A few weeks ago the Washington Post reported that Obama working to ensure the Jewish vote:
Obama’s position on Israel has been fairly mainstream. He has declared himself an undying ally of the Jewish state and has indicated that he would like the United States to return to a position of honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But his connection to his former pastor Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose anti-Israel sermons were widely reported this past spring, caused concern among some Jewish groups.
“I think he does still have issues with the Jewish community,” said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), a prominent Jewish member of Congress. “In the end, I think he’s going to do as well as any Democratic nominee with the Jewish community, but people still have to feel more comfortable with him.”
How’s that effort been working out lately?
Well let’s see, the National Jewish Democratic Council is working to fight the smears at its blog:
Earlier this month JTA reported that, “Natan Sharansky said an Obama presidency would be a ‘risk’ to Israel.” This is a continuation of the fear and smear campaign against Senator Barack Obama being perpetrated by many of Senator John McCain’s supporters.
Trashing the most famous prisoner of conscience. Good thinking.
The DNC points out that both possible Republican VP choice Eric Cantor and convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff are – Jewish.
And Obama’s foreign policy adviser Daniel Kurtzer has gone to Syria to offer advice to the Syrians.
Oh and Jimmy Carter will be speaking at the Democratic convention.
Yes, this is a very comforting pattern. However, I have little doubt that Henry Waxman will be proven right in the end.
Pity.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
All the Dems in my family including one who is active in his local Democratic party club are voting for McCain.
In other words, the DNC is warning that the mere fact that Cantor is Jewish — just lie Abramoff – is grounds in itself for suspicion?
Interestng comment from Jason. If we presume he is Jewish, is that an indication that Obama may not get the overwhelming proportion of the Jewish vote that Dems usually get? There are some polls showing Obama struggling with Jews, comparatively, of course at this point they still show a decisive majority of Jews for him.