Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 18, 2008 Shvat 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:51 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Senator Joe Lieberman (left) and Republican candidate John McCain (Reuters) Last update - 19:29 18/01/2008 Will Florida Jews follow Joe Lieberman and vote GOP? By Shmuel Rosner Tags: elections, Joe Lieberman  RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE: Lieberman praises McCain's pro-Israel voting record to Jewish crowds. The political battles that will be waged on Saturday in the Republican primaries in Nevada and South Carolina will not end in a decisive victory for any candidate. No matter the result, the losers will not drop out, and the victors will not deal a death blow to them. There is clearly a great deal of momentum at stake, as well as the potential to scoop up important delegates for the summer's conventions. Still, what's at stake are small states, and the number of delegates up for grabs is quite low. Nonetheless, for one candidate, Saturday's primaries could spell life or death for his campaign. If Tennessee's Fred Thompson does not win in neighboring South Carolina, he can pack his bags and head home, for his race will be all but over. Advertisement Since 1980, every Republican candidate who has won the South Carolina primary has gone on to win the party's nomination for president. This year however, things are different. A number of candidates are coming to the primary still on their feet, still with some wind in their sails. This is the first time that the state could choose a candidate who did not win in New Hampshire or Iowa, meaning it may not be the decisive blow that it has been in the past. The polls so far don't agree that a dark horse could win in the Palmetto state, but so far, the polls have been far from perfect. The polls predict a Huckabee victory over a McCain win (25% to 23% respectively), with McCain seen in many polls as the candidate most likely to be able to defeat Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. This was the message that Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman gave in a speech to the "Jewish Republican Coalition" in Boca Raton, Florida. Lieberman has stood by McCain's side, or more accurately, has run to lend support when needed at McCain's beckon call. Huckabee meanwhile, can count on Walker, Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris to stand tall behind him every step of the way. Over the next week and a half, Joe Lieberman will address a number of heavily Jewish crowds in Florida in support of the McCain campaign. Will the support of the senior Jewish senator from Connecticut encourage Florida Jews to buck the trend and vote for McCain. Before the heavily-Jewish crowds, Lieberman emphasized McCain's pro-Israel voting record and his knowledge of the Iranian threat. Lieberman didn't level harsh criticism on the democratic candidates, after all, he is for the most part still a democrat. Nonetheless, Lieberman doesn't seem convinced that the democratic candidates fully understand the Iranian threat. It's hard to assess how much Lieberman will influence the race in Florida, as the Gore-Lieberman ticket lost the Sunshine state in the 2000 presidential elections, albeit by as little as 500 votes depending on who is doing the counting. Lieberman's ex-friends in the Democratic party, the ones that abandoned him after he abandoned them in the 2006 race for the Connecticut Senate race, have turned their gaze towards Nevada. At Barack Obama's campaign headquarters, a palpable tension has been felt for the weekend's primary. The fact that that the two largest workers' unions in the state have endorsed his candidacy has turned the Illinois senator into the man to beat in Nevada, in spite of polls that had him trailing Hillary in the state. Grand expectations do not typically serve the candidates well in the primaries. It's easier to hope for victory when the expectations are low, or to lose quietly, as was expected before the polls began to sing your praises. This is why Obama's supporters have been quick to point out that the candidate is not the frontrunner, he's not the one who is ensured a victory. If he wins they say, all the better, if not, then there was no failure of expectations. Nevada was never slated to be an easy victory for Obama, and when the democrats head to the polls in South Carolina, it will be even more difficult to rule out Obama as the frontrunner. Bookmark to del.icio.us   West Bank shooting Kiryat Sefer man, 40, sustains wounds when terrorists open fire from passing car. Fighting words Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire.

Today Online Hamas policy: Escalation to force Gaza cease fire Responses: 97 Dichter: Boycotts will not help make Israel more democratic Responses: 23 Benvenisti: Bush, Olmert, Abbas, the three stooges Responses: 21 Kaffiyeh-wearing protesters greet new Israeli U.K. Ambassador Responses: 60 N.Y. court to rule on dispute between warring Chabad wings Responses: 16 Rosner's Domain Blog & Poll: Can Joe Lieberman convince Jews in Florida to vote for McCain? Difference between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei (WTR) The Israel Factor: Bloomberg good only without Hagel Rosner's Mailbox: Brzezinski against 'right of return' because of Poland Shas voters do not want American Jews in Jerusalem debate More Headlines 19:23 One killed, 30 hurt as IAF destroys Gaza's former Interior Ministry building 16:47 Italian paper: Pope to change controversial prayer on Jews 19:35 Will Florida Jews follow Joe Lieberman and vote GOP? 17:07 Universities, treasury deal brings end to lecturers' strike 12:39 Missile test / Launched from Palmachim, heard in Tehran 12:36 Hamas policy: Escalation to force Israel into cease-fire in Gaza 04:18 Winograd expected to slam PM over failure to consult on war 16:36 Kaffiyeh-wearing protesters greet new Israeli U.K. Ambassador 14:33 Uzi Cohen, renowned Likud activist, dies aged 55 Previous Editions Select Day 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan

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