BARACK & THE JEWS (From the NY Post, take with large grains of salt)

[DainBramaged]

POLLs show a tightening presidential race; the Jewish vote could prove decisive. And the signs suggest it won't break as much for Barack Obama as it traditionally has for Democrats.

Start with a poll done last month for the American Jewish Committee: It gave John McCain some 30 percent of the Jewish vote, with another 13 percent "not sure" - truly striking numbers, given Jews' historically overwhelming preference for Democrats. (Which means at least SIXTY percent back Obama. DB)

Some pundits attribute this to Jewish racism, but no empirical evidence buttresses that insulting analysis. What the numbers really seem to suggest is that Obama, despite his undeniable appeal as a personality, has yet to overcome fears about where he stands on key issues of concern to a significant fraction of Jewish voters. As in the past, the burning issue is the direction of US foreign policy.

Yes, at this year's American-Israel Public Affairs Committee convention, Obama pledged to "make sure that the bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable today, unbreakable tomorrow - unbreakable forever." But there are many reasons why that was not enough.

On Iran, Obama has joined in with President Bush and John McCain in declaring that he won't let the ayatollahs acquire nuclear weapons. But then there's his stated willingness to sit down personally with Iranian leaders without preconditions. This plainly helped him against Hillary Clinton when he was tacking left in the Democratic primaries - but now the prospect of a presidential summit with Iran's Holocaust-denying president has raised concerns at all levels of the Jewish community.

Amplifying those fears is the fact that Obama opposed the non-binding congressional resolution labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization, which passed the Senate by a wide margin with support from both parties. Also worrisome: Obama's off-handed remark that the Iranian-aligned terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas have "legitimate claims" against Israel.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10222008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/barack__the_jews_134701.htm

[DemFromMem]

1. This happens every election cycle

Trust me. I wrote my college thesis on this subject and studied every election from 1948 to 1984. The Jewish vote always comes in at 20% to 30% higher than the national numbers. I've since checked in after every election and the results have remained the same with Kerry getting nearly 80% in 2004. His numbers were not that good in September of that year and people came home at the end. Obama has already improved 10% with Jewish voters from the convention until the most recent numbers. I don't think he'll do as well as Kerry, but I have every reason to believe that he'll hit the 20-30% target as all Democrats since Harry Truman have. Sarah Palin all but guaranteed this.

[Cassandra]

2. The NYPost is as full of shit as you would expect...

from used toilet paper. They chat with their neocon friends, then write this garbage.

[DainBramaged]

3. I know, but we vry rarely post from the Post, this was worth it

shows their brand of bullshit without coloration