Posted on 09/12/2008 2:22:40 AM PDT by markomalley
A life-long Democrat, Robert Canvasser was talking himself into voting for Republican John McCain because he just wasn't comfortable with his own party's choice of Barack Obama. But then McCain selected first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate ahead of last week's Republican convention.
"That put me back to Obama," said the real estate developer who splits his time between Michigan and Florida, both crucial swing states in the presidential election. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not happy with Obama. But I'm certainly not happy with her."
Canvasser is part of a trend among some Jewish Democrats who have had doubts about Obama, particularly because of his lack of experience and his take on foreign policy issues such as Iran, but now find themselves inclined to support him after both sides selected their vice presidential nominees.
"There has been a tremendous turnaround since the Democratic convention," said Florida State Senator Steve Geller, who at the convention in Denver three weeks ago had described outright hostility among many Jewish Democratic seniors in his district at the thought of an Obama presidency. "After the convention, people are willing to listen. Before the convention, they weren't willing to listen."
He attributed that partly to recent visits to the Sunshine State by high-profile Democrats such as vice presidential nominee Joe Biden as well as the strong endorsement of Hillary Clinton from the convention floor. Indeed, Canvasser also said that the warm embrace of Clinton, whom he had backed, for her erstwhile rival had helped tether him to Obama.
But mainly Geller chalked up the difference to Palin.
"Sarah Palin is helping a lot. Sarah Palin in seen as a right-wing evangelical [pick]," he said. He added that while that perception helps the McCain campaign with many Christian voters energized by a so-called hockey mom who hunts and fishes in her spare time, "Most of our South Florida condo people are appalled at seeing her standing over a moose."
Her views on social issues - pro-life, anti-gun control and the like - definitely helped discourage Seymour Ross of Delray Beach from voting for the Republican ticket. While he has been wavering between the two candidates because he thinks Obama would "make nice" with Iran, Palin's "extreme conservative views" have tilted him more toward the freshman Illinois senator.
"I still would have been going in the direction of Obama, but it makes it a little bit clearer," Ross explained.
His feeling is something the National Jewish Democratic Council has seized on to raise money from supporters.
"Palin is totally out of step with public opinion in the Jewish community" on domestic issues and has "zero foreign policy experience," the organization wrote in a fund-raising letter sent out last week. It also started an on-line petition asking: "McCain: What were you thinking when you selected Palin?"
At the same time, the Obama campaign has increased its Florida outreach efforts, announcing that it formed six Jewish Community Leadership Committees throughout the state comprised of backers involved in Jewish non-profits, schools, synagogues and other facets of the community. They also count several rabbis among their members, some of upwards of 400 who have joined the campaign effort as part of the group "Rabbis for Obama."
"Our field operation," according to Bobby Gravitz, Obama's regional communications director for South Florida, "is the largest organization of any Democratic campaign statewide ever."
He said that while certain misinformation about Obama's positions on Iran and other issues continues to circulate, the campaign has been successful in putting to rest at least some rumors - such as his being a Muslim - that have harmed the candidate among Jewish voters.
The McCain campaign also points to inaccurate rumors as hurting its efforts to woo Jews, such as the erroneous charge that Palin once endorsed Republican Pat Buchanan. But it is not ceding any ground, and still expects exceptional Jewish turnout despite American Jews' long-standing preference for the Democratic Party.
"At the end of the day, this is a contest between Barack Obama and John McCain, and for Jewish voters across the country. That's the decision they'll have to make," said the campaign's deputy communications director, Michael Goldfarb. "We're confident they'll move to John McCain in large numbers."
He added that Jewish voters still need to get to know Palin.
"You can't get farther away from Pennsylvania and Florida and New York than Alaska," he explained. "It's a question of introducing her to these communities." Goldfarb stressed her commitment to Israel and said that once the Jewish community gets to know her, "They're going to be extremely comfortable with her."
Indeed, some Jewish voters have not been dissuaded by her candidacy.
"She's not going to overturn Roe v. Wade," said Boca Raton retiree Alan Bergstein, referring to the landmark Supreme Court case granting women the right to an abortion.
He said he intends to continue backing McCain because of concerns over Obama's attitude toward issues such as Israel, and his conclusion that "McCain would be a stronger candidate for the defense of our country."
And Florida political activist Adele Berger, a Clinton supporter who is now pushing for Obama, said that still for many of her fellow Democrats, "There are many, many people here that do have issues with Obama. I'm working very, very hard to overcome that. It's going to be difficult."
Berger said that for all the Obama surrogate visits to her state, they have yet to come to her area of Pembroke Pines, a major Jewish enclave, which has been frustrating. "We need someone with a name, to make them understand" why they should support the Democratic nominee, she said.
