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In Denver, Jewish Dems Kvell Over Bidenby Josh Gerstein
Jewish Democrats in Denver for the Democratic National Convention are kvelling over Senator Obama's decision to choose Senator Biden of Delaware as his runningmate, judging by reaction at a reception hosted last night by the National Jewish Democratic Council. "I think it's an out-of-the-park homer," Senator Wyden of Oregon said. "Joe Biden is seen practically as family....He's probably spoken at more Federation dinners and bar mitzvahs than anybody in the history of the Eastern seaboard." Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida, who was an ardent backer of Senator Clinton in the primary but is now behind Mr. Obama, said Mr. Biden will be of particular help with older Jewish Democrats in the Sunshine State. "He's in South Florida so often. He does the synagogue circuit. He goes into the condos, has bagels and cream cheese.....He's really mishpokhe," the congresswoman said. Attendees at the Jewish gathering were divided about whether to argue that Messrs. Obama and Biden were actually preferable on Israel-related issues to Senator McCain of Arizona and his as-yet-unknown choice for vice president. "Absolutely," Ms. Wasserman-Schultz said, when asked by The New York Sun if she would make such an argument. She said Mr. McCain would pursue the kind of Mr. Wyden said Mr. Obama's strong anti-war stance was a net plus with Jewish voters, not a reason to be skeptical about him. "Like most Americans, Jews feel the war in Iraq was a mistake," Mr. Wyden said. "Senator Obama has been clear it was a mistake. Senator Biden, who voted for it, said he wished he had opposed it….The community is where most American voters are." However, Senator Levin of Michigan said policy views towards Israel should not and would not be in contention between the presumptive Democratic nominee, Mr. Obama, and the presumptive Republican nominee, Mr. McCain. "There's no difference between these candidates on the issue. They're both strong supporters of Israel. That's not going to be a difference in this campaign," Mr. Levin said during a brief speech to the Jewish Democratic group. Many Jewish voters have expressed concern about Mr. Obama's offer to meet one-on-one with the leaders of rogue states, including Iran, but Mr. Wyden said that the presumptive Democratic nominee's stance on that issue had been distorted. "He never said I'm going to invite Ahmadinejad over for a football game and a beer," Mr. Wyden said. The Oregon Democrat said Mr. Obama view was that staffers should work towards "sometime, possibly, sometime, down the road…having the principals get together." When the Sun noted that in an early Democratic debate Mr. Obama pledged to hold an unconditional summit meeting with Iran within his first year in office, Mr. Wyden said, "In the course of this whole discussion, I think he's made it clear that he's sensitive to the possibility of an American president being used for propaganda purposes." The executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, Ira Forman, said the Jewish votes was by no means locked up for Mr. Obama, especially in face of what he and others called a "smear campaign" aimed at raising questions about Mr. Obama's stance towards Israel. Mr. Forman said thousands of Jewish votes in key states like Florida and Colorado are "at risk off the margins if we don't get to work." The Florida congresswoman said she's been on a nationwide tour recently trying to get Mrs. Clinton's backers "revved up" and "comfortable" with supporting Mr. Obama."With some its been very successful, others it will take a little longer," she said. Related Topics: Dem Primary, General Election |
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