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Jewish defections irk Dems
The Hill ^ | March 30, 2004 | Alexander Bolton

Posted on 03/29/2004 5:21:51 PM PST by veronica

Senate Democrats are seeking to counter defections by some major Jewish donors to the Republicans by stressing their party’s pro-Israel stance.

The lawmakers met privately last Thursday with nearly 80 Jewish interest groups to make their case.

Although Jews make up slightly more than 2 percent of all Americans, they have played a wider political role for both demographic and financial reasons.

Jews are concentrated in such battleground states as Florida and Ohio. In the era of soft money, an estimated 50 to 70 percent of large contributions to the Democratic Party and allied political units came from Jewish donors.

While President Bush won only 19 percent of the Jewish vote in 2000, Republican candidates garnered 35 percent of the Jewish vote in 2002, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The growing allegiance between the GOP and leaders in the Jewish community is due largely to Bush’s strong support of Israel and refusal to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Republican aides and Jewish lobbyists say.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, hasn’t helped his party on that front by recently issuing statements that were widely interpreted as waffling on the controversial security fence the Israeli government is building at the edge of the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Republicans on Capitol Hill, led by Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) in the Senate and Deputy Majority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) in the House, are aggressively courting Jewish interest groups, citing their own and President Bush’s strong support of Israel’s security policies.

Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), surprised members of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America during remarks at a luncheon when he acknowledged there is a perception among many Jews that Democrats are not strong enough on the issue of Israeli security.

However, he insisted the perception is not true.

“A lot of us were quite struck that he would say that,” said a high-ranking official with the group.

At another meeting earlier that day with leaders from different Jewish groups, such Democrats as Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (S.D.), Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (Mass.) were told that many Jews view the party as a weaker ally of Israel compared to the GOP.

Members of the audience told the Democratic politicians that “what they said was different from the impression” many Jews had of Democrats, said Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, who attended the meeting. “They agreed they have to do a better job of communicating their position,” Hoenlein added. “They acknowledged it and said it was the crux of their frustration.”

One participant said nearly 20 Democratic lawmakers attended at least a portion of the morning meeting.

Later in the day, the Jewish interest groups met with Republican senators in a meeting chaired by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Santorum.

“Both sides are clearly jockeying for political advantage,” said a lobbyist for a prominent Jewish interest group.

The Conference, a coordinating body that represents 52 Jewish organizations such as the American Jewish Congress and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, organized twin meetings.

For their part, the Democratic lawmakers vigorously asserted their support for Israel, mixing their message with stern criticism of Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.

They voiced support for the security fence being erected to stymie Palestinian attacks from the West Bank. Kerry seemed to trip over the issue a month ago when he told Jewish leaders the fence was a legitimate act of self defense after telling an Arab American group in October that the fence was “provocative” and a “barrier to peace.”

Clinton, who is an important liaison to the Jewish community as head of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee, pleased the groups by saying that foreign aid to the Palestinian government should be contingent on its effort to combat anti-Semitic and anti-American propaganda. Her stance was new to many of the groups, said Hoenlein and Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America.

Democrats also hammered on the need for Saudi Arabia to clamp down on fundamentalist Islamic charities that fund terrorist organizations, on the need for tougher sanctions against Syria, and the need to halt Iranian efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

An official at one Jewish group speculated that Democrats may be nervous about the defection of high-profile Jewish donors to the Republicans, noting that Corzine, who confronted the party’s image problem, is chairman of the DSCC.

Jack Rosen, a frequent past contributor to the Democratic Party, and president of the liberal-leaning American Jewish Congress, has given $100,000 to Republicans since Bush took office.

And California businessman Ronald Arnall and wife Dawn, who in the past have given close to $1.5 million to Democratic candidates and party committees since 2000, raised $1 million for Bush at a fundraiser last August. In addition, Dawn Arnall gave $1 million at the end of 2002 to the Republican National Committee.

“On the GOP side they’ve been very aggressive in courting the community,” said Nathan Diament, director of public policy at the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations. “The point person on the Senate side is Rick Santorum. Over the past two or three years they’ve been working the community and having a lot of meetings.”

Diament said Barbara Ledeen, the director of coalitions for the Senate Republican Conference, initiated the efforts.

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), who is Jewish, has also been active. He has traveled around the country “stumping in Jewish venues trying to convey a sense of why Republicans are more deserving of support,” said Diament.