Obama and several top surrogates, including former president Bill Clinton, have trips to Florida in the works for this month, though it's not clear exactly where they will appear. But wherever they go, Geller is confident that they will face more supportive audiences than he once encountered.
"In general, he has more work to do, but it's no longer walking into a hostile crowd. You sill have some people who are hostile [toward Obama], but today most are friendly," he said. "Does he still have work to do? Absolutely. Has he fixed most of it? Yes. But it's still hard."
Someone should take them to a slaughterhouse to teach them where hamburger comes from, or maybe take them to a chicken plant, or how about letting them hear the squeals of a pig being slaughtered to make bacon. Then they can get off their high horse, kill it, and stand over it while someone takes a picture. Idiots.
There is a long history and you have to understand it to understand why Jews are cool about fervent Christians. It comes down to a fantasy that Jews might convert. If you see this as a goal you will and must be disappointed and disillusioned as so many have been in the past. However, in the past, this disappointment has often tipped over into attempting to force what isn't accepted willingly and this force leaves a long memory. Folks become suspicious of the outstretched hand lest it come with many strings attached.
Nevertheless, if you support for Israel and the Jews come from your faith, then understand Jews are not a monolithic group. Just like any other group some will praise what others condemn. Your compass needs to be your own faith and convictions and how you understand your place and your contribution to this world.
Jewish voters : Mccain :: Black voters : Reagan.
Jews for McCain? Never happen. Blacks and Jews have voted in near-equal percentages for the Dem (any Dem, every Dem) in the last five or nine presidential elections, and Jews and blacks will vote for the Dem in the same proportions in this election. Do they call it the Bradley effect, or the Wilder effect, when black candidates poll well but lose as whites, it is presumed, just can’t quite bring themselves to pull the lever for a black man?
Jews for McCain, or for any other Republican president? Same thing.
Hitler WAS a socialist democrat!
another note from those who learn the wrong lesson from history
if America was run by Obama true believers, Israel would be on the list of terrorist states
For the life of me I can't understand how some Jewish people are "Stuck on Stupid". Maybe they don't remember that Hitler was for gun control. First he took their guns, then he took their lives.
I guess that the only Jews with any balls moved back to Israel and left us the dregs.
Sorry, not a single one of my Jewish friends understands that at all. They see Christians as one group only and see the more conservative the Christian the scarier, never understanding that they are the only ones that take the Bible word for word and see Jews as God's chosen people and Israel as their land.
Well in South Florida people have the luxury of not having to worry about being bitten by a moose.
Florida State Senator Steve Geller [D]... attributed that partly to recent visits to the Sunshine State by high-profile Democrats such as vice presidential nominee Joe Biden as well as the strong endorsement of Hillary Clinton from the convention floor... But mainly Geller chalked up the difference to Palin... Her views on social issues - pro-life, anti-gun control and the like - definitely helped discourage Seymour Ross of Delray Beach from voting for the Republican ticket... "I still would have been going in the direction of Obama, but it makes it a little bit clearer" ...the Obama campaign has increased its Florida outreach efforts, announcing that it formed six Jewish Community Leadership Committees throughout the state comprised of backers involved in Jewish non-profits, schools, synagogues and other facets of the community. They also count several rabbis among their members, some of upwards of 400 who have joined the campaign effort as part of the group "Rabbis for Obama."
That being said, the polls are showing Obama will get about the same number of Jewish votes as did Jimmy Carter in 1980.Thanks Presbyterian Reporter!
