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Obama, Israel, and the Jewish Vote
March 04, 2007 12:36 PM
All Democratic eyes are on Selma right now, but something interesting happened Friday as well... Seeking to assure supporters of Israel that he is as ardent a backer of the Jewish state as are rivals such as Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and John Edwards, D-NC, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, delivered a very pro-Israel address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee of Chicago at the end of last week. "Our job is to rebuild the road to real peace and lasting security throughout the region," Obama said. "Our job is to do more than lay out another road map. That effort begins with a clear and strong commitment to the security of Israel: Our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy. That will always be my starting point." But now comes a very interesting blog entry by the pro-Palestinian blogger Ali Abunimah at The Electronic Intifadah, who alleges that Obama has changed to a far more stridently pro-Israel position as his national aspirations developed. "The last time I spoke to Obama was in the winter of 2004 at a gathering in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood," Abunimah writes. "He was in the midst of a primary campaign to secure the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate seat he now occupies. But at that time polls showed him trailing. "As he came in from the cold and took off his coat, I went up to greet him. He responded warmly, and volunteered, 'Hey, I'm sorry I haven't said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race. I'm hoping when things calm down I can be more up front.' He referred to my activism, including columns I was contributing to the The Chicago Tribune critical of Israeli and US policy, 'Keep up the good work!" As the campaigns compete for Jewish support, it would be political malpractice for rivals campaigns to not send this blog entry around to big pro-Israel donors.
March 4, 2007 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (27)
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Johnny, it's either Pro Israel, or Pro Palestine. My alliance is with the one who DOES NOT commit suicide bombings and other atrocities against mankind in the name of Allah.
Posted by: akh | Mar 4, 2007 7:04:56 PM
Didn't Obama say he wants to talk to the Neo-Nazi Ahmadinejad of Iran? What is he going to talk about?That Holocaust did exixt?Whan Ahmadinejad says that Israel must be destroyed, what is Obama going to talk about?What is Obama solution to the fight against jihaists and their fellow Devil Surrogates?Cut & Run?, or SURRENDER? Selling one's soul for political expediency?
Posted by: Dumbshun | Mar 4, 2007 4:26:44 PM
Obama is a youthful outsider. We're trying to survive the presidency of the last youthful outsider we elected.
Time to have a little more respect for experience and the wisdom that age brings with it, instead of ambition. Ambition got us into Iraq.
Posted by: tedagain | Mar 4, 2007 4:19:54 PM
Obama, like Hillary, Edwards, even (god forbid) Bush are all the same in three ways:
1. they are all Politicians
2. they all want to win
3. they (EVERY ONE OF THEM, EVERYWHERE) will evolve their talking points to improve their standing in polls.
It's a fact of political life. Low expectations? More like normal human behavior.
The difference between them comes after the elections, so pick the one you like the most and hope for the best (things can only get better)
Posted by: Ted | Mar 4, 2007 4:15:22 PM
How sad, the last great hope for an honest candidate - sells out the truth of our destructive alliance with Israel for the Jewish vote.
Sickening - Obama's toast...
Posted by: angelo | Mar 4, 2007 2:53:28 PM
I think we might be a little too pro Israel. It's gotten us in alot of trouble. Jewish Americans have to remember that there American.
Posted by: Johnny | Mar 4, 2007 2:16:42 PM
Well the guy must be lying through his damn teeth. Obama had won the Senate seat by the time winter of 2004 came around, the election was in November 2004.
Posted by: jerome | Mar 4, 2007 2:02:32 PM
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