Obama 'baffled' by Jews uncomfortable with voting for him

[Ian David]

Note: This was published 3 months ago, so many numbers have improved.

Obama ‘Baffled’ By Jews’ Resistance
by James D. Besser
Washington Correspondent
07/23/2008

A key adviser to Sen. Barack Obama depicted him this week as “baffled” by the resistance of many Jewish voters to his presidential candidacy and suggested that Obama’s frustration is a major reason for the campaign’s intense Jewish outreach.


“I’ve heard him say that some of the things that have been raised about him in the Jewish community are baffling and ironic, in light of the depth of his relationship with the Jewish community in Illinois,” said former California Rep. Mel Levine, who is serving as an adviser to Obama.

<snip>

Obama worked closely with local Jewish groups during his years as a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side. But critics continue to point to his relationship with his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright and other harsh critics of Israel; the possible influence of his having grown up in Indonesia, a Muslim country; and his lack of foreign policy experience.

<snip>

There is an almost talismanic quality to the Jewish vote. Several Jewish Democrats said this week that while the 62 percent of the Jewish community Obama garnered in a poll last week may be high compared to his support from other white voter groups, the fact he is lagging behind other recent Democratic candidates suggests continuing unease about his foreign policy experience. And that may affect commentators and pundits, who increasingly regard the Jewish community’s views as a political benchmark on candidates’ foreign policy qualifications.

Obama’s 62 percent showing came in a poll by J Street, the new pro-peace process political action committee and lobby group, and was about the same as he scored in a Gallup survey in May. McCain captured 32 percent of the Jewish vote in the new J Street poll, which surveyed 800 Jews.


Sen. Barack Obama laying a wreath Wednesday morning at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial museum.With him is Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, center. getty images


More:
http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c40_a13026/News/Israel.html




Ronald Reagan lays a wreath on the grave of Nazi SS Concentration Camp prison guards in Bitburg, Germany.


See also:

The Schlep is working...thank you Bubbes and Zaydes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7542536&mesg_id=7542536


Obama Campaign Hits Hasidic Sukkah Circuit
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7543137&mesg_id=7543137

Palin Hits A Nerve With Many Jewish Women
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7543040&mesg_id=7543040




Jews for Obama Upoc Cellphone Text Message Group
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=316&topic_id=1529&mesg_id=1529

[bluedawg12]

1. Guys like Frank Gaffney (neocon) constantly drum beat

about how dangerous it would be to vote for... etc.etc.

He would sit down and talk without preconditions has been turned upside down and into a mantra by the RW.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gaffney

These guys are right wing and prolific writers.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/gaffney1.asp

Also, early articles in January of 2008 like this:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/992392.html

..........

It's the same MO they (RW) use with blue collar white folks who vote their fears and against their true interests.

Why else would plumbers actually think they stand to lose money under Obama in Ohio? As if they made over $200,000 year?

See Paul Krugman:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/opinion/20krugman.html?em

The Real Plumbers of Ohio
By PAUL KRUGMAN
October 20, 2008

>>Forty years ago, Richard Nixon made a remarkable marketing discovery. By exploiting America’s divisions — divisions over Vietnam, divisions over cultural change and, above all, racial divisions — he was able to reinvent the Republican brand
..........

Recently, even neocon Ken Adelman came out for Obama.

Still, it's hard to know what internal politics are like with-in any group, it has to do with whispers, gossip and exchange of information in infomral settings, over dinner, over coffee, at a friends house.

That type of thing is what the repugs do, they start fires that are geared to destroy their opponent.

Just look at what they spew at their rallies.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ian David]

3. Boot-licking bullies. Conservatards lick the boots of the powerful while abusing those less powerful

[npincus]

6. now, now

all kidding aside, calling Jews "nazis" is as vile as calling black people you-know-what... which I am sure you would't do.

[progressivebydesign]

8. I think they were referring to the republicans.. at least that's what i HOPe they meant. n/t

[Meshuga]

4. These guys here are baffled as well:

http://www.rabbisforobama.org/read.htm

Democratic candidates usually get 3/4 of the Jewish votes. I expect to be similar this time around. We'll see.

[DLnyc]

10. wow, impressive statement at that link!

Rabbi's from A to Z!

[Meshuga]

11. And the list is growing. :-) n/t

[demokatgurrl]

5. Babylon sister posted earlier some data that show

70% of Jews support Obama.

Anecdotally, my synagogue is overwhelmingly for Obama, as are all Jewish friends and relatives.
OTOH, I don't hang round with a lot of republicans.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. Link here!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=7542061

[progressivebydesign]

7. I think the republicans have cleverly played the Iran - Iraq, etc. card to get the Jewish vote.

It's very much the same fear voting that the repubs have used to secure the fundamentalist vote , and other groups. They have convinced the Jewish community that only THEY can protect israel. Unfortunately, it hasn't dawned on some of them that the republican policies and Bush Doctrine is what endangers Israel more than anything. Democrats are stabilizing influences in the Middle East... the repubs, not so much.

[Shakespeare]

9. I'm baffled by people who post utterly irrelevant 3-month-old news pieces. n/t

[rvablue]

12. I second that emotion! WTH???

If we are going to post 3 month old analyses, why don't I slap some articles on here "concerning" that Hillary voters aren't going to get behind Barack??? (SARCASM!!!)