| Year | Candidate | % of Jewish Vote |
| 1916 | ||
| Hughes (R) | 45 | |
| Wilson (D) | 55 | |
| 1920 | ||
| Harding (R) | 43 | |
| Cox (D) | 19 | |
| Debs (Soc) | 38 | |
| 1924 | ||
| Coolidge (R) | 27 | |
| Davis (D) | 51 | |
| La Folette (Progressive) | 22 | |
| 1928 | ||
| Hoover (R) | 28 | |
| Smith (D) | 72 | |
| 1932 | ||
| Hoover (R) | 18 | |
| Roosevelt (D) | 82 | |
| 1936 | ||
| Landon (R) | 15 | |
| Roosevelt (D) | 85 | |
| 1940 | ||
| Wilkie (R) | 10 | |
| Roosevelt (D) | 90 | |
| 1944 | ||
| Dewey (R) | 10 | |
| Roosevelt (D) | 90 | |
| 1948 | ||
| Dewey (R) | 10 | |
| Truman (D) | 75 | |
| Wallace (Progressive) | 15 | |
| 1952 | ||
| Eisenhower (R) | 36 | |
| Stevenson (D) | 64 | |
| 1956 | ||
| Eisenhower (R) | 40 | |
| Stevenson (D) | 60 | |
| 1960 | ||
| Nixon (R) | 18 | |
| Kennedy (D) | 82 | |
| 1964 | ||
| Goldwater (R) | 10 | |
| Johnson (D) | 90 | |
| 1968 | ||
| Nixon (R) | 17 | |
| Humphrey (D) | 81 | |
| Wallace (I) | 2 | |
| 1972 | ||
| Nixon (R) | 35 | |
| McGovern (D) | 65 | |
| 1976 | ||
| Ford (R) | 27 | |
| Carter (D) | 71 | |
| McCarthy (I) | 2 | |
| 1980 | ||
| Reagan (R) | 39 | |
| Carter (D) | 45 | |
| Anderson (I) | 14 | |
| 1984 | ||
| Reagan (R) | 31 | |
| Mondale (D) | 67 | |
| 1988 | ||
| Bush (R) | 35 | |
| Dukakis (D) | 64 | |
| 1992 | ||
| Bush (R) | 11 | |
| Clinton (D) | 80 | |
| Perot (I) | 9 | |
| 1996 | ||
| Dole (R) | 16 | |
| Clinton (D) | 78 | |
| Perot (I) | 3 | |
| 2000 | ||
| Bush (R) | 19 | |
| Gore (D) | 79 | |
| Nader (G) | 1 |
Jewish vote remains traditionally DemocratAccording to data published by the National Jewish Democratic Council, the average Jewish support of a Republican candidate since 1972 stands at 27.4%. On the other hand, the Jewish Republican Coalition announced yesterday that more and more Jews vote Republican. According to their data, collected since 1992, the average number of Jews who voted for a Republican in the presidential elections has been rising steadily: 11% in 1992, followed by 16% in '96, 19% in 2000 and in the 2004 elections, 25% of Jews voted for President Bush.
Tal ShneiderThe Israel Swing Factor[T]he greatest political strength of American Jewry lies in the fact that it is a uniquely swayable bloc . The issue of support for Israel has proven capable of spurring a sizable portion of Jews to switch parties - in large enough numbers to tip the scales in national or statewide elections. Moreover, the "Israel swing vote" is especially open to political courtship because, unlike the interests of other minority groups, support for Israel has long been compatible with traditional Republican and Democratic agendas. By contrast, most other issues (abortion, affirmative action, etc.) cannot be embraced by Republicans or Democrats without alienating certain support bases. A pro-Israel stance runs no such risk. On the other hand, being distinctively unsupportive of Israel can significantly hurt a candidate's chances.
by Jeffrey S. Helmreich
15 January 2001Jewish Vote In Presidential Elections
To the extent this is actually true (which is probably not very much), it’s basically anti-Christian bigotry. Note that her policy positions are not considered; only her religion.
SunkenCiv,
What kind of impact would there be for the Jewish voters if McCain was to start making comments that Joe Lieberman would be someone he would like to have in a senior cabinet position?
Israel gets solid support in the American Evangelical community. Jews in Israel know this and value it. If Jews in America don’t know this, then they need to wake up.
“I hope those evangelicals are not supporting Israel to curry favour with Jews because they will be forever disappointed.”
Not us. The church I attended in Florida pulled it off, by being friends to Jews without trying to convert them. Eventually we ended up with more Orthodox Jewish friends than Christian ones. Like the Chabad synagogue, just a mile from my house. I’d still be going to that church now, if I hadn’t recently moved to Kentucky.
Is this reporter really Jewish? I know that Hilary isn’t a Jewish name, and Leila is an Arab name. She may be a Palestinian who happens to have a Jewish husband.
I don’t know. I think it might help John Kerry’s opponent in Massachusetts. I’d like to see Senator Lieberman campaigning for McCain up there, just to intercourse with what passes for Kerry’s brain.
All numerical predictions are shots in the dark, but my guess is, McCain-Palin will do nearly (but not quite) as well with Jewish voters as Reagan did. For one thing (and of course, I hate to make generalizations), I don’t think Jewish voters are as gullible as the straight-ticket Demwit voters out there, and I don’t think the Hizzies and Hamas are going to be able to stay quiet (as they generally do, in part because the partisan media shills don’t give them coverage) until our election is over.
I’m also pretty sure Russia’s invasion of Georgia, and its energy blackmail threat toward Europe (which was immediately followed by what someone used to call a “peace offensive”), plus Russia’s complicity in Iran’s nuclear bomb program, plus Obama’s obvious affinity with and origin in the Moslem community, will push almost 20 per cent of Jewish voters to McCain.
It doesn’t hurt that McCain is older than most candidates and presidents have been.
Ooops, what I meant was, “push an additional 20 per cent” to McCain. There’s always a small chunk of the Jewish vote that goes Republican. McCain will wind up in the high twenties, IMHO.
New Hampshire was meant as an example for a Upper East Coast state in play, not as a strongly Jewish state.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.