DOUBLE MINORITY NO MORE

“It used to be an oxymoron to say you are a Jewish Republican,” syndicated radio host and author Dennis Prager said at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s “Victory 2004 Celebration” at the Supper Club. “The first time I voted Republican, it was like eating on Yom Kippur.”

Less than an hour later, Vice President Cheney was introduced by RJC’s national chairman, Sam Fox, as “a real mensch.”

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FACING TERRORISM

Senator Specter and Rep. Christopher Shays attended a program on “September 11, Global Responsibility, and Anti-Semitism” hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Park Central New York Ho tel. A member of the AJC board, Louis Perlmutter, introduced speakers.

Mr. Shays said, “September 11 was a wake up call from hell” and that America got “a small taste of what the Israelis have gone through” over the past 60 years.

The next speaker was Mr. Specter. Mr. Perlmutter told him, “You look terrific for someone who was first elected in 1980.”

The audience chuckled when Mr. Specter said, “I want to remind you we have a minyan in the Senate.” He added, “You have to count Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer,” he said, calling them “tough.”

After American Enterprise Institute fellow Norman Ornstein spoke, the Israel Project’s president, Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, gave a presentation.

She said that according to a poll conducted by the Israel Project, more than a quarter of French Jews have considered leaving the country because of their fear and disgust of anti-Semitism.

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NEXT GENERATION

Jewish liaisons from right-leaning offices stopped by the Simon Wiesenthal Center yesterday for a panel called “A Different Party for a Different Generation,” hosted by the Jewish College Republicans.

“I sure wish that we had had Jewish College Republicans when I was at Cornell,” said Tevi Troy, a former Bush White House liaison to the Jewish community who now works on the campaign.

Panelists included the Bush-Cheney campaign’s liaison to the Jewish community, Michael Lebovitz; the deputy director of community affairs for Governor Schwarzenegger, Michelle Kleinert; and executive assistant for Jewish outreach for Governor Pataki, Michael Fragin.

The fresh-faced, young Republicans in the audience may have been surprised to learn that Jonathan Greenspun began as the coffee-and-cigarette gofer for the chairman of the Republican State Committee. Ms. Kleinert said her first political actions involved purchasing cheeseburgers for NBC commentator Bob Costas.

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FOUNDING FATHERS

All eyes have been on the RNC, but journalist William Tucker is focused another convention – the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

On Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the New York Historical Society, the last of three performances of Mr. Tucker’s play “Founding Fathers” will take place.

Originally written for the bicentennial of the Constitutional Convention in 1987, the play draws on the journals of James Madison as well as “The Federalist Papers.”

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RUDY REPORT

Mayor Giuliani mingled with friends and colleagues at a cigar party at the Grand Havana Room with a penthouse view of Fifth Avenue. In attendance was MSNBC host Joe Scarborough; Los Angeles radio show host Kim Serafin, who is a former press secretary of Mr. Giuliani; and newly appointed Giuliani Partners vice presidents Matt Mahoney and Jay Weinkam.

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POLITICAL TALK

The Daily Standard, the special Weekly Standard mini-magazine published during the RNC, carries an advertisement for a doll of HBO late-night comedian Dennis Miller, who says, “Who ya gonna rely on now, the U.N.? Last time I was in New York, I took the United Nations tour…even the guidebook is spineless.” A tart tongued Ann Coulter doll says, “At the risk of giving away the ending, it’s all the Liberals’ fault.”

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KNICK-KNACKS

The National Black Republican Council hosted a party yesterday at the Central Park Boathouse recognizing Senator Santorum. White House adviser Kay James welcomed the group. Actress Melba Moore and television producer Jon Marc Sandifier were present…M. Jodi Rell, who was sworn in as Connecticut’s 87th governor on July 1, was an awardee at an event entitled “Celebrating Leading Women of the Republican Party” on Tuesday at the Women’s National Republican Club.