Jewish Voters Gravitating Toward GOP (Bush approval at 85%)

FoxNews ^ | April 24, 2002 | Katie Cobb

[america-rules]

Jewish Voters Gravitating Toward GOP

FNC
Bumper stickers showing U.S.-Israeli ties were handed out at a recent pro-Israel festival in L.A.

Wednesday, April 24, 2002

By Katie Cobb

LOS ANGELES — Jewish Americans make up only 2.5 percent of the U.S. population but they vote in higher percentages than any other minority group in the country.

Typically, they are known as staunch Democrats, but as more of the traditional left of the Democratic Party gravitate toward the Palestinian cause, American Jews are indicating that they place more trust in the party of George W. Bush.

"Prior to Sept. 11 on my radio show, a lot of people would call and say, ‘Rabbi, how dare you support a Republican,’" offered Rabbi Chaim Mentz, a Los Angeles radio talk show host.

"Now, all of a sudden, after Sept. 11, they notice there is a moral clarity which America never showed, which is an alliance with our brethren that may be living in Israel," he added.

At a recent pro-Israel festival in Los Angeles, Jewish American voters signed up to support the Republican Party.

	AP
	Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas

"I want to be a Republican. Why? Because I’m disappointed in Democrats," said Claire Shpayer, a Jewish voter.

"The Republican leadership has been standing up for Israel. The Christian Coalition, which is part of the Republican Party, stands up constantly for Israel," said another Jewish voter, Bennett Zimmerman. "I think it’s a matter of saying that on many key issues I agree with them."

Of course, not all Democrats are willing to make the leap across party lines to the Republican camp.

"My issues go beyond support of Israel," said voter Ian Russ. "They’re also a lot of American issues, a lot of economic issues, with which I would disagree."

Politicians from both parties rushed to buoy their support with the powerful Jewish lobby this week at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., told committee members that the United States Senate stands with Israel in these difficult days.

"Israel has always had fair-weather friends. What it needs now are foul-weather friends," Daschle told the lobby group, which held its annual convention in Washington. "As long as I'm the majority leader of the United States Senate, we will be a friend to Israel in fair weather and in foul," he said.

Most notable, however, were speeches by prominent conservatives and members of the administration.

In a speech inspiring a standing ovation, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, called the Palestinian Authority "a holding company for terrorist subsidiaries."

"Let me assure you this morning, as long as I am in Congress, I’ll use every tool at my disposal to ensure the Republican Conference, and the House of Representatives, continues to preserve and strengthen America’s alliance with the State of Israel," he told the conference.

DeLay also plans to drum up support for a resolution that calls upon the House "to remain committed to Israel’s right to self-defense," and recommends $27 billion for Israel in supplemental aid.

Speaking to an audience of approximately 3,500, White House Chief of Staff, Andrew H. Card Jr. said, "Our differences are differences of true friends — friends who respect each other, friends who share the same values and the same dreams, friends whose affection for one another is genuine and abiding and unshakable."

Gary Bauer, a popular Christian conservative and 2000 Republican presidential candidate, has also come out strongly with pro-Israel statements, as has the conservative National Review and talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

A poll of Jewish voters shows that President Bush’s approval ratings among the Jewish community are over 80 percent. Political analyst Susan Estrich said this is an opportune time for the Republicans to start dipping into the wide support Democrats receive from Jewish Americans.

"Right now George Bush has an opportunity that no GOP president has had in our lifetimes — to change the dynamic of the Jewish vote in America," she said.

[darth]

Not so amazing. People will switch parties when their core issues dictate the switch. When there is a real threat, e.g., the current threat to Israel, the voters remember what is most important to them. Here in Texas the Republican party is full of former Democrats who joined when the national Democratic party went left. I welcome my Jewish brethren to the Republican party! The GOP is a big enough tent for all of us and a little disagreement on non-core issues is healthy debate.

[robotech]

The Republicans support the state of Israel because it is the right thing to do (defending fellow Westerners against the barbarian hordes) and because the Christian Bible Belt which is part of the Republican base stands with Israel. The Jewish vote in the U.S. will always vote 80% Democrat and only 20% Republican. I don't see that changing.

[gridlock]

I bet this will come as BIG NEWS to the Zogby brothers, huh?

I heard John Zogby himself on the radio this morining, giving commentary on his latest poll that shows Bush's approval rating down to 69%. Zogby said that the fall in Bush's approval numbers was the result of his favoring Israel in the latest unrest, and that his numbers will likely continue to fall unless he was more supportive of the Palestinians.

The radio station neglected to mention that his associations with CAIR, or that he is hardly an uninterested observer. Why any responsible media outlet would accept anything the Zogbys say at face value is beyond me.

(As soon as I find a responsible media outlet, I will let you know)

[Risky Schemer]

Well, Tom DeLay may be on a collision course with the Bush administration.

[onedoug]

There were at least 60,000 at this event last Sunday, including my wife and I, who aren't Jewish. But did it garner even a scintilla's worth of coverage in the LA Times? Even a comma? Should I really answer?

[mgist]

Susan Estrich has become rather less left wing in recent months - she got dumped/cheated on, or something, and her Clinton infatuation somewhat vaporized.
She is no longer on payroll.

There was such strong propaganda against conservatives for so many years a la Archie Bunker stereotypes, that many people are/were mistaken as to what conservatives really represent.

