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O'Reilly: Liberal Jews Are All Big-City Newspapers Have Left
The Radio Factor - Bill O'Reilly/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 07/24/2006 12:54:29 PM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest

by Mark Finkelstein

July 24, 2006

Bill O'Reilly got his show off to a surprising start this afternoon, with a novel theory as to why the big-city newspapers have tread lightly in criticizing Israel for its role in the current conflict. O'Reilly theorized, during his opening monologue, that the papers are fearful of turning off Jewish liberal readers.

As per Bill's theory, papers such as the NY and LA Times, Boston Globe and Washington Post have been taking big hits in readership and profitability. With Fox News Channel's ED Hill in the studio, O'Reilly continued: "liberal Jewish readers are all [those newspapers] have left" as a significant market segment. If the papers were to be too critical of Israel, it could alienate their last remaining readership niche.

It's hard to evaluate O'Reilly's statement since we can't look inside the minds of the papers' editors, and they would certainly never fess up to such a strategy. As someone who is a former liberal and still a Jew, I'd observe that I used to read the NY Times but don't anymore - except for purposes of perusing the online op-ed page to glean potential nuggets of interest for NB readers. That's a statistical sample of exactly . . . one!

But those same papers have not been hesitant to criticize Israel over the years. Is there really a sudden change of course? Or could it be, mirabile dictu, that there is surprising consensus in much of the world, even extending to portions of the MSM, that the Hezbollah thugs are a threat to most everyone this side of Tehran and Damascus?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bor; bostonglobe; edhill; fnc; hezbollah; iran; israel; latimes; liberaljews; liberalmedia; newspapers; nytimes; syria; wapo
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
"Bill O'Reilly got his show off to a surprising start this afternoon, with a novel theory as to why the big-city newspapers have tread lightly in criticizing Israel for its role in the current conflict. O'Reilly theorized, during his opening monologue, that the papers are fearful of turning off Jewish liberal readers."

Excellent column/coverage, as always, Mark. I appreciate how you skillfully spot and dissect important commentaries from "unusual" sources ("Today Show," for example).

As for the current discussion, I'm curious if Bill will air this theory on "The O'Reilly Factor" later this evening? Might require more courage to discuss on TV vs. radio, which tends to fly a bit below the radar.


21 posted on 07/24/2006 1:23:27 PM PDT by jdm (Can I get me a huntin' license here?)
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To: Alexander Rubin

"The figures are beginning to be noticeable."

24% of Jews voted for Bush the last election. If memory serves correctly, Jews voting for Republican presidents has steadily increased over time, starting at 12% four elections ago.


22 posted on 07/24/2006 1:23:45 PM PDT by strategofr (H-mentor:"pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it"Hillary's Secret War,Poe,p.198)
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To: strategofr

What I dont understand in this day and age, why there are any liberal jews?


23 posted on 07/24/2006 1:25:13 PM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
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To: strategofr

Something like that. A percentage in the high 30s (I'm thinking 38%) voted for Reagan in one of his elections.

There hasn't been a Republican majority from the Jewish vote since prior to FDR, but the gap is closing. And it will continue to close, since the major gains for Republicans are amongst Orthodox (lots of children, often don't vote, and generally live in Blue States) and younger Jews (often blue staters as well, and have a longer life span than that 65 year old committed Democrat). ;)


24 posted on 07/24/2006 1:26:35 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: strategofr
...but liberal Jews don't see things that way.

So how do they see things??? Enlighten me please.

25 posted on 07/24/2006 1:30:44 PM PDT by rjmeagle (The Sword IS Mightier than the Pen!!! The UN uses the Pen all the Time!!!)
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To: grapeape
I do not care at all about the damn NYT any more. It is one of the worst papers in America.

AMEN!!!

26 posted on 07/24/2006 1:32:42 PM PDT by rjmeagle (The Sword IS Mightier than the Pen!!! The UN uses the Pen all the Time!!!)
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To: Names Ash Housewares

Several reasons.

1) Jews generally live long. A lot of the original FDR voters are still around, and unsurprisingly, still vote democrat, thinking its still 1933.

2) We're damn stubborn. In fact, the only description of Jews in the Book is that we are "stiffnecked".

3) Commitment to social justice, combined with a confusion of social justice and socialism. Hence the saying that Jewish Americans earn like Japanese and vote like Puerto Ricans.

4) Emphasis on education. And we all know universities are liberal indoctrination grounds. Although the impact seems to be weakening. Particularly for Jews, who have come under attack for supporting Israel and faith.

5) Respect for elders. Seriously, this is a big one. Older members of the family can sway people considerably.

6) Faith has weakened for Reform and many Conservative Jews. Meaning many now see themselves as liberal before Jewish.

7) Blue staters. A majority of Jews (maybe not a HUGE majority, but a sizable majority nonetheless) are urban blue staters, and I guess its partially a cultural thing there.

8) Traditionally, the Democratic party has been (or at least been seen as) generally pro-Israel. This is changing.

9) A strange and shameful love affair with Clinton. *sigh*

10) Denial. "This is just a fad. It will pass."

