Jewish Community News

News: September 2008

Why are Jews less for Obama, than previous Democratic candidates?
By Cecily Ruttenberg

    Something is different about the 2008 presidential election. There’s the obvious. Barack Obama is the nation’s first  African- American presidential candidate. But there’s more. Although Jews  historically vote  Democrat, and  support African-American causes, they’re wishy washy on Obama.
    Just 58  percent of American Jews said they would definitely vote for Obama, compared to approximately 80 percent of Jews who supported  Al Gore and Bill Clinton, according to a recent J Street poll. In John Kerry’s run in 2004, he garnered 74 percent of the Jewish vote.
    Israel can’t be blamed. On the “threshold issue” of support for Israel, experts say there is essentially no difference between the two candidates. Both are strong supporters of Israel and plan continuing support for the Jewish state.
    On domestic issues, however, the chasm is deep. “This is the most bifurcated race for the presidency that I’ve ever seen,” said Larry Gerston, political science professor for San Jose State University. “They have different visions on health care, education, choice, they’re as different as can be.”
    Ira Forman, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council  agrees. “Republican tactics in the Jewish community are almost totally focused around Israel because on domestic issues they’re so far out of sync,” Forman wrote.
     So the question becomes, will Jewish voters line up behind Obama because of his liberal, Democratic stances on the economy and social issues? Or is some unknown factor at play? 
    Election followers have  speculated as to why  Jews are not supporting Obama with the same fervor as previous Democratic candidates. If not about lack of support for Israel, could there be fear around another minority group gaining power? Indeed rumors have spread quickly that Obama is a muslim (he is not.)
    “Just 40 year ago, Jews and African-Americans marched in lockstep when it came to the Civil Rights Movement. There were so many Jews that were in the forefront, from marching in the lines to acting as attorneys for African-Americans,” said Gerston. “The tepid support for Obama raises the question of the state of the relationship between the American Jewish Community and the African-American Community.”
     Despite the unusually low poll numbers, Barack Obama voiced confidence in a recent Yediot Achronot article  that American Jews will turn out for him come election day.  In the article, Obama stated that while polls show he has just 65 percent support among American Jews — less than previous Democratic presidential candidates—he expects better results at the ballot boxes in November.
    “If you take into account how concerned the Jews are about Israel and other foreign-policy issues, you can understand why many of them have taken a ‘wait and see’ position. However, two out of three supporters is not so bad for a new candidate,” Obama told Yediot Achronot.  Asked whether Jews might regard him with suspicion, Obama cast the community as a natural ally of African-Americans such as himself.
    “Both we and you know the meaning of exile. Both we and you know what discrimination is, what it means to be a minority. Both we and you have known tragedy in our pasts,” he said. “Those common experiences have to bind us together. They are stronger than any difference.”
     Obama granted the Yediot Achronot interview at the end of a whirlwind visit to Jerusalem. He told the newspaper that achieving stability and peace in the Middle East would be top of his agenda if he succeeds President Bush.