Obama on the Defensive Before Fla. Jewish Voters

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Obama on the Defensive Before Fla. Jewish Voters

May 22, 2008 8:01 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., faced a barrage of questions from Jewish voters in Boca Raton, Fla., about his relationship with some who are anti-Israel, his name and his own personal commitment to Israel.

Obama, with an American flag pin on his lapel, made brief opening remarks aimed at assuring the group of his support of Israel –- reminding the voters that he will not sit down with Hamas, and of his goal to eliminate the threat of Iran. Obama told the crowd in the B’Nai Tora synagogue that his commitment to Israel is “unshakeable.”

“I know there’s a lot of rumor mongering going around. People have been getting e-mails non stop,” Obama said before taking questions at the town hall-style meeting.

Obama was referencing a swirl of e-mails saying incorrectly that he is a Muslim that have plagued him throughout the course of his campaign.

Obama’s preemption did not seem to help his case. The first questioner told of his friend who would vote Obama only he changed his name to “Barry.”

Obama said he used to go by “Barry” but then as he got older he thought it was important to acknowledge the other side of his heritage. Obama said that going by his real name caused some people to think he was Muslim.

“I think people shouldn’t worry about the name because my understanding is in Hebrew it actually means lightning," he said. "You’ve had a prime minister named Barack in Israel. It should be pretty familiar to this audience."

Obama explained that his Kenyan father was “basically agnostic” and said not believe the rumors that are being spread about the connections to his name.

Obama met a particularly fierce questioner who asked him about his relationship with Rashid Khalidi, a Middle East scholar at Columbia University, and asked for an example of one close Jewish friend who has influenced his thinking.

The voter’s direct and stern questioning of the senator elicited boos from the crowd -– with some attempting to drown out the man’s line of questioning.

Obama listed a few friends and campaign aides who are Jewish -- Penny Pritzker, James Crows and Les Rosenburg -- and responded to the Khalidi connection.

“You mentioned Rashid Khalidi, who’s a professor at Columbia," Obama said. "I do know him because I taught at the University of Chicago. And he is Palestinian. And I do know him and I have had conversations. He is not one of my advisors; he’s not one of my foreign policy people. His kids went to the Lab school where my kids go as well. He is a respected scholar, although he vehemently disagrees with a lot of Israel’s policy.”

But then Obama pushed back, launching a broader defense of his associations, while acknowledging that some past relationships have caused people in the Jewish community concerns.

“To pluck out one person who I know and who I’ve had a conversation with who has very different views than 900 of my friends and then to suggest that somehow that shows that maybe I’m not sufficiently pro-Israel, I think, is a very problematic stand to take," he said. "So we gotta be careful about guilt by association.”

Obama said that members of the U.S. Congress have expressed anti-black sentiments but they are still his friends and it doesn't mean that he avoids dealing with them.

During his closing remarks, Obama launched his fiercest defense of the rumors about his background and heritage, and the e-mail campaign that has targeted him during the course of the campaign –- making the one last case to Jewish voters that he is pro-Israel.

“If you get one of these e-mails that says I’m a Muslim -- not true, never been a Muslim -- this is just stuff that is designed to make people suspicious," Obama said. “There is not a single trace of me being anything more than a friend of Israel and a friend of the Jewish people. ... And so I would just ask --because this is part of, I think, the tradition of the Jewish people -- is to 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, you know, people are concerned about sort of memories of the past. I mean, I was reading the New York Times article today and it was troubling -- because it’s exactly what I am fighting in the African American community when I hear anti-Semitic statements.”

May 22, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (159)

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He is not ducking the issue, he is confronting the issue. Taking questions from the crowd on the campaign trail takes guts.

Posted by: Thinking | May 22, 2008 8:25:08 PM

"Obama said that members of the U.S. Congress have expressed anti-black sentiments but they are still his friends and it doesn't mean that he avoids dealing with them."

Wow

Who were they?

He got Imus got fired for a joke.

I wonder why he didn't bring those members of congress to the carpet for that?

If it is true. the guy lies so much it is hard to tell any truth from him.

Posted by: seah | May 22, 2008 8:28:50 PM

I didn't hear anyone complaining when negotiated with the Soviets during the Cold War, not even after Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev said to the U.S., "We will bury you." It wasn't long after this statement in 1956 that Richard Nixon, vice president then, went to Moscow and engaged Khruschev in what became known as the "kitchen debate."
Sterling Greenwood
Aspen Free Press

Posted by: Sterling Greenwood | May 22, 2008 8:36:26 PM

Barack's town hall meeting was massively inspiring! He spoke TO people, instead of DOWN to them, like McCain does. No fear mongering, just straight answers.
He even encouraged Republicans in the audience to participate - lets see if McCain can tolerate questions from Democrats as well. Noting that Republican activists were distributing literature to people as they entered the Town Hall meeting, images of the unsupportable tactic of taunting people in front of Planned Parenthood come to mind -- sound familiar?
Obama didn't try to be something he's not; he spoke honestly and sincerely. He even chose not to attack McCain for his religious supporters, instead he stated that attacks on McCain for what others say is no more proper than the attacks Obama is enduring about his pastor. Wouldn't it be wonderful if McCain would follow the lead?

