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Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama. (AP) Last update - 22:37 31/05/2008 Does Barack Obama really have a Jewish problem? By Jennifer Siegel, The Forward Tags: Obama, Jewish Americans  From the avalanche of articles and commentaries published by mainstream media outlets in recent weeks, one might easily get the impression that Barack Obama is in trouble with Jewish voters. As the Illinois senator - now the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee - turns his attention to November, the national media has closely followed his overtures to the Jewish community, long a bedrock constituency for Democrats. When Obama headed to South Florida recently, the media narrative that emerged focused on what was characterized as his uphill battle with the state's Jewish voters, many of them elderly. The New York Times, in a front-page story appearing May 21, catalogued the anxieties - which ranged from Israel and Iran to race and antisemitism - circulating in the Jewish community, along with falsehoods like "Obama is an Arab" and "Al Qaeda is backing him." (Reporting on the Times story, a Croatian Web site, Javno, summed up the situation under the more-than-dubious headline "Ku Klux Klan Supports Obama, Jews Do Not.") Advertisement But as the discussion of Jewish ambivalence toward Obama reaches new levels of intensity, some observers are saying that the hand wringing is creating a skewed and potentially damaging picture of American Jewry whose support for Obama is, by several measures, quite strong. "Enough," wrote M.J. Rosenberg, director of policy analysis for the dovish Israel Policy Forum, in a May 23 column on the Web site Talking Points Memo. "The ridiculous focus of the media on the candidates' pandering to Jews is bad for Jews." "Jews have always been more progressive on matters of race than most other whites," he added. "But that does not mean all of us are. We have our racists. So does every other group." The fate of the "Jewish vote" has, by now, become a perennial election-year topic, and its general outlines are drawn from undeniably relevant political facts: Except for Jimmy Carter in 1980, no Democratic presidential candidate has failed to win over a majority of American Jews since at least 1928. With a higher-than-average propensity for voting and concentration in such swing states as Florida and Pennsylvania, American Jews have often made a difference in national campaigns. The GOP, meanwhile, has courted the community aggressively in recent years, with debatable impact: According to a 2006 survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee, 15% of American Jews now identify as Republican and nearly 30% consider themselves independent. President George W. Bush captured 22% of the Jewish vote nationwide in 2004, and John McCain - buoyed by his long pro-Israel record and by campaign support from close friend Joe Lieberman - is hoping to capture the highest share of the Jewish vote by any Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan, who earned 39% of the Jewish vote in 1980. That said, given that many demographic groups - from soccer moms to Nascar dads to working-class whites - have a way of making a difference in elections, some political observers have wondered whether the recent focus on Florida Jews is contributing to a public misconception about which religious groups are likely to be the most significant swing voters. William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has studied the impact of Catholics in recent elections, is among them. "I think it is fascinating that there has been so much attention focused on the two religious groups that are part of the base of the two political parties - evangelicals for Republicans and Jews for Democrats, and relatively little attention lavished on the two big swing groups, namely, Catholics and mainstream Protestants," said Galston, a former adviser to Bill Clinton, in an interview with the Forward. "I can pretty much prove that it was an outpouring of Catholics in Ohio and Florida that pushed [President George W. Bush] over the top in 2004." Statistics show that Jews are one of Obama's strongest white constituencies - a key base the Illinois senator is working overtime to shore up, rather than a uniquely problematic weak spot. While Catholics, for example, have supported Hillary Clinton over Obama to a greater degree than white primary voters overall, Jewish voters have actually been more supportive of Obama than whites in general in seven out of