On the House side, Cantor, the only Jewish Republican in the House, has led the GOP outreach effort.

“Democrats do not speak with a unified voice on Israel anymore,” said Cantor. “The Democrats want to re-inject the United States into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a neutral arbiter and neutral voice.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; donors; ericcantor; gwb2004; jewishvote; normcoleman; proisrael
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To: veronica
The Jewish communities have been lied to and hoodwinked for years by the Dims. Just as American Indians have been promised the moon and only got stardust. Russell Means finally woke up in South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation and is promoting a Republican. All we can do is hope the Jews wake up to who their real friends are.

It makes me sick (as an American Indian) of all the wasted years the "sit around the fort" Indians were waiting for their dole of bad bacon and weevil flour. Now lets let the Conservatives have a chance to teach us how to make it on our own, and hope the Jewish community sees the light too.

81 posted on 03/29/2004 7:23:45 PM PST by fish hawk (I have two arms: Colt and Smith and Wesson)
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To: js1138
Do you suppose the Jewish community didn't see that?

If they didn't, I propose that we should be in the business of showing it to them. I have long contended that a major cornerstone of election '04 should be mass quantities of footage from inside the various anti-Bush / anti-War / anti-Israel rallies, every revolting detail, with the final point of each ad asking "Are these the people you want in charge of your country?"

We'll see how deep the resentment runs if, in a few months, Kerry sharpens his rhetoric against Israel. That would prove to me that a sizable percentage of the large donors have left the fold, and he's turned instead to the Mike Farrell Hollywood pro-PLO types for donations.

I'm starting to think now that the whole manufactured campaign against The Passion of the Christ was little more than an attempt to stem the tide of defections of Jewish Americans from the party whose rank-and-file clearly hate the existence of their homeland, to the party which clearly will defend it. In hindsight it looks to me like a thinly veiled "You cant trust Christians, they're closet Nazis, so don't pay attention to the overt Nazis on the Left, m'kay?"

82 posted on 03/29/2004 7:37:14 PM PST by Objective Reality
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To: justanotherday
Mo No! You have it wrong. Doonesbury has pointed out for years, that it is President Bush that waffles.

Since doonesbury is such a flaming liberal, I am sure he will not/does not see the Irony.
83 posted on 03/29/2004 7:40:13 PM PST by rock58seg (Character and integrity do count. BUSH/CHENEY 04)
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To: oceanview
The percentages might be less important than the location. Didn't Jews in Florida abandon Carter en masse after the Mariel boatlift? Something similar could secure Florida for President Bush.

My sense is that national security is a bigger issue for American Jews than Israel. American Jews LOVE the United States, and recognize in their heart and soul how unique and exceptional this country is. They see clearly that the Democrats don't get what the Republic is about, and would gladly make our national security hostage to the U.N.
84 posted on 03/29/2004 7:43:13 PM PST by Montaignes Cat
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To: rock58seg
Doonesbury has pointed out for years, that it is President Bush that waffles.

Nope. Clinton was the waffle. That happened when he unveiled the don't ask don't tell formula. Bush I was a feather, Bush II is a Trojan helmet.

85 posted on 03/29/2004 7:46:41 PM PST by js1138
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To: veronica; GatorGirl; maryz; *Catholic_list; afraidfortherepublic; Antoninus; Aquinasfan; Askel5; ...
Ping.
86 posted on 03/29/2004 7:48:44 PM PST by narses (If you want OFF or ON my Catholic Ping list, please email me. +)
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To: pfflier
I just wish Madonna had been there too.
87 posted on 03/29/2004 7:49:27 PM PST by rock58seg (Character and integrity do count. BUSH/CHENEY 04)
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To: veronica
The dumbasscrats use the Israelis people like the blacks and brown.When they need your vote they will kiss your rear end and if they don't you can kiss theirs.You are just another non white with your hands out when you are not needed by the dumbasscrats.
President Bush and the republicans have been there for all races even tho they bad mouth us with poison tongue it still does not change President Bush and the GOP>
88 posted on 03/29/2004 7:53:44 PM PST by solo gringo (Always Ranting Always Rite)
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To: veronica
Let me tell you, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and Kerry is steering the DNC Titanic to disaster. I know one of the families mentioned, and am REALLY SURPRISED they are named. They were until very recently BIG TIME Dems, but then I heard they recently had Vice President Cheney over to their house. And he's invited to another former big time DNC donor's house that I know.

