, on McCain''s coattails.

This is a train wreck the Superdelegates can fix. Why don''t they?

What else don''t we know about Obama?

Obama is not electable. You can bet the Republicans will be bringing all of these things up over and over.

[realpatriot1]

ranakarimi,

If hard working women "punish" the Democratic Party they will only be punihing themselves with the lifetime appointment of Supreme Court Justices dedicated to limiting the reproductive rights of women, limiting the funding of health initiatives for women, cutting funding for women''s pre-natal care, and on and on.

People are going to do what they''re going to do but no one will want to hear any whining after November when you realize the long term implications of what you''ve done.

If having Hillary on the ticket is the price of your support than welcome to the Republican Paty;don''t let your *** hit the door on the way out.

[realpatriot1]

ksh1022,

Let me break it down for you. Obama supporters are not saying that all Hillary supporters are racist 6 graders, just the ones who will call McCain a "moderate" and consider voting for him.

Welcome to the republican Party and don''t let the door hit your *** on the way out!