Palin Scaring Jews (and Why It Matters),

[seemslikeadream]

http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/09/mccainpalin-the-jewish-vote.html

Another sign that while the Palin nomination is energizing all sorts of voters, it's backfiring among Jews: Ed Koch, the former Mayor of New York City, who endorsed and campaigned for George W. Bush in 2004, has now endorsed Obama.

The reason, he told Politico.com: "The designation of Palin to be vice president. She's scary."

Koch elaborated in his full endorsement statement that he feels both McCain and Obama are equally committed to defending Israel and fighting terrorism, so he's looking to other issues, such as helping improve health care... and which ticket has the better vice president:

If the vice president were ever called on to lead the country, there is no question in my mind that the experience and demonstrated judgment of Joe Biden is superior to that of Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a plucky, exciting candidate, but when her record is examined, she fails miserably with respect to her views on the domestic issues that are so important to the people of the U.S., and to me. Frankly, it would scare me if she were to succeed John McCain in the presidency.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Week Web site quoted Fred Zeidman, co-chair of Jewish outreach for the McCain campaign, as saying the Palin pick had worried some potential Jewish McCain supporters. "There has been a lot of consternation all day," admitted Zeidman, when asked about the impact of Palin's selection on Jewish voters.

Does any of this matter politically? Of the seven states that have more than 2% Jewish population (according to the Pew Religion Forum), five of them are safe Democratic states.

There are two swing states with meaningful Jewish populations: Florida (3%) and Pennsylvania (2%). While polls have showed Obama running strong in Pennsylvania, they'd also indicated Florida was leaning McCain or tied. Obama may lose several states out west over the Palin pick, but he may also get a real shot at Florida.

As a matter of perspective: if the Palin pick sent all of the Western swing states over to McCain that would be a total of 20 electoral votes. Florida has 27 electoral votes.

[muntrv]

1. Perhaps McBush should have chosen JoeMentum?

[seemslikeadream]

4. McBush has no say in the matter

[BlooInBloo]

2. Would be nice to force McPOW to spend more in FL.

[Pyrzqxgl]

3. Hey Western Swing States! Bob Wills was a Democrat!

[karynnj]

5. I'm not surprised at all

I converted to Judaism about 30 years ago. At that time I remember being surprised that the congregation I was a member of was even concerned with a potential NJ law that would have called for silent prayer being allowed in school. (It was not praying but the organized moment of telling people they were to silently pray that was the issue. As one person said, as long as there are tests, there will be praying.) The concern was that it would shift the line between church and state and it would be in a very vulnerable spot, a school where children of a minority community would seem "different".

About 7 years later, I was introduced to the annual December concert in the elementary schools. Every year there was a fight over which songs could be sung, which were non-religious enough. (The community was about 1/3 Jewish) For me, going from the majority to the minority, it was startling to see how things I knew were absolutely innocuous in intent appeared less so to the minority. Some beautiful Christian songs referring to the world being in "sin" before the birth of Jesus are hard to explain to 7 year olds. When I had heard the complaints in prior years, I had to play the songs in my head to have an idea what they even had a problem with.)

Now, that was in an area where diversity was welcome and everyone was respectful and working to get along. Nothing like Palin's church. The fear would be that the VP, or heaven forbid, President, could think your innocent child (and you) are going to Hell.

Culture aside, that she feels a mission from God is scary. That this is 2008 and someone with those believes could win is terrifying.
That fear will be greater among all the non-Christian groups because the message is clear what she thinks of us.

[onenote]

6. more than just Florida and PA

Nevada has a Jewish population of nearly 3 percent and because Jews vote in higher percentages than the rest of the population, in 2004, Jewish voters accounted for around 4 percent of the voters in Nevada. Jews also represented around 2 percent of the voters in Colorado and in Michigan in 2004. And while Jews only are about 1 percent of the voters in Ohio, that's not insignificant.

[ramapo]

7. Jews should be scared

But then so should everybody left of the far right