Year In Review

The Election Year Love Affair

Every four years, presidential candidates woo the Jews.

n the beginning there were
the"seven dwarfs," as the scorn-
ful press referred to the Demo-
cratic candidates, none of whom
was thought to have a chance
against an incumbent president
who, after the Persian Gulf war
victory, had a 90 percent approval rat-
ing from the American people.
But Americans are fickle, times
change — the economy didn't — and at
year's end President Bush was the un-
derdog in the political battle of his life
against a hoarse Southern governor ac-
cused of avoiding the draft and attract-
ing women.
The Jewish community was in the
thick of the '92 campaign. With the race
tightening and the potential for Jewish
voters in large electoral states to make

I

a difference, George Bush and Bill Clin-
ton were aiming to please.
Mr. Bush acknowledged his differ-
ences with supporters of Israel, many of
whom believe he has been as harmful
to the Jewish state as any American
president. While critics point to his poor
treatment of Yitzhak Shamir and the
pressure put on Israel to stop settlement
activity and come to the peace table, Mr.
Bush asserts that he went to war
against Saddam Hussein, led the suc-
cessful effort to repeal the United Na-
tions resolution equating Zionism with
racism, and helped liberate Jews in the
former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.
Mr. Clinton has no foreign policy ex-
perience but he has criticized President
Bush for "bullying" Israel on the peace
talks and the $10 billion loan guaran-

tee, and supports choice on the abor- ty's infusion of religion into politics will
tion issue.
have a lasting impact is difficult to de-
As vice presidential candidates, both termine. The more conservative ele-
Dan Quayle and Al Gore are considered ments of the Republican Party,
strong friends of Israel, though they dis- personified by Pat Buchanan and the
agree on just about everything else.
Rev. Pat Robertson, call for a blurring
The Republicans are hoping that Mr. of the separation between church and
Bush can attract 25 to 30 percent of the state. At the convention in Houston, Mr.
Jewish vote in November. After the elec- Buchanan proclaimed a "holy war" and
tion, whoever wins, the peace talks will described the presidential election as "a
go on, having achieved a bit of their own struggle for the soul of America." Mr.
momentum, but Israelis believe that a Bush criticized the Democrats for not
Clinton administration may be easier including God in their party platform.
to deal with.
In response, Jewish religious leaders
Congress, a traditional bastion of sup- joined those of other faiths to complain
port for Israel, will be less so come next about using God for political purposes,
January. With well over 100 new faces, asserting that "faith in God should unite
the Senate and House will be missing us, not divide us."
many of Israel's strongest supporters.
Whether or not the Republican Par-

George Bush
and Bill Clinton
appealed to
Jewish voters;
Ross Perot
was a mystery
during his
almost-candidacy.

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©1992 International Copyright by CARTOONEWS Inc., N.Y.C., USA