AND, Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to Israel very soon with a group, including a few people I know, for the ground breaking of the new Wiesenthal Museum in Jerusalem. Some of this group were once Dems, and are now BIG TIME President Bush lovers.

AND, it's not just about ISRAEL. So the GOP needs to remember that. And, the GOP needs to remember that getting the Jewish vote shouldn't just be about fundraising. Most younger Jews are Republicans-- so we should be reached out to for votes, not just for money.

89 posted on 03/29/2004 7:54:02 PM PST by Cinnamon Girl
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To: oceanview
The article reports that Republican support went from 19 to 35% from 2000 to 2002. That is an 84% increase in votes. I call that a very statistically significant realignment.
90 posted on 03/29/2004 7:55:58 PM PST by PA Engineer (Liberalism is a Hate Crime)
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To: rock58seg
Mo NO = No No
91 posted on 03/29/2004 7:58:34 PM PST by rock58seg (Character and integrity do count. BUSH/CHENEY 04)
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To: veronica
"In the era of soft money, an estimated 50 to 70 percent of large contributions to the Democratic Party and allied political units came from Jewish donors."

Jews are the primary funders of the God-forsaken, abortion-supporting, gay-loving positions espoused by the Democrap Party.

Why am I not surprised?








92 posted on 03/29/2004 7:58:56 PM PST by ASTM366
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To: veronica
And John F'n Kerry said "But, but, but, I'm Jewish, honest. I only go to the Catholic church because Boston has more Catholics than Jews."
93 posted on 03/29/2004 8:00:51 PM PST by jackbill
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To: js1138
OOPs! You're right.
94 posted on 03/29/2004 8:01:00 PM PST by rock58seg (Character and integrity do count. BUSH/CHENEY 04)
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To: Timocrat
Post 2000. Major aggressor knocked out(IRAQ) replaced by USAF, Marines and 81st Airborne who are on hand to deter any of Israels neighbours from doing anything hasty. Arab world finds out that the belief in 'strong leaders' has its drawbacks

Another connection the 5th column overlooks in pretending that secular Ba'athists and other militant Arabists disagree with militant islamists about everything. They both believe in Osama's "strong horse" theory. Turning their "strong horses" into dog food and glue before their eyes is an object lesson to both.

95 posted on 03/29/2004 8:02:13 PM PST by Stultis
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To: Cinnamon Girl
Cinnamon Girl, I hope you won't mind my addressing a question to you about the general assessment of your ethnic grouping of a particular subject, but I wonder if you have heard, in your own circles, any discussion of the kind of virulently anti-Israel, anti-Semitic demonstrations that were omnipresent at the anti-Bush (er, "war") rallies last weekend? The word "Israel" spelled with a swastika rather than an "s," for example. Do you sense an existing or, better, growing resentment amongst the American Jewish community that the Democratic party does not publicly denounce these sentiments? Would the illustration of these sentiments to the greater community, and the questioning as to why the Democratic party does not flee from and disavow such rhetoric, be an effective means of discrediting the Left?
96 posted on 03/29/2004 8:02:21 PM PST by Objective Reality
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To: ASTM366
Jews are the primary funders of the God-forsaken, abortion-supporting, gay-loving positions espoused by the Democrap Party.

Why am I not surprised?

I wouldn't ascribe such behavior to "Jews" in general any more than I would use the fact that the Klan is exclusively white to argue that "Whites support the Klan."

Liberals support liberal causes. Liberalism is not borne on a gene.

97 posted on 03/29/2004 8:09:07 PM PST by Objective Reality
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To: Objective Reality
Jews in America have historically supported the Democrap Party and are liberal.

Prove otherwise.
98 posted on 03/29/2004 8:13:14 PM PST by ASTM366
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To: Happy2BMe


99 posted on 03/29/2004 8:18:42 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (The Democrats say they believe in CHOICE. I have chosen to vote STRAIGHT TICKET GOP for years !!)
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To: veronica
BUMP!
100 posted on 03/29/2004 8:19:21 PM PST by jmstein7 (Real Men Don't Need Chunks of Government Metal on Their Chests to be Heroes)
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