eight primary states with significant Jewish populations - Florida included. (In New York, Clinton's home state, Obama's share of the Jewish vote lagged four percentage points behind his performance with white voters.) Moreover, a Gallup Poll released in May showed that 61% of Jewish voters nationwide prefer Obama versus 32% for McCain, compared with a margin in the general population of 45% to 43%. Given this broader picture, some members of Florida's Jewish community worry that the focus on Jewish voters in recent weeks had created a false impression that Jewish voters are uniquely critical of the man overwhelmingly likely to be the country's first African American presidential nominee, when in reality Obama is reaching out to Jews in order to shore up a cornerstone of his base. "The [May 21] Times story showed a Jewish populace that is uninformed and fearful," said Rabbi David Steinhardt, the host of Obama's recent visit to B'nai Torah Congregation of Boca Raton, Fla. "The majority of my congregants are much more thoughtful and open to the truth than what we saw in that story." Others worry that the media coverage has given the impression that Jewish voters care only about Israel. "There are so many of us who care profoundly about Israel and just as much about America," wrote Boca Raton resident Myriam Weinstein in a May 22 letter published in the Times. "As a 60-plus Jewish resident of Boca Raton, Fla., who is deeply committed to Israel, I refuse to be identified and pigeonholed with all the people who fit my demographic profile and whom you quoted in your article about Jewish voters in Florida." Larry Sabato, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia, said the copious coverage of Jewish voters in recent weeks reflects the fact that "elections are won at the margins" and that even a relatively small number of Jewish voters could make a difference in swing states like Florida. But he cautioned against putting too much stock in fears voiced during the waning days of the primary campaign. "What happens in May and what happens in November are two different things," Sabato wrote in an e-mail to the Forward. "Many defectors, Jewish and otherwise, will return to the Democratic fold by November." More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   Killing spree Police conclude Jerusalem bulldozer killer acted alone. The Bar exam Attention celebrities: Israeli start-up company can save you from paparazzi   1.   I hope they are not as Racist as Israelis 14:45  |  POP 31/05/08   2.   Hopefully Jews will not vote Democrat in November 14:47  |  Nechama 31/05/08   3.   Interesting Article which misses the obvious point 15:16  |  Rachel Stevens 31/05/08   4.   Most Jews in US are Liberal Democrats 15:22  |  Jane 31/05/08   5.   Jews and Blacks will always vote for the Democrat 15:32  |  Wendy 31/05/08   6.   70% of all American voters are pro-Israel 16:18  |  Realist 31/05/08   7.   # 1 POP; Obama Not racist? Its POP`s usual poop masquarading 16:41  |  Max Horoskopski 31/05/08   8.   Why I won`t vote for Obama 17:15  |  Sam C 31/05/08   9.   `American Media obsession with the "Jewish Vote"`: 17:25  |  Rosie Guilderstern 31/05/08   10.   If Jews could just vote... 17:47  |  Greg 31/05/08   11.   To Rachel Stevens 17:54  |  Mark B. 31/05/08   12.   @2 Nechama 17:59  |  mark B. 31/05/08   13.   What this is about 17:59  |  Tug919 31/05/08   14.   Whites?!?!? 18:13  |  Deborah 31/05/08   15.   no latinos and no jews equal OBAMA 18:13  |  max 31/05/08   16.   It`s ridiculous that so much media attention.... 18:17  |  Deborah 31/05/08   17.   Could this explain Jimmy Carter`s hatred of Israel? 18:30  |  Yonatan 31/05/08   18.   to Nechama 2 18:47  |  Victor 31/05/08   19.   Voiting for Obama 19:15  |  e.l 31/05/08   20.   OBAMA AND THE KLAN 19:33  |  Arik Silverman 31/05/08   21.   Obama has a neocon problem, not a Jewish problem 19:33  |  David Seaton 31/05/08   22.   to wendy 19:55  |  Isaac 31/05/08   23.   IT SEEM ANY POLITICIAN WHO OPPOSES WAR WITH IRAN IS `ANTI-SEMITE` 19:57  |  JACKAL 31/05/08   24.   Jewish vote 19:59  |  Chuck 31/05/08   25.   Pop # 1. 20:10  |  David Nigel Braham 31/05/08   26.   Semites are white? 20:14  |  Jan Jansen 31/05/08   27.   Liberalism is NOT pro-Israel 20:18  |  Anton 31/05/08   28.   #6 Max 20:20  |  kathy 31/05/08   29.   #4 Jane 20:44  |  Richard 31/05/08   30.   Whites - Deborah 20:50  |  Palestinian Brit 31/05/08   31.   another lying jew 20:56  |  hollingsworth 31/05/08   32.   Need a `Jewish` reason to vote for Obama? 21:13  |  Steve G 31/05/08   33.   