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McCain: Foreign Policy Guru
Washington/JTA
A
s a patriotic Jewish American, I
care deeply about Israel's well-
being and security as well as
that of our own country.
In having to choose between the two
presidential candidates, I find myself look-
ing closely at their statements, record of
accomplishments, the people who advise
them now and those they were influenced
by in the past. I do this with our future
foremost in mind, and what we could
expect their policies would mean to Israel
going forward.
This measuring rod is critically impor-
tant in the face of the unprecedented
national security challenges that we will
face in the next few years.
Today, the choice for the pro-Israel com-
munity is clear: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
is the one. I regret that this choice is not
shared by more of my coreligionists. As
they vote Democratic, more out of habit
than out of self-interest, too many fail to
appreciate the growing menace of Islamic
extremism to both the United States and
Israel.
I realize that for many
Advantage McCain
Jewish Americans, Israel's and
But for Jews who are troubled
America's safety and security
by the moral-equivalence view
appear to be a lower prior-
of our State Department and
ity than certain social issues,
some mainstream media like
such as preserving abortion
the New York Times, it is time
rights. I've heard this expressed
to rethink the predilection to
often by those who sincerely
support Obama because he is
believe that the next president's
the Democratic candidate, and
Supreme Court appointments
to seriously consider voting for
Morris J.
are more crucial than how a
McCain.
Amitay
president will face up to the
In my years in Washington
Special
jihadist threat to Israel and the
going back to my first positions
Commentary
United States.
in the JFK administration, I
If McCain had made the
have worked for both a liberal
abortion issue a defining one of his public
Democratic congressman and a liberal
life, then this concern might have some
Democratic senator. But today, I am much
validity. But this is not the case. Instead,
more closely aligned with the diminishing
McCain has focused his energies on issues
number of Democrats who are considered
pertaining to our national security and
centrists of the Joe Lieberman and "Scoop"
understands how to deal with the threat
Jackson variety.
to America and free peoples around the
Unfortunately, the loudest voices now
world.
in the Democratic Party belong to the
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., might be the
Michael Moores, Dennis Kuciniches and
choice of those Jewish Americans who
the Moveon.org "progressive" types who
have an "It's all Israel's fault" mentality,
are enamored with Obama.
and who even feel anti-Semitism today is
When Lieberman, now a self-described
the result of Israel's own actions
Independent Democrat, endorsed McCain
for president, Lieberman asserted: "I have
worked with Sen. McCain on just about
every national security issue over the past
20 years ... I have seen Sen. McCain time
and time again rise above the negativism
and pettiness of our politics to get things
done for the country he loves so much."
This evaluation resonates with me
and contrasts starkly with the shallow
background and thin resume of McCain's
opponent. Obama's boosters credit him
with transcending race — and by extrap-
olation everything else, including divisions
of region, class, party, generation and ide-
ology. However, his very lean record in the
Senate to date indicates none of this.
Aside from winning elections and writ-
ing two books about himself, what accom-
plishments can Obama point to?
McCain & JFK
Comparisons between Obama and the
young and charismatic John F. Kennedy
also come up short. Actually, it is McCain,
not Obama, who, like Kennedy, was com-
missioned as a naval officer, awarded the
Purple Heart and decorated for helping his
comrades.
Obama: He Speaks For Us
Atlanta/JTA
I
am one of those 18 million cracks in
the glass ceiling. I was a Hillary sup-
porter. I did not support Sen. Clinton
because she was a woman but because
Hiked her policies and record. But as is
often the case in life, my hopes were not
to be. Now I am firmly in the Obama/
Biden camp. I am there as an American, a
woman and a Jew.
Sen. John McCain is a firm pro-lifer,
having voted against choice more than
120 times in his career. His running mate
opposes abortion even in the case of rape
and incest. While there is nothing funda-
mentally wrong with these beliefs, I object
to having someone's personal views forced
upon everyone else when it entails such a
private family matter.
Furthermore, this view potentially
conflicts with Jewish law, which holds
that when there is a threat to the life of
the mother, her life takes precedence over
that of her fetus — and leaves abortion
decisions up to a woman and the rabbi
with whom she consults. Many traditional
A50 October 23 • 2008
Ai
rabbis take into consideration
the issue of mental stress on the
mother, permitting abortions in
the case of Tay-Sachs and other
genetic diseases.
Were McCain and running
mate Sarah Palin to write their
pro-life beliefs into law, their
policy could create both a direct
obstacle to Jewish law and severe
invasions into our private lives.
The root of charity is caras,
as in dear — caress, care.
The root of tzedakah is jus-
tice. Jewish law prefers that
people give charity lovingly
and kindly. But Jewish law
teaches, even if you don't care
to give, that you are obligated
to do so. How then could I
support McCain, who has
Deborah
voted against the minimum
Lipstadt
wage at least 10 times? How
Special
Expanse Of Concerns
could I support someone who
Commentary
McCain's views on abortion are
believes in the privatization
not, however, my primary rea-
of Social Security? Social
son for not supporting him. I find myself
Security is a contract a society makes with
diverging with him on a far broader array
its citizens: We will help you when you are
of issues.
old and needy.
The Torah repeatedly instructs us to
How could I support a candidate,
care for the "widow, orphan, poor, and the
McCain, whose health-care program
stranger." It is fundamental to Judaism
would leave millions uninsured and
that those who are blessed with "more"
tax the health insurance benefits we
have an obligation — not a choice — to
now receive from our employers? How
help those who have less. Taking care of
could I support someone who supports
the needy in Jewish tradition constitutes
more tax cuts for the very wealthy and
doing tzedakah, not charity. There is a
almost nothing for the middle class or
world of difference between the two.
the poor?
On Zionism
And then, of course, there is Israel,
to which so many of us are deeply and
viscerally connected. Groups of Jews who
oppose Barack Obama want to strike fear
into people's hearts on this issue. Why else
would I regularly receive e-mails from
them — I like to know what the other
side is saying — referring to BHO, as in
Barrack Hussein Obama?
Obama's record has earned him praise
from AIPAC and Israeli leaders as well as
condemnation from Palestinian leaders.
Leaders in Israel — on both sides of the
political spectrum — do not fear Obama's
commitment to Israel. Israeli leaders from
Ehud Barak to Benjamin Netanyahu were
impressed by Obama.
Obama's familiarity with the issues has
impressed many people, including veteran
journalist David Horowitz, editor of the
Jerusalem Post. Horowitz compared his
recent interviews with President Bush and
Sens. McCain and Obama.
On his whirlwind visit to Israel,
"McCain, one of whose primary strengths
is said to be his intimate grasp of for-