Biden at NJDC: No doubt about Obama’s support for Israel (Updated with video link)
Joe Biden defended his pro-Israel record and vouched for his running mate's at the National Jewish Democratic Council's Washington Conference Tuesday afternoon.
"I've spent 35 years of my career dealing with issues relating to Israel," Biden said, mentioning his first meeting with former Israeli prime ministers Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin and the various pro-Israel pieces of legislation he has backed. "My support for Israel begins in my stomach, goes to my heart and ends up in my head," he said.
"I guarantee you I would not have joined Barack Obama as his vice president if I had any doubt, even the slightest doubt, that he shares the same commitment to Israel I share," Biden said to a standing ovation.
Biden briefly mentioned "the smear campaign" against him – specifically citing the Republican Jewish Coalition's charge that he once attempted to cut off aid to Israel – and said, "We have to ignore all the malarkey, distractions and e-mails and get behind Barack Obama."
After his opening remarks on Israel, Biden stuck mostly to the economy and other domestic policies in his half-hour speech – which sounded similar to the vice presidential nominee's standard stump speech.
"I know NJDC – it isn't just about Israel," said Biden. He criticized the "tyranny of the oligarchs of oil" and asked the crowd to imagine "a country that believes in science" and "a country where we only go to war when it's necessary," drawing applause. He didn't mention Iran, but did return to Israel near the end of his thirty-minute talk.
"Imagine a president who won't wait until his seventh year in office," said Biden, to see "the need for American leadership in the Middle East peace process."
Video of Biden's speech available here.
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Obama’s “support” for Israel
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/3602
Yeah, right!
If you think that his work to raise money for terrorists, and his having them as friends and advisers, while never having been close to any Jews or supported any Jewish causes makes him a “supporter” of Israel, then you better stop smoking whatever it is you’re smoking, because it’s probably illegal.
Bill,
“When hearing the name Biden, we always think of the famous exchange between Biden and Prime Minister Begin. As Moshe Zak recounted in a March 13, 1992, piece in the
Jerusalem Post:
In a conversation with Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, after a sharp
confrontation in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the subject of the settlements, Begin defined himself as “a proud Jew who does not tremble with fear” when speaking with foreign statesmen.
During that committee hearing, at the height of the Lebanon War, Sen. John Biden (Delaware) had attacked Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria and threatened that if Israel did not immediately cease this activity, the US would have to cut economic aid to Israel.
When the senator raised his voice and banged twice on the table with his fist, Begin commented to him: “This desk is designed for writing, not for fists. Don’t threaten us with slashing aid. Do you think that because the US lends us money it is entitled to impose on us what we must do? We are grateful for the assistance we have received, but we are not to be threatened. I am a proud Jew. Three thousand years of culture are behind me, and you will not frighten me with threats. Take note: we do not want a single soldier of yours to die for us.”
After the meeting, Sen. Moynihan approached Begin and praised him for his cutting reply. To which Begin answered with thanks, defining his stand against threats. “
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Bill Levinson
09/24/08 12:01 AM
Right--just like there is no doubt about Obama/Biden’s support for clean coal: Yuk yuk yuk!
Remember, this is the guy whose 26 years of “experience” is supposed to offset Obama’s total lack of qualifications. He just told a questioner that he was against all new coal plants in the U.S. even though his own platform calls for clean coal. Now, was he lying then (when his platform called for clean coal) or is he lying now (to his questioner)?
And yes, Biden did threaten to cut off aid to Israel, and Menachem Begin put him in his place. Per Yid with Lid,
“During that committee hearing, at the height of the Lebanon War, Sen. John [sic] Biden (Delaware) had attacked Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria and threatened that if Israel did not immediately cease this activity, the US would have to cut economic aid to Israel.”