I'd like the OP to update their post with an explanation of why this is relevant.

[Ian David]

14. Let me explain...

1) I just started a Jews for Obama cellphone text-message group on Upoc.com

2) I need content to post to the Jews for Obama group, to attract new members.

3) I would also like to generate traffic for DemocraticUnderground.com

4) All the "Jews for Obama" content links back here to DemocraticUnderground.com to the articles you're talking about.


In fact, nearly everything I post on Upoc message groups links back to DU.

Including my nascent "Jews for Obama" group.


We cool now?




handle: jewsforobama
#members: 6
type: public
allows pics, allows polls, allows voice
mms to: [e-mail] who can send msgs: All
who can invite: All
SMS reply goes to group
founder: IANDB1
since: Oct 13, 2008
description: Jews for Obama / Biden 2008. Kein anu Yecholim - Yes We Can!

url: http://tinyurl.com/f9vwd

http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=jewsforobama



message history

Oct 21 1:06PM
Fr: IANDB1
Retired Generals of Israeli Defense Forces &former high-ranking Mossad officials endorse Obama http://tinyurl.com/6qaee7
Oct 21 12:25PM


Fr: IANDB1
Jews, Ecology, and Obama. It’s a choice between life and death, says Deuteronomy 30:19. http://tinyurl.com/6cxs8n
Oct 21 12:04PM


Fr: IANDB1
2 awesome videos about why Jews should support Obama! http://tinyurl.com/5pj96d
Oct 21 11:27AM


Fr: IANDB1
Obama cancels debates with Republican Jewish group behind smear campaign. http://tinyurl.com/6nyd7r
Oct 21 11:18AM


Fr: IANDB1
Talk of Sainthood for Wartime Pope Stirs Anger Among Jewish Groups. http://tinyurl.com/5qq7wd
Oct 21 10:59AM


Fr: IANDB1
Obama Campaign Hits Hasidic Sukkah Circuit, invited by Brooklyn Ultra-Orthodox groups. http://tinyurl.com/6qhbf2
Oct 21 10:55AM


Fr: IANDB1
Those who want Joe LIEberman to remain a Democrat. http://tinyurl.com/6oevnb
Oct 21 10:51AM


Fr: IANDB1
Many Jewish women signing up 2work4 Obama because they are incensed & enraged by Sarah Palin. http://tinyurl.com/5trjp4
Oct 21 10:12AM


Fr: IANDB1
The Schlep is working...thank you Bubbes and Zaydes! http://tinyurl.com/6kn27j
Oct 21 9:58AM


Fr: IANDB1
NYU poll: Two-thirds of U.S. Jews back Obama over McCain http://tinyurl.com/6h9c9o
Oct 20 9:16PM


Fr: IANDB1
Associated Press finally notices McCain linked to international terror and Nazi group. http://tinyurl.com/5sqvn4
Oct 17 11:00AM


Fr: IANDB1
Three elections on the rocky road to peace. http://tinyurl.com/6gmt2a
Oct 17 10:58AM


Fr: IANDB1
Whose plan is more Jewish, Obama’s or McCain’s? http://tinyurl.com/6hh7pd
Oct 17 10:51AM


Fr: IANDB1
Bagels await Obama visit in Broward County, Fla. Hillary to visit Monday. http://tinyurl.com/6y4ej9
Oct 17 10:49AM


Fr: IANDB1
Common interests unite U.S., Israel. http://tinyurl.com/6hnwkj



And very time one of my fellow Jews says they're against Obama, it makes me sad and ashamed.

I'm doing my part to fix that problem.

As a Jewish person, it's my responsibility.

So, with all due respect, some people should probably just STFU and let me work on it without going all John Nash on my ass.

[Ian David]

13. I'm sure you're baffled by lots of things that most people find easily understandable.

Especially when it's too Jewish for you, right?


1) I just started a Jews for Obama cellphone text-message group on Upoc.com

2) I need content to post to the Jews for Obama group, to attract new members.

3) I would also like to generate traffic for DemocraticUnderground.com

4) All the "Jews for Obama" content links back here to DemocraticUnderground.com to the articles you're talking about.


In fact, nearly everything I post on Upoc message groups links back to DU.

Including my nascent "Jews for Obama" group.

handle: jewsforobama
#members: 6
type: public
allows pics, allows polls, allows voice
mms to: [e-mail] who can send msgs: All
who can invite: All
SMS reply goes to group
founder: IANDB1
since: Oct 13, 2008
description: Jews for Obama / Biden 2008. Kein anu Yecholim - Yes We Can!

url: http://tinyurl.com/f9vwd

http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=jewsforobama

[Shakespeare]

15. "Especially when it's too Jewish for you."

What the FUCK do you mean by that?

If the entire point of your OP was to use it as a virtual trail of breadcrumbs to lead people here, and not to generate any serious discussion (because frankly, a 3-month-old article isn't very useful in that regard), then you should perhaps say so.

But don't throw snide, not-so-subtle accusations of bigotry around just because I make the point that an OLD article you post is now irrelevant.

[Ian David]

16. I'm sorry if you found my remark offensive, n/t