JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Hagel misses, Israel-Syria panel hits

By Uriel Heilman · December 8, 2008

JTA Managing Editor Uriel Heilman considers the interesting, and not so interesting, material at the Israel Policy Forum’s annual gala.

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No clear-cut favorite for Dem VP among Jewish activists

By Eric Fingerhut · August 19, 2008

As Barack Obama gets ready to roll out his running mate, Jewish political insiders and activists say they would welcome any of the three most talked about possibilities.

Some say Sen. Joseph Biden’s (D-Del.) extensive experience on foreign policy issues makes him a big favorite among pro-Israel activists, but others prefer Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) as a solid, appealing choice. And while some Jewish Democrats admit they aren’t too familiar with Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D), they say reports of his good relations with the Virginia Jewish community reassure them.

“I have not heard a single name that has caused conternation” or is considered a problem, said Steve Rabinowitz, a Democratic political consultant who often works on Jewish issues.

Steve Grossman, a former president of AIPAC and chair of the Democratic Party, said that while there are a group of Jewish voters who are looking for an experienced foreign-policy hand, others just want someone who fits well with Obama and matches their “progressive” views on a variety of issues. Grossman, who backed Hillary Clinton in the primaries, believes Biden would be popular because he’s “as well known an individual as any elected official in America” with a lengthy “track record” of backing the U.S.-Israel relationship, but also noted that Bayh has “enormous credibility with the pro-Israel community” and Kaine gets high marks from his Jewish constituents. Grossman emphasized, though, that he doesn’t think that the VP selection will make much of a difference to Jewish voters because Obama will have proved his bona fides on foreign policy issues by Election Day.

Rebecca Geller, a co-founder of “Chai for Hillary” who is now backing Obama, said younger pro-Israel activists seem to prefer Bayh for his relative youth combined with his experience, although “there’s not really a consensus of one person,” just “a relief that all people vetted” would be satisfactory. Geller herself, a native of Richmond, Va., is a big fan of Kaine, who served as the mayor of that city before ascending to state politics. While studying abroad, she spent time with the then-mayor when he visited Jerusalem for a mayors’ conference.

And Marcel Groen, chair of the Democratic Party of Montgomery County, Pa., belives that “if you took a poll Hillary [Clinton] would be the overwhelmingly choice,” although that selection appears unlikely.

The only name that would universally disappoint Jewish activists would be Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, whose name has been bandied about but not been mentioned as a serious possibility. One said she would reconsider her vote, because of his record as a critic of Israel. Rabinowitz noted, though, that the Hagel choice would be unpopular with all Democrats, because they don’t want to vote for a Democratic president and possibly end up with a Republican if the vice president ends up taking over.

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RJC: Facts do matter

By Ami Eden · July 15, 2008

As promised… here is the Republican Jewish Coalition’s statement acknowledging its inaccurate press release from yesterday:

RJC Statement on Yesterday’s Press Release

Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2008) – Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Executive Director Matt Brooks issued the followed statement today:

“In a press release issued yesterday by the Republican Jewish Coalition, we called on Senator Obama to drop anti-Israel Senator Chuck Hagel as a participant on Obama’s upcoming trip to Israel.  Despite information from multiple sources, both in the U.S. and abroad, that Hagel would be accompanying Obama to Israel - as well as on the additional stops of the trip, including Iraq and Afghanistan - we have been made aware that Hagel will not be a part of the Israel leg of the trip.  However, while Hagel is not going to Israel with Obama, it does not change the fact that we remain concerned about the ongoing outreach by Senator Obama to Senator Hagel,” said Brooks.
“We remain deeply troubled that Senator Obama has called Hagel one of the ‘good guys’ and that Hagel is often cited as a possible vice presidential candidate or as a future cabinet member in a possible Obama administration.  That Obama is looking to Hagel for advise and counsel on foreign policy matters should be a real cause of concern to the American Jewish community.  It highlights, once again, why Obama continues to have problems among Jewish voters,” said Brooks.

The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), cited clear examples of Sen. Hagel’s abysmal record on Israel.

* In August 2006, Hagel was one of only 12 senators who refused to write the EU asking them to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
* In December 2005, Hagel was one of only 27 who refused to sign a letter to President Bush to pressure the Palestinian Authority to ban terrorist groups from participating in Palestinian legislative elections.
* In June 2004, Hagel refused to sign a letter urging President Bush to highlight Iran’s nuclear program at the G-8 summit.
* In November 2001, Hagel was one of only 11 senators who refused to sign a letter urging President Bush not to meet with the late Yassir Arafat until his forces ended the violence against Israel.
* In October 2000, Hagel was one of only four senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel.

“By aligning himself with Chuck Hagel, Barack Obama continues to send every wrong signal to the Jewish community about who he is and where he stands on issues important to Israel and the American Jewish community,” Brooks concluded.

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RJC: Facts, shmacts

By Ami Eden · July 15, 2008

Yesterday I put up a post about the Republican Jewish Coalition’s apparent goof in issuing a statement slamming Barack Obama for planning to bring Chuck Hagel with him when he visits Israel. I say goof because the Obama campaign says Hagel – the Nebraska Republican who has been a harsh critic of the Bush administration’s Iraq policy – is not joining the Democratic nominee in Israel (both senators will be taking part in a congressional trip to Iraq and Afghanistan).

When I posted yesterday, the RJC statement appeared to be an honest mistake, so I didn’t make a huge deal about it, and even noted that Hagel is rumored to be under consideration to be Obama’s Veep or Pentagon chief. (Why would this be of concern to some Jewish voters? Well, the RJC cited this statement put out in 2007 by the National Jewish Democratic Council.)

But now the statement has been up for nearly 24 hours, and the RJC shows no signs of amending it or taking it down, a point made quite clear in this exchange that the RJC’s communication director, Suzanne Kurtz, reportedly had with Sam Stein of HuffingtonPost.

UPDATE: I’m told the RJC will be issuing a new statement very shortly.

UPDATED UPDATE: Here is the new statement.

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