Phila Inquirer: Arab Americans Turn to Kerry in 4 Key States

[JPZenger]

From today's Philadelphia Inquirer:

Full text: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/

"Arab Americans turn to Kerry in 4 key states.
A new poll shows Iraq, Israel and immigration have cost Bush support.

By Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Staff Writer

..."I figured it would be good to have some new blood - and it turned out to be worse," said Mustafa, 28, a registered Democrat from Northeast Philadelphia who works in his family's supermarket business. This year, he said, his choice will be Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.).

Mustafa's personal shift illustrates a problem for President Bush, who in 2000 condemned anti-Arab profiling in a nationally televised debate, and then went on to win a healthy plurality of the Arab American vote in four of the largest battleground states, including Pennsylvania.

A recent poll suggests Arab American voters in these states have soured on the President because of the administration's unwavering support of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the invasion of Iraq, and the government's crackdown on Arab and Muslim immigrants in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Kerry led Bush 54 percent to 30 percent among the estimated 550,000 Arab American voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Florida, the March 14 Zogby International poll found. Sixty-five percent of respondents said it was time for a new president."

[Florida_Geek]

1. 40,000 out of 5,000 Muslim voted for * in Florida

If 54% vote for Kerry in Florida that will cost * a lot from 2000

The problem is getting both the Muslim vote and the Jewish vote. IMHO, this is the hardest two groups for Kerry to deal with.

[yellowcanine]

2. It won't be just Arab Americans

I would think any large ethnic group with strong ties to other countries are going to be anti-Bush - and that incluudes Latinos. imo.

[SnowGoose]

3. Notice the "American" part of "Arab American"

I understand that most groups have core issues that are important to them, whether the groups are ehnicities, religions, or just people with a cause (say environmentalists, maybe).

But still we share common desires, like the desire for a safe and just society, a good economy, etc.

It seems to like *both* Jews, Muslims, Christians, Whites, Blacks, and every lucious shade of tan in-between has decent reasons to want Bush gone because he's just eff-ing up those things which we *all* need to function properly.

If I had a worst enemy, I'd have no problem casting my vote with him/her against this bogus regime.

Just my 2 cents.