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As convention kicks off, Democrats say U.S. Jews will overcome fears of Obama
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Obama, Democratic convention 

DENVER - As the Democrats prepared to open their convention in the Mile High City on Monday, senior delegates voiced confidence that skeptical U.S. Jews will come to know Barack Obama in the campaign's home stretch and overcome their suspicions over his positions on Israel and related issues.

"Today Barak Obama is less known than he will be in 9 weeks," Steven Grossman, former national chairman of both the Democratic National Committee and AIPAC, told Haaretz.

According to Grossman, American Jews "still don't know him well. If every American Jew had a possibility to talk to Barak Obama, they would agree with him on most of the issues. That's what Thursday night is for, that's what elections are for," he said, in a reference to Obama's scheduled speech accepting the party's nomination.
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"I've been president of AIPAC for 4 years, and I devoted my life to those relations, and he has the ability to articulate those values to American people, to be able to say: 'It's important to strengthen the Israeli-American relationship.'"

A number of prominent delegates said the choice of Senator Joe Biden would provide a strong boost to Obama support among American Jews. "For Jews he's a mishpucheh," Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said of Biden, using the Yiddish version of the Hebrew word for family.

"Biden will help to persuade Jews who are skeptical," New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg told Haaretz. "His support for Israel is widely known. Any skepticism that Obama won't support Israel is wrong, because no president can ignore Israel, it's too important. And the best thing for Israel is a strong America."

Congresswoman Shelly Berkley of Nevada, praising the choice of Biden as helping to re-invigorate the party, dismissed as "nonsense" speculation that tensions stemming from the hard-fought primary campaign would ultimately harm party unity.

"Joe Biden helps the ticket, especially with Jewish community, I've received calls from across the country, from my Jewish supporters, from L.A. to Florida and New York, they?re thrilled that Joe Biden was [chosen.]

The Delaware senator "has long long-standing support for the state of Israel, and everyone I spoke to said they feel re-dedicated to the Democratic party and to making sure this ticket gets selected in November," Berkley said, stressing that opinion polls taken before the Conventions and before the September 1 Labor Day holiday bore no relevance to the final outcome. "Both candidates are re-introducing themselves to the American people, and the election actually starts after the Labor Day.

"I respect John Mccain, he's been a great supporter of strong American-Israel relationship, this takes nothing away from him, but I'm supporting the Obama-Biden ticket."

Wyden said that both Obama and Biden were strong supporters of Israel and that both of them would be proficient at foreign policy, an sphere in which many voters have expressed doubts regarding Obama's relative lack of experience.

In the case of Iran, "I think we can see strong and growing support for tough sanctions," Wyden told Haaretz.

Although the percentage of Jews in the U.S. population is small and appears to be declining, the Oregon Democrat said the influence of the Jewish community remains strong in American politics.

"There are so many Jewish voters in the key states - actually I think their importance is greater rather than diminished."

Former AIPAC leader Grossman acknowledged that "There will be some who will never accept Obama and his [vice-presidential] choice."

But while "The Republican Jewish coalition might find anything to criticize," Grossman said, "I think that you're losing credibility constantly criticizing."

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