JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Biden: Don’t trust McCain on Iran

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

In his vice presidential acceptance speech [at 20:34 in the video], Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) used the candidate's contrasting approaches on Iran as one of the distinctions he drew on foreign policy:

"Should we trust John McCain's judgment when he rejected talking with Iran and then asked: What is there to talk about? Or Barack Obama, who said we must talk and make it clear to Iran that its conduct must change. Now, after seven years of denial, even the Bush administration recognizes that we should talk to Iran, because that's the best way to advance our security. Again, John McCain was wrong. Barack Obama was right."

Obama drew criticism from his onetime primary opponent Hillary Clinton and from Republicans for his statement last year that he would be willing to meet with the president of Iran, and he and Biden were two of just two dozen senators to oppose an amendment urging the declaration of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group. But the campaign has been making the case that the Obama-Biden policy on Iran would be more effective.

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Bill Clinton: Need the “power of diplomacy” in Middle East

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

Bill Clinton didn't get into any specifics on the Middle East in his speech tonight, but did say that "our position in the world has been weakened by," among other things, "a failure to consistently use the power of diplomacy, from the Middle East to Africa to Latin America to Center and Eastern Europe."

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Obama’s great uncle saluted for Buchenwald liberation

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

In a speech devoted mostly to a rough attack on John McCain, 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry illustrated Barack Obama's patriotism by recognizing the new nominee's great uncle Charlie Payne, who participated in the liberation of a concentration camp during World War II [forward to 9:34 of the video].

"On a spring day in 1945, he helped liberate one of the concentration camps at Buchenwald," said Kerry in his speech. "Ladies and gentleman, Barack Obama's [great] uncle is here with us tonight. Please join me in saluting this American hero, Charlie Payne. Charlie, your nephew, Barack Obama, will end this politics of distortion and division. He will be a president who seeks not to perfect the lies of Swift boating, but to end them once and for all."

Payne rose from his seat, next to Michelle Obama, and acknowledged the ovation he recieved from the crowd. Payne first received attention in May, when Obama mistakenly said that he had helped to liberate Auschwitz – and was then accused of making up the story, since that camp was liberated by Soviet forces. The Obama campaign then clarified the name of the concentration camp.

UPDATE: At 2:04 ... Kerry hit the Bush-was-actually-bad-for-Israel talking point:

George Bush, with John McCain at his side, promised to spread freedom but delivered the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time. They misread the threat and misled the country. Instead of freedom, it's Hamas, Hezbollah, the Taliban and dictators everywhere that are on the march. North Korea has more bombs, and Iran is defiantly chasing one.

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Bayh: Bush has endangered Israel

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

One of the passed over vice presidential candidates, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) attacked President George W. Bush's Middle East policy, and said John McCain would just bring more of the same.

In another example of the Obama campaign's continued effort to argue that their candidate will protect Israel more effectively than the Republicans, Bayh [at 1:58 of the video] said:

Under George Bush, the Middle East has become more troubled. That hurts America and endangers our ally, Israel, which has been forced to confront a resurgent Hamas, an emboldened Hezbollah and an Iran determined to get nuclear weapons. That is not the change we need.

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Wexler talks Obama and Israel on convention stage

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

Rep. Robert Wexler trumpeted Barack Obama's support for Israel in his speech to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, while arguing that the GOP presumptive nominee would make Israel less safe. Here's an excerpt:

We entered into an unnecessary war and remain bogged down in Iraq, as Afghanistan backslides, and the architects of Sept. 11 remain free. On Bush and McCain's watch, we have witnessed the growing influence of a belligerent Iran that has destabilized the Middle East and threatens our ally, Israel.

John McCain offers more of the same failed policies that endanger both America and Israel. Barack Obama offers the change we need. Barack Obama will responsibly end the war in Iraq, prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and turn our focus back to defeating Al Qaeda.

We know Barack Obama is the President America needs. He's also the leader and friend Israel needs, and he will bring to the White House an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. In his heart, in his gut, Barack Obama stands with Israel. Not only his words, but his deeds, bear testament to this fact.

Barack Obama, not John McCain, led the fight in the Senate for divestment legislation that would deliver powerful economic sanctions against Iran. As President, he will increase the international pressure on Iran and finally get results through direct and tough diplomacy. Results due to his stronger, more engaged American foreign policy.

This respected and strategic Obama foreign policy will be best for the security of Israel, our other allies worldwide, and America herself.

Barack Obama has seen with his own eyes the genuine threats faced by Israelis every day.

He recently traveled to the town of Sderot along the Gaza border, and met young families who want nothing more than to go about their lives in security and peace. Instead, as they go to work, as they take their children to school, they suffer under the daily threat of rocket attacks.

Barack Obama understands the threats Israel faces from Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran. And as President, Barack Obama will strongly support Israel's right and capability to defend itself, and finally make progress toward the goal of a two-state solution that preserves Israel's security as a Jewish state.

During his recent trip to Israel, Barack visited Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Holocaust Memorial, where he recommitted himself to combating anti-Semitism and ending the genocide in Darfur.

Because Barack Obama knows that the words "never again" must have real meaning in our time. That's the leadership we need to keep America strong and allies like Israel secure. Leadership that restores our strength and America's global standing.