Posted by: Alfred | May 22, 2008 8:39:57 PM

S, there is nothing called moderate democrate and liberal democrate, you are accepting what Rush, Hannety and FoxNews want you to believe. Democrate unit and win the White House this year. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | May 22, 2008 8:45:56 PM

I love all the people who think Obama can just brush away all his past writings, friendships, associations, etc. with just one nice speech.

ANYONE can say ANYTHING they want, doesn't make it true. It's called getting elected and Obama KNOWs what he has to say to get the job done.

Rev. Wright was right for once. Obama says what HE HAS TO to win.

Posted by: Jo | May 22, 2008 8:52:23 PM

Saddened,

What saddens me is how many people have been fooled by Obama.

Posted by: Jo | May 22, 2008 8:54:16 PM

OBAMA -- talks hope buy skips all details.

Posted by: T | May 22, 2008 8:56:15 PM

Obama what a loser. Who he only answering questions because he didn't expect this kind of response from crowds. I love the fact he got booed Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Posted by: Frank, South Hampton, nY | May 22, 2008 8:57:04 PM

It will be a great and wonderful day when an open atheist gets elected for president. This is the day that we know people elected a president for his qualification and loyalty for the country.

Posted by: Marwan | May 22, 2008 8:57:29 PM

Obama doesn't talk down to people - what about that sexist remark he made to the lady reporter in MI when he referred to her as "sweetee" He has done that on numerous occassions. that cowardly draft-dodger has the nerve to lecture MCcain about veterans. As a 20 plus year Marine Vet I don't need old "God Dam america" lecturing a hero.

Posted by: Russ | May 22, 2008 9:01:10 PM

Hillary for Ambassador to Israel !!
If Hillary loses the nomination, which is likely, Obama ought to make her Ambassador to Israel and she could take Bill with her to work on the peace process.
Then he should try to hire Chelsea for a domestic political post with his team.
Webb would be a good V.P. who understands war, and could carry Appalachia.

Posted by: The Wizard | May 22, 2008 9:04:45 PM

We need to be careful about putting Obama in as the President of This great country.
He has not served long enough for us to know him and too many things have been brought up about him and his wife. I don't know if he hates America,Whites,Jews or any other group that isn't Black, or if he is muslim, What I do know is I wouldn't vote for him because I need to know more about him.

Posted by: Shirley | May 22, 2008 9:08:39 PM

Obama is one of the MOST pro-Isreal Senators in the Senate. He has an A+ grade

And how is it that it's Obama's fault that he has a name given to him by his parents (his black father, and white mother) at his birth.
And how was Obama to know at his birth, that 46 years later it would matter what his parents named him ?!

Posted by: keith | May 22, 2008 9:12:11 PM

Israel has so many rational supporters - like McCain's pal Haggee - WHO'S ENDORSEMENT HE SOUGHT...

"McCain told CNN's Brian Todd that he rejected the endorsement after Todd brought to his attention Hagee's comments that Adolf Hitler had been fulfilling God's will by hastening the desire of Jews to return to Israel in accordance with biblical prophecy."

Haggee has been spewing this for years.

Posted by: Kammie | May 22, 2008 9:14:42 PM

BO has been making news in gaffes and associations. Perhaps he should spend more time about American culture and geography.

He is so ignorant and out of touch. Is it a shame to have such empty suit as president?

One knows so little and brags so much.

Posted by: John_Lai | May 22, 2008 9:15:40 PM

I'm from Hawaii and not used to the type of hate mail some of the posters have sent. The fact that Obama may have been a Muslim as a child is irrelevent. For what its's worth, when he was a high school student, he was a Protestant in Hawaii. I know the general election campaign will be a dirty one, from seeing some of the hate mail against Obama already being sent. He will make past campaigns of Swift Boating and Willie Horton seem like sandbox politics. I fear for America's political discourse and fairness.

Posted by: Gary | May 22, 2008 9:16:33 PM

He's gonna be a great president.

Posted by: BT | May 22, 2008 9:18:18 PM

"Obama - says what he has too to get elected. All of a sudden he is constantly wearing the lapel pin. What a player this clown is."

His Pastor at least tells the truth when he says" Obama is a politician, he will say what will help him get elected!

Obama blatantly lies - again and again and again.

Posted by: Jkan | May 22, 2008 9:19:41 PM

This is the type of ignorance that got George Bush elected and got America into the disastrous conflict in Iraq.

Are the people of the United States of America so stupid and ignorant that they can believe any lie that plays on their irrational fears? I hope not.

Senator Obama did not get elected by his peers at the Harvard Law School as Predisident of the Law Review by being "a radical." He is an intelligent, good hearted person and will make a great President- if people refuse to be fooled again.

Not this time, folks.

Don't let the corporate fat cat liars destroy our best hope for change and unity. Hate, fear, and ignorance will just destroy us.

Posted by: Luke Gilmore | May 22, 2008 9:20:05 PM

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