Spotlight
Convention Watch
Jewish concerns are on the agendas
of both Democrats and GOP.
Ron Kampeas
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Washington
T
he first day of the upcoming
Democratic convention pres-
ents a classic Jewish conun-
drum: Chew over ideas or nosh?
A planned get-together at a Denver
Jewish deli organized by top Jewish
Democrats clashes with a keynote
speech by a leading rabbi across town.
The conflict encapsulates the
political convention experience — like
minds socializing beneath the roar of
soaring rhetoric.
Every four years, the conventions
provide an opportunity for Jewish
politicos and communal figures
to flex some political muscle and
mingle among the political elite. The
Democrats are meeting in Denver Aug.
24-29. The Republicans are in St. Paul,
Minn., Aug. 31-Sept. 4.
Susan Turnbull, a vice president of
the Democratic National Committee,
issued a Facebook invitation to Jewish
friends to attend a "nosh" at Zaidy's
delicatessen in Denver at 2 p.m. Aug.
24, the convention's first day.
Across town, the DNC is launch-
ing the convention at the same time
with an interfaith gathering featuring
Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant
and Muslim clerics. The Jewish speak-
er is Rabbi Tzvi Weinreb, the executive
vice president of the Orthodox Union.
"We really wanted to kick off the
week in a spirit of unity and inclu-
sion," said Damon Jones, a DNC
spokesman. "There's no better way
to do that than to bring people from
multiple faiths together"
The theme is in keeping with efforts
by the presumptive Democratic can-
didate, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois,
to build bridges to faith communities,
addressing a perceived gap between
Democrats and believing Americans.
Obama has pledged to keep open
President Bush's faith-based office,
funneling funds to faith groups to
supplement government social service
programs.
The platform committee, which last
weekend finalized the party's mani-
festo to be presented for approval at
the convention, refers to that pledge,
carefully hewing to Obama's caveats:
The program must carefully observe
church-state separations. Critics say
Bush has blurred those lines by giv-
ing money to programs that include
proselytizing.
Jewish Outreach
The presence of a prominent
Orthodox rabbi helps Obama's efforts
to reach out to conservative Jewish
groups. Obama is acquainted with
Nathan Diament, who heads the
OM Washington office. They met
at Harvard Law School in the early
1990s.
The O.U. spokesman, Howie
Beigelman, said Weinreb's appearance
was not an endorsement of Obama.
"We'll be at both conventions, obvi-
ously," Beigelman said. "It's an event
about the place of religion in the pub-
lic square. It's amazing that in a coun-
try like America we can be doing this!'
The draft platform also strikes notes
that should please the pro-Israel com-
munity across the political spectrum,
while hewing closely to Obama's
emphasis on diplomacy in getting Iran
to end its suspected nuclear program
and intensified U.S. engagement in
bringing about an end to the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict.
"The world must prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear weapons," the plat-
form says. "That starts with tougher
sanctions and aggressive, principled
and direct high- level diplomacy, with-
out preconditions."
It concludes: "By going the extra
diplomatic mile, while keeping all
options on the table, we make it more
likely the rest of the world will stand
with us to increase pressure on Iran, if
diplomacy is failing."
The phrase "all options on the table"
is a nod to groups like the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee, the
pro-Israel lobby that wants it made
clear to Iran that the United States is
not counting out a military option.
That position has been emphasized by
Bush and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
the presumptive Republican nominee.
Darren Mackoff, an AIPAC spokes-
man, said: "The Democratic platform
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