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Florida delegates: We’re behind Barack, but have work to do back home

By Eric Fingerhut · August 27, 2008

"I don't want anyone to blame Hillary if [Obama] loses the election," said Jewish Democratic National Convention Hillary Clinton delegate Bill Kling Wednesday morning. Her speech was "absolutely heartfelt. ...I think she did enough to show her support."

The 80-year-old Plantation resident was representative of his fellow Florida Jewish delegates pledged for Clinton. They lauded her speech Tuesday night, said they were 100 percent behind Barack Obama but acknowledged that some of their fellow Jewish Clinton supporters in South Florida were still not sold on the presumptive nominee.

"A lot of [Jewish Democrats] are saying .... they're not going to vote," said Kling.

Diana Mazel Pittarelli of Hollywood said she said seen the hostility toward Obama in Broward County that others have also described. "A lot of these people ... don't know enough about him." She added that many of the reasons they provide for not liking Obama – from his name to his policies on the Middle East – are simply "excuses for other things," namely their reluctance to vote for a black candidate. As a realtor who has brought black families to South Florida condo boards, Pittarelli said she is familiar with it.

Others were more optimistic. "Little by little," she's seeing former Clinton supporters jump on the Obama bandwagon, said Diane Glasser, first vice chair of the Florida Democratic Party and a superdelegate. She hoped she'd see some further movement when she returned home, due to Clinton's speech.

"It's hard for older people to let go," said Bunny Steinman of Boynton Beach, president of the Democratic Club of Greater Boynton. But "I see people coming around. ... I think it's doable."

Steinman, like others, said the most help would be for the Democratic candidate himself to introduce himself personally to their neighbors. "Obama needs to come down and get in to some of these older communities," she said.

Even an Obama delegate could understand the reason for some reluctance by Clinton supporters. "It's a process," said Mark Alan Siegel of Boca Raton. "When the future of the Jewish people is at stake, you want to be really careful." He said that more education and dissemination of "accurate information ... around the minyan table" should do the trick.

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At the Dem convention, the aliyas keep rising

By Ron Kampeas · August 27, 2008

We're getting into Hineh Ma Tov area here.

The Jews keep coming at the Democratic convention in Denver. As we noted previously, four rabbis participated in the interfaith launch on Sunday, National Jewish Democratic Council vice-chairwoman Sunita Leeds helped set the rules on Monday, firebrands Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) helped stoke the anti-GOP flames on Tuesday and on Wednesday….

* U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is among the nominators of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), the presumptive nominee;

* U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is the first to speak after roll call;

* U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.), self-described "fire-breathing liberal" and the Obama campaign's chief Jewish surrogate speaks just after 5 pm local time'

* U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) is among eight congresswomen saluting "Women of the U.S. House of Representatives."

Helping to round out the evening are Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state, and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). Both made headlines when they learned of their Jewish parentage. (Okay, Albright because she seemed embarrassed and Kerry because he embraced it. But still.)

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Waxman on good turns deserving others

By Ron Kampeas · August 27, 2008

When it comes to Barack Obama and the Jews, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) has some advice as old as Hillel, and it sounds a lot like "Do unto others."

Waxman, the powerful chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee adds a twist to familiar appeals to Jewish Democrats attending the party convention this week in Denver not to pay attention to smear rumors targeting Sen. Obama (D-Ill.), the party's presumptive nominee.

Waxman notes that U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) was similarly targeted by anti-Semitic smears propagated by allies of an African American rival in the majority black district.

Cohen won the primary earlier this month with an overwhelming majority that included three quarters of the black vote.

It's an example Jews can use, Waxman told JTA.

"There's a very cynical effort by Republicans to raise a lot of anxieties in the American Jewish community about Barack Obama," he said, and listed false rumors of an association with Louis Farrakhan, the anti-Semitic black nationalist; false rumors about Obama being a Muslim; and smearing Obama as having a secret antipathy to Israel that he will unleash only after his election.

"We have to reject these smears just as people in the African American community rejected smears against Steve Cohen because he's Jewish," Waxman said.

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Flaum makes it five

By Ron Kampeas · August 27, 2008

The GOP convention has made it to half a minyan.

David Flaum, the chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition, is one of five Jewish speakers scheduled to address the GOP convention next week in St. Paul.

Of course, that's about how many Jewish speakers the Democrats have in a given night this week in Denver. But the GOP is batting nicely in the quality department: In addition to an invocation by Rabbi Ira Flax from Birmingham, Ala., speakers include homeboy Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) and Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle (who might have a thing or two to tell fellow Republicans about mocking native son Barack Obama's vacation choices).

And then there's Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) Didn't he play a role in another convention a while back?

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Debbie takes the vows

By Ron Kampeas · August 27, 2008

There's converting and there's becoming a priest.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is one of four people formally nominating Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to the presidency on Wednesday evening at the Democratic Party convention in Denver.

Wasserman Schultz, of course, was one of the more avid supporters of Obama's rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)

True, you interject, but didn't Hillary urge her followers to back Obama Tuesday night in what is already being dubbed as one of the most galvanizing ever convention speeches?

Yes, but Sen. Clinton is also being formally nominated Wednesday evening, a nod to the close race she ran – and Wasserman Schultz has opted out of that party. (Unknown at press time: Whether Clinton has asked her delegates to vote for Obama during the roll call Wednesday night. That meeting is taking place today at 1:30 or thereabouts.)

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