Anton 21:32  |  wl 31/05/08   34.   no 21:34  |  wl 31/05/08   35.   Another what ? 21:35  |  wl 31/05/08   36.   Money in play 22:32  |  Keops 31/05/08   37.   Greg # 10 22:35  |  American in NY 31/05/08   38.   Anton on LIberalism 22:40  |  Awake 31/05/08   39.   McCain will win in a landslide 22:41  |  Steven 31/05/08   40.   Jan Jansen`s question what colour is a semite? 22:57  |  Realist 31/05/08   41.   Is it an ABSSESSION?! 23:03  |  BenAssulin 31/05/08   42.   # 3 Rachel Stevens....would you know where 23:11  |  Lynn 31/05/08   43.   # 21 David ......Independents are NOT 23:13  |  Lynn 31/05/08   44.   Obama-NOT 23:33  |  Yariv 31/05/08   45.   #37, ANY, who is best for America? 23:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/05/08   46.   #37, American in NY 00:02  |  Greg 01/06/08   47.   Yonatan # 17 Carter is an American -He is pro American 00:12  |  American in NY 01/06/08   48.   America is dying 01:42  |  kwosi 01/06/08   49.   hey Pop the moron who runs without argue 02:11  |  JP 01/06/08   50.   clarification on post 17 02:12  |  Chuck 01/06/08   51.   Liberal Jews 03:19  |  Alan 01/06/08   52.   Kwoski # 48 True 03:27  |  American in NY 01/06/08   53.   scourage (sic)of mankind 03:39  |  hollingsworth 01/06/08   54.   Barack and the Jewish Problem 04:13  |  rueven laib 01/06/08   55.   Greg # Trust? a rattle snake is more trustworthy 04:19  |  American in NY 01/06/08   56.   #47, American in NY 05:41  |  Michael Marks 01/06/08   57.   #40 realist - white and colour 06:48  |  Jan Jansen 01/06/08   58.   Do Jews really have an Obama problem? 07:26  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/08   59.   To hollingsworth (#31) 07:36  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/08   60.   To AiNY (#47): A bad distinction means reason`s extinction 07:50  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/08   61.   #44 Yariv---who cares? 07:57  |  kathy 01/06/08   62.   #39 Steven 08:00  |  kathy 01/06/08   63.   Colin Powell Didn`t Have A Reverend Wright 08:01  |  SB 01/06/08   64.   to Morris, the ambassador of love 17:33  |  hollingsworth 01/06/08   65.   #64 Hollingsworth 19:44  |  kathy 01/06/08   66.   Michael Marks # 56 Yes, you are correct 20:29  |  American in NY 01/06/08   67.   To hollingworth (#64) 21:05  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/08   68.   Correction for hollingsworth 21:18  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/08   69.   Undoubtedly, morris 23:00  |  hollingsworth 01/06/08   70.   Morris Valentine # 60 03:48  |  American in NY 02/06/08   71.   Possible McCain SecDef questions recognition of Israel 01:06  |  steve 03/06/08   72.   Obama 02:25  |  Bruce 03/06/08   73.   Family of Democrats 18:37  |  DUKE 10/06/08   74.   i just dont know with obama 23:37  |  david 06/07/08   75.   i just dont know with obama 23:41  |  david 06/07/08

Read & React VIDEO: Settlers beat up bound Palestinian man Responses: 142 Report: U.S. fears Israeli strike on Iran wouldn't take out nukes Responses: 127 Gideon Levy: Israel prefers bombing Iran to peace with Arab world Responses: 118 General Staff: Use force in response to Qassams Responses: 75 Amnon Straschnov: Destroying terrorists' homes is counterproductive Responses: 64 Rosner's Domain On Israel-Diaspora relations, Israelis are quite clueless How good/bad is Obama's faith based initiative (WTR) Poll: Do you believe Israel might attack Iran? Young adult Jews prefer to marry Jews Back to Vietnam More Headlines 00:01 Israel set to exhume bodies of Hezbollah dead 23:44 Hamas: Progress on Shalit deal to be kept away from media 22:35 Police conclude Jerusalem bulldozer killer acted alone 16:13 Former top Israeli diplomat says Syria ready to cut Iran ties 22:31 Attention celebrities: Israeli start-up company can save you from paparazzi 22:32 State seeks to boost Jewish immigration from former USSR 18:38 104 kg of uncut cocaine seized in Israel's largest drug bust 19:00 U.S. reported to fear Israeli strike won't take out Iran nukes 12:57 T.A. flat may hold key to holes in Kafka bio 21:42 Woman arrested for hiring hit man to kill mother-in-law 21:28 IDF curfew forces West Bank village residents to stay indoors around the clock 20:32 IDF: Negev farmer's tractor damaged by stones, not Gaza sniper 21:15 Cabinet orders comptroller to review use of wiretapping 19:18 Abbas meets Assad on prospects for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation Previous Editions Select Day 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun

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