OTHER VIEWS
Kerry And The Jews
Washington
en. John Kerry, D-Mass., said
all the right things about Israel
to an Anti-Defamation League
audience. But it may not have been
the right speech to maximize his
showing among restive Jewish voters.
There's almost no chance Kerry
will lose a majority of the Jewish
vote on Nov. 2, but President
George W. Bush stands to make sig-
nificant gains among the modest
Jewish swing faction, and GOP
strategists smell blood.
Kerry enjoys some built-in advan-
tages with those voters, including
the strong aversion many feel toward
GOP domestic policies and the
influence of the Christian right. But
Kerry's ADL speech suggested he
isn't fully exploiting that asset.
The key to holding on to Jewish
voters is to neutralize criticism on
Israel and hammer away at the .
domestic issues that are even more
important to many Jewish voters.
But that could conflict with
Kerry's current strategy of running
to the political center.
Kerry may be assured of winning a
Jewish majority, but the size of that
majority is a big question mark, and
will depend on the kind of Jewish
campaign he runs.
S
Pillow Punches
If you detect inconsistencies in
reporting on the Jewish aspects of
the presidential campaign, you're not
hallucinating.
James D. Besser is a Washington-based
correspondent. His e-mail address is
niched among those Jewish
Jews remain strongly
voters who put Israel at the
Democratic and predominant-
top of their lis't of political
ly liberal. At the same time,
priorities, while Kerry's
the community's leadership,
solidly pro-Israel record,
more conservative than the
spaced out over two
rank and file, has responded
decades, is much less visi-
favorably to President Bush's
•
ble.
handling of the war on terror-
JAM ES D.
Incumbency also provides
ism and the Israeli-Palestinian
BE SSER
Bush some inoculation
conflict, and it's not clear how
Sp ecial
against criticism. Jewish
many Jewish voters will follow
Corn mentary leaders are much more like-
their lead.
ly to criticize a challenger
Bush, fighting for re-elec-
than an incumbent, whom they need
tion as his Iraq woes mount, has
for precious Washington perks.
some advantages in the fight for
When Kerry suggested Jimmy
Jewish hearts, minds and votes,
Carter and former Secretary of State
starting with one that has served
James Baker as Mideast negotiators,
him so well in the past: low expecta-
pro-Israel activists reacted with pub-
tions.
lic scorn; when Bush actually
He won barely 20 percent of the
brought Baker back into the Mideast
Jewish vote in 2000, and a 10-point
policy realm, there wasn't a murmur -
increase will be hailed as a triumph,
of protest.
even though that doesn't come close ,
Last year, President Bush and Sen.
to the 39 percent won by Ronald
Kerry
both raised concerns about the
Reagan in 1980.
impact of Israel's security fence on
If he tops 35 percent, you'll start
peace efforts, and both changed their
seeing the phrase "sea change" in
minds — but it's Kerry's comments
political reporting; 40 percent, and
that still provoke comment.
"sea change" will give way to "revo-
All of that has produced an oddly
-
lution."
asymmetrical race, with Kerry a
Secondly, the 9-11 attacks pro-
strong Jewish frontrunner, but still
duced an unusual consonance in
appearing to play catch-up with
U.S. and Israeli policy that has bol-
stered the incumbent's pro-Israel cre- President Bush, who at best is
unlikely to bag more than 30-35
dentials.
percent of the Jewish vote.
Supporters say his affinity for the
But that vote could prove critical
terror-fighting Israeli government
in a close election; to keep it, Kerry
reflects his genuine devotion to
will have to run an aggressive, smart
Israel's security; critics insist it's just
and impassioned Jewish campaign.
a momentary fluke caused by the
Kerry's reluctance to offer details
policy upheaval of the war on terror.
about his Mideast policy is under-
Only time will tell who is right.
standable; as the challenger, almost
Still, Bush's image has been bur-
anything he says will offend one pro-
Israel faction or another.
Jewish Middle
Harder to understand is his
unassertive stance on a host of
domestic issues that will have a
greater impact on the Jewish vote
on Nov. 2 than the bipartisan pos-
turing and posing on Israel.
Before the ADL, he offered only
faint jabs at the administration's
church-state, abortion and civil
rights policies to a group that would
have cheered some powerhouse -
slams.
Many Jews are fearful of the grow-
ing impact of the Christian right on
religious liberties in this country, but
Kerry barely touched on the subject
to a group that has made church-
state separation a defining issue.
Hardline pro-Israel voters will line
up behind Bush no matter how
much Kerry plays the "me too" game
on Middle East policy. Liberal Jews
will go Democratic no matter what
either candidate does.
It's centrist Jews who worry about
Israel, but worry at least as much
about the domestic issues that have
traditionally driven Jewish political
activism, who represent the critical
Jewish swing vote.
Many of them like Bush's Mideast
policy but fear the conservative
domestic onslaught he is leading.
That represents a huge opportunity
for Kerry to block Jewish GOP
inroads — but he won't do that with
the kind of cautious, unenergetic
Jewish campaign he previewed at
ADL last week. ❑
jbesser@att.net
LEAF from page 25
afraid of world opinion. Ironically, the
only message sent to the nations is that
when it comes to meting out justice,
the nation of Israel doesn't have a clue.
This is all the more poignant in light
of our recent commemoration of Yom
HaShoah, the day when we memorial-
ize those lost in the Holocaust who,
lacking the ability to defend them-
selves, were viciously exterminated.
Need we allow ourselves to be victim-
ized again, in the very land that was
established to be a safe haven for Jews?
In fact, a country that permits the
chief architect of its own demise the
ability to perpetuate this goal is not ful-
filling the moral imperative to protect
its citizens. Moreover, its perceived tol-
erance for terrorism will strengthen the
brazenness of would-be perpetrators,
5/14
2004
26
thereby leading to increased attacks on
its citizenry.
If Israel is looking to be a model to a
world plagued with terrorism, I have a
suggestion: Kill the progenitor of ter-
rorism himself, or at the very least, drag
him out of his compound in chains
and force him to answer for his evil.
This way, you save Jewish lives, restore
Israel to a position of respect and bring
a vestige of sanity back to a world held
captive by global terror. Anything short
of this is truly a perversion of morality
and ultimate justice.
❑
Israel Ins
The Palestinians have placed a reli-
gious connotation on their cam-
paign of violence against Israel,
focusing on the Al Aqsa mosque in
Jerusalem, Islam's third holiest site.
The campaign is called the Al Aqsa
intifada. A main terrorist group is
named the Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades. A common "battle cry" is
"The Al Aqsa is in danger!" This
Palestinian perspective is far from
the truth.
The
the Al Aqsa mosque
sanctity of
is protected by Israel's freedom of
religion law. Israel allows the
Temple Mount, where the mosque
is located, to be administered by
the Muslim religious authority. The
Temple Mount is forbidden to Jews
by a rabbinical edict.
— Allan Gale, Jewish Communi ty
Council of Metropolitan Detroit