Also many leftists are simply misguided idealists, once they see the facts they can make reasonable conclusions. Bush seems to facilitate clarity.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I have a friend who is about to go to law school. He is Jewish and is a moderate Democrat though not very political. He said that CNN is anti-Israel...people are catching on.

[RoseofTexas]

This was in LA by the way ! HHHHOOOLLLY TOON TOWN!!

[mware]

I think this is really happening. I go to a news chat line and debate all the time with liberals and democrates. One of the hard liners was a person who identified himself as Jewish.

He stunned the chatters last night by announcing that he and his brother both had registered as Republicans that day.He also related that the Rabbi's of over 150 synagogues had suggested that their congregation do the same.

I truly think that the DC protests of last weekend woke up many people.

[concerned about politics]

The Republican leadership has been standing up for Israel. The Christian Coalition, which is part of the Republican Party, stands up constantly for Israel," said another Jewish voter, Bennett Zimmerman. "I think it’s a matter of saying that on many key issues I agree with them."

I never understood their Democrat vote anyway, especially in NY for Hillary after her kiss for Arafats wife.

[Pharmboy]

From here:

Jews vote for Republican candidates sometimes in state and local races, but Republicans might as well give up trying to get Jews to vote for the GOP presidential ticket. At least, that's the way it seemed until the Jewish newspaper in Philadelphia, The Jewish Exponent, commissioned an exit poll. (The exit poll had a margin of error of 4.9%.) Overall, the exit poll found that Jews in Greater Philadelphia voted for Gore/Lieberman over Bush/Cheney 77.6% to 18.6% (with just 3.8% voting for Ralph Nader). This is consistent with national totals.

But there was big news: young Jews voted for Bush! The exit poll found that the older the Jewish voters were, the more Democratic they were. An amazing 95% of Jews over age 65 voted Democratic. Of Jews who were 30-49 years of age, 82.4% voted for Gore. But Jews under age 30 voted for Bush/Cheney, 59.3% to Gore's 40.7%.

[mrustow]

It is interesting to me that the Jewish populace is only just now waking up. When Clinton was sqeezing Barak into giving up the family jewels, and courting Yasser like a long lost piece of a--, the Jewish vote didn't seem to be fazed at all. Witness the support for the bossom buddy of Yasser's wife. Go figure.

You're vastly exaggerating HILLARY'S! support. Had Rudy Giuliani run against her, he would have beaten her. On orders from Gov. George Pataki, that for the sake of the Party Rick Lazio defer to Giuliani (whom Pataki already hated, due to G.'s endorsement of Dem and fellow paisan Mario Cuomo for Gov in '94 against Pataki, a Hungarian), Lazio kept his own candidacy on hold. Giuliani's insistence on waiting until a few months before the election, to back out, destroyed Lazio's chances of winning. As Lazio had already said, he needed a full year to put together a competitive campaign.

With that said, the Long Islander Lazio did not campaign vigorously in upstate New York, which he had to do, if he was to have a chance of winning. Lazio's stronghold was Long Island; Hillary's was NYC. Everyone knew that upstate would decide the election. HILLARY! trouped up and down every mid-sized town in New York State; except for a visit to his friend, the mayor of Buffalo, Lazio stayed home. And so, too, did many potential Lazio voters.

[mrustow]

Amen!

[Michael2001]

I'll believe it when I see it. But I am liking this trend and I am liking the fact that the left is coming out as totally anti-Israel.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the comments. Wouldn't you say that Hillary still took a majority fo the Jewish votes though?

[Michael2001]

Fox did a thing on this last night. I personally have spoken with liberal Jewish friends in NYC and Miami in recent days who have volunteered the same sentiments to me. I hope it sticks.

That word you put in front of 'Jewish friends' makes me think it won't. If they're really liberal they'll go right back to the Dems once this is all over. Although now is the time to convince them on other issues. At least now they know that the media has been lying to them and that the Christian Coalition and the GOP don't hate Jews.

[Michael2001]

American jews' votes are governed by their pocketbooks

If that was the case they would have become GOP a long time ago. Financially the majority of Jews are better off with the Repubs, from issues like taxes and affirmative action

[I still care]

I was just listening to Hannity and he had a Jewish man call up who was so involved with the Demos he actually worked on the Gore Lieberman campaigns. He said he had totally been won over by the Christian Coalition, who he always hated. He specifically mentioned Tom Delay. He said he was SO happy that Bush and Cheney won the election. He said he NEVER voted anything but demo in his life, except once for Reagan. What a great phone call.

[wardaddy]

I agree that since my Jewish friends are primarily social liberals that they will probably not change their views on abortion as an example because of this but they are recognizing that they are "laying with hyenas" essentially. What's more suprising to me is that several of my Jewish friends felt compelled to relay their "awakening" on this issue to me without prodding. Also I've found that some really liberal Jews don't seem to really care much for Israel and view them as just another hegemon. I find this incredibly naive and foolish.

Someone has stated that the majority of Jews under 30 went for Bush in 00 so there is hope. I'm glad my Jewish friends are no longer viewing me as a neo-facist or an Inquisition friendly sort....at least for the time being...LOL.

[Michael2001]

As soon as I find a responsible media outlet, I will let you know

I won't be holding my breath