The time has arrived. Awhile back I heard from Mik Moore, who during the 2004 elections ran “Operation Bubbe,” that he was taking a sabbatical from Jewish Funds for Justice to work on the elections.
His project, JewsVote.org, is now live, online. No surprise that this is being launched during the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
In presidential elections, when choosing between a more progressive candidate and a more conservative candidate, Jews overwhelming choose the more progressive candidate. Between 1924 and 2004, Jews have given their vote to the more progressive candidates at an average rate of 76 percent. In fact, none of the more conservative candidates has ever mustered more than 40 percent of the Jewish vote, while more than half received less than 20 percent.
Given this history, why is Barack Obama hovering at 60 percent of the Jewish vote, according to three separate polls? Is this all the product of a highly effective rumor campaign, spread through Jewish networks often by well-meaning individuals concerned that they information they received was true? Or is there something more?
The goal of JewsVote.org is to find out what is unsettling so many people in our community, those friends and family who have typically supported the more progressive candidate for president, and to convey to them why we are so excited about the possibility of an Obama presidency. JewsVote.org will take on the rumors using the same networks used to propagate them. To realize this ambitious goal, we created a sophisticated suite of tools. You can use any and all of them, for free.
This sounds almost warm and fuzzy amidst what’s become a more antagonistic and harsh campaign trail as of late. So, readers, what do you think of this new addition to the Jewish voting world?
3 Responses to “JewsVote.org goes live at DNC”
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Bill Levinson
August 27th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Re: “The goal of JewsVote.org is to find out what is unsettling so many people in our community…”
The answer should be pretty obvious. Last April, Obama posed with and endorsed Al Sharpton, who has a long track record of inciting hatred of white people and especially Jews. He also praised Sharpton’s National Action Network. The NAN, while under Sharpton’s supervision and leadership, shouted racial and anti-Semitic epithets at a Jewish-owned store (Freddy’s Fashion Mart) in Harlem. One of Sharpton’s deranged followers later set the store on fire, much as the KKK used to torch Black-owned property in white neighborhoods. Then there is the matter of the Crown Heights riots and Yankel Rosenbaum.
Official bulletins from Obama’s church, meanwhile, question Israel’s right to exist while hosting a guest opinion piece from a Hamas terrorist.
Given this information alone, I am truly amazed that more than a tiny minority of Jews would support this individual, and this is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Tucker Lieberman
August 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Below, an excerpt from a Forward blog post by Brett Lieberman, 8/25/2008:
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Rich told a similar story of Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey being verbally assaulted when he came down to promote Obama.
“He walked away shocked,” said Rich, who faults misinformation campaigns by groups such as the Republican Jewish Council and debunked rumors spread via the Internet about Obama being Muslim, not saluting the American flag or being anti-Israel.
Obama’s support in polls is at the low-end of the historical curve of Jewish support for Democratic candidates, and especially low for Democrats since the early 1990s, according to pollsters Mark Mellman and Anna Greenberg. But Obama’s difficulties are hardly limited to Jewish voters. The pollsters and other panelist noted that Obama has generally drawn less support among white voters and older voters.
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http://www.forward.com/blogs/campaign-confidential/14073/
Bill Levinson
September 4th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Re: “debunked rumors spread via the Internet about Obama being Muslim, not saluting the American flag or being anti-Israel.”
The first is indeed a rumor. Obama belongs to a racist albeit nominally Christian church.
The others are not rumors. It is a matter of record that Obama stood with his hands folded over his crotch during the National Anthem, while Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson (who were next to him) had their hands over their hearts.
It is also a matter of record that Obama’s church agitated for divestment from Israel, questioned Israel’s legitimacy, and published a blood libel of Israel. My.Barackobama.com, over which Obama’s staff exercises editorial control, is an overflowing sewer of anti-Israel and overt anti-Semitic hatred. Obama personally endorsed Al Sharpton and his National Action Network, whose views about white people and especially Jews can be seen easily with a Google search on “Freddy’s Fashion Mart.”