11) Traditional fear of Christians and conservatives. Traditional sources of persecution. Long cultural memory means there is a very serious cultural aversion to these things, even if things are genuinely different now.


27 posted on 07/24/2006 1:33:17 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Funny how my very liberal CATHOLIC uncles in Detroit have subscriptions both to the Old Gray Skank and the WAPO then.


28 posted on 07/24/2006 1:34:06 PM PDT by MikefromOhio (aka MikeinIraq - don't argue with internet people, they are on the internet for a reason)
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To: polymuser

Exactly.


29 posted on 07/24/2006 1:34:36 PM PDT by jwalburg (It wasn't the Executive that Thomas Jefferson referred to as "the Despotic Branch.")
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To: rjmeagle

Many of them have confused socialism with social justice.

Anyways, they think they are building a better world, and they see Israel as an integral part of that better world.

Imagine big, rose-coloured glasses. Imagine rejecting everything that might point to regression (progress is inevitable! hurrah!). Imagine fear of, and disdain for, people seen as still living in the past. Be these conservatives, religious people in general (even other Jews, although these are tolerated to some extent), nationalists, pragmatic realists, etc.


30 posted on 07/24/2006 1:36:44 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: Alouette; SJackson


31 posted on 07/24/2006 1:37:20 PM PDT by Alexander Rubin (Octavius - You make my heart glad building thus, as if Rome is to be eternal.)
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To: strategofr
"Yes, I know it is a contradiction for a Jew to be a part of the anti-sematic, Israel hating left, but liberal Jews don't see things that way."

How can they be that stupid? Thats like the NAACP voting for the KKK !
32 posted on 07/24/2006 1:38:20 PM PDT by Beagle8U (Liberals get up every morning and eat a big box of STUPID for breakfast)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Don't change the headline from that posted at the source. If you have to make an editorial comment in the thread title, put it in parentheses. Thanks.


33 posted on 07/24/2006 1:38:57 PM PDT by Admin Moderator
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
His theory was offered for purposes of explaining the papers' timidity, not criticizing it.

More idiot analysis from that shallow nitwit pseudo-conservative. Secular liberal Jews from the upper west side of Manhattan would probably rank Israel's survival as 14th out of 19th on their list of priorities.

Does OReilly ever read the NYT ? Theyre alway taking the Palestinians side over Israel's.

34 posted on 07/24/2006 1:41:38 PM PDT by Nonstatist
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To: Names Ash Housewares
What I dont understand in this day and age, why there are any liberal jews?

Ask Mitch Albom.

35 posted on 07/24/2006 1:44:53 PM PDT by polymuser
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
"O'Reilly continued: "liberal Jewish readers are all [those newspapers] have left" as a significant market segment."

That may be true, but he'd better have some serious Tom-Sowell type demographic data or the racist charges will be flying his way!

36 posted on 07/24/2006 1:49:39 PM PDT by Jimnorwellwarren
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To: Alexander Rubin
"The last Republican candidate for President to carry it was Warren G. Harding in 1920.  George Bush, running for re-election against Bill Clinton, received only 11% of the Jewish vote compared to almost 35% four years earlier."

Excerpted from Whither the Jewish Vote?
37 posted on 07/24/2006 1:49:59 PM PDT by gcruse (http://gcruse.typepad.com)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. also

2006israelwar or WOT

..................

Unlikely given circulation sizes, though impossible to know. Personally, I often wonder about the ranting about the circulation declines for the NYT as well.

 
 
 
 
Ranking
Daily Newspapers Total Daily Circulation
1. USA Today 2,222,745
2. Wall Street Journal 2,083,660
3. New York Times 1,126,190
4. Los Angeles Times 843,432
5. New York Daily News 688,584
6. Washington Post 678,779
7. New York Post 672,731
8. Chicago Tribune 586,122
9. Detroit News/Free Press 557,959
10. Denver Post/Rocky Mountain News 527,726
 
 

The New York Times

Circulation Volume
(Audit Bureau of Circulations Six-month Average)*

Download PDF

DAILY

MARCH

Home
Delivery

Single
Copy

Other

Total

1998

660,931

390,015

59,197

1,110,143

1999

679,390

396,450

59,134

1,134,974

2000

708,974

364,055

76,547

1,149,576

2001

724,200

338,015

88,832

1,151,047

2002

726,105

362,089

106,297

1,194,491

2003

709,881

323,166

97,693

1,130,740

2004

688,645

310,155

134,963

1,133,763

2005

687,366

286,820

162,247

1,136,433


38 posted on 07/24/2006 1:59:07 PM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do!)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Many liberal Jews are critical of Israel. What harm would be done by the big newspapers to criticize it? I really don't think there would be harm done.


39 posted on 07/24/2006 2:01:24 PM PDT by Thunder90
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To: strategofr
24% of Jews voted for Bush the last election. If memory serves correctly, Jews voting for Republican presidents has steadily increased over time, starting at 12% four elections ago.

Kind of. Recently, 1980-39%, 1984-31%, 1988-35%, 1992-11%. Bush I had an impact.

40 posted on 07/24/2006 2:06:11 PM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do!)
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