Actually they are supporting Obama by about only 70% and may in fact be less than that by election day.
Thanks, Dream Warrior. You are right that the numbers WERE higher for McCain initially. Thanks for pointing that out, because I was careless in what I wrote. However, your numbers for Gore are not accurate. All the records I have seen place the Jewish vote for Gore-Lieberman in 2000 between 77 and 80 percent. Kerry got about 76-78 percent.
Obama started out in this campaign garnering a measly 60 percent or thereabouts, signaling an increase in receptiveness by Jews toward a Republican candidate, just as you say. However, since the Palin pick for VP, the numbers have declined precipitously:
Jewish Voters for Obama versus McCain
Gallup July: Obama 61, McCain 34
Gallup August: Obama 66, McCain 25
Gallup September: Obama 69, McCain 25
Gallup October: Obama 74, McCain 22
(Margin of Error +/- 5)
American Jewish Committee survey (September): 34 percent of Jewish respondents approved of the Palin pick and 57 percent disapproved.
I think it’s pretty clear that the Palin pick has alienated Jewish voters. Maybe it’s because of the fundamentalism, and maybe it is just because she appears unqualified. But McCain would not have chosen this unqualified candidate if he had not been trying so hard to pacify the right fringe of the base.