Sorry Obama, Hillary just pissed off the Jewish voters

[Pector55]

Hillary Clinton has pulled out of an appearance at a New York rally next week to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad because she doesn’t want to be seen alongside Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a “partisan” event, her aides say.

Several American Jewish groups plan a major rally outside the United Nations on Monday. Clinton had initially accepted an invitation to join, but her aides objected when they learned Palin will also be part of the rally. The Alaska governor is also expected to meet with several foreign ministers during the U.N.’s opening General Assembly session.

“[Palin's] attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event,” Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines said Wednesday. “Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending.”

A spokeswoman for John McCain’s presidential campaign said Palin still plans to attend, despite the perceived slight.

“Governor Palin believes that the danger of a nuclear Iran is greater than party or politics. She hopes that all parties can rally together in opposition to this grave threat,” said spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt.

McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb released a statement criticizing Clinton for withdrawing, “presumably at the behest of the Obama campaign,” and called on Obama to attend.

“This issue is too important to fall victim to partisan politics. Instead of pressuring Senator Clinton to withdraw and pressuring the event’s organizers to disinvite Governor Palin, we hope Senator Obama will consider lending his own voice to this cause,” he said.

The rally is being hosted by several Jewish groups, including the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the National Coalition to Stop Iran Now, United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

Both McCain and Barack Obama have made strong appeals to Jewish voters, particularly in critical states like Florida. Obama has emphasized to Jewish audiences his commitment to Israel’s security, and he has worked to dispel doubts created by false rumors that he is Muslim.

Clinton, a New York senator and former Democratic presidential candidate, has generally been supported by American Jews. But Micah Halperin, a Middle East expert and syndicated columnist, said it is “problematic” that she decided to back out.

Halperin, who is Jewish and called Clinton “a far better candidate” for Democrats than Obama, suggested that her actions could backfire on the Democratic ticket.

“Jews traditionally vote Democratic, and if a major Democratic leader does not join in the fight against Iran, where are those voters going to go?” he asked. “It’s problematic from the very point of view that says you have a national political leader who fundamentally is choosing not to stand up against Ahmadinejad.

“It changes my view of [Clinton's] wisdom, of her ability to take a situation, analyze it and come out on the right side, and that is deeply troubling to almost every voter in America, not just Jewish voters,” Halperin said, adding that Clinton’s move “is the kind of thing” that could tip voters toward McCain.

FOX News contributor and National Public Radio correspondent Juan Williams said Clinton, whose presidential aspirations are far from over, wants to campaign for Obama but does not want to challenge Palin because it would hurt her standing with white, working-class women.

“I think the big bump that McCain has gotten since the convention has been with white, working-class women, the older women especially who were the core of Hillary Clinton support,” Williams said.

He added that Bill and Hillary Clinton are glad to support Obama, but they don’t want to take on Palin because “it would be shooting down” the ticket.

“A lot of people think that it just invites comparisons between Palin and Obama on the experience issue, and that doesn’t benefit Obama,” Williams said.

Palin is scheduled to meet several foreign ministers while she is in New York. Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said the decision to send Palin to the U.N. was “an excellent idea” by the McCain campaign. He said Palin can now use the opportunity to enhance her foreign policy credentials and add to her debate preparation against Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. That debate is scheduled for Oct. 2 in St. Louis.

“Now in the debate with Senator Biden, Governor Palin will be able to say, ‘Well I was discussing with foreign minister X just a few weeks ago,’ and then go from there,” Bolton said. “She doesn’t really have to go beyond where Senator McCain has already traveled, but it’s a good way to say, as they do in diplomatic circles, ‘to exchange views.’ I just think she ought to be herself and listen attentively and it will go fine.”

[Dave in PA]

Is it just me or does the Democratic Party members seem to keep shooting holes in their own boat?

I am curious how the union leadership reconciles the fact that the Republican VP and her husband are/were working union members, and the other side of the ballot are not, yet unions are endorsing the non-members.

[Pector55]

Is it just me or does the Democratic Party members seem to keep shooting holes in their own boat?

I am curious how the union leadership reconciles the fact that the Republican VP and her husband are/were working union members, and the other side of the ballot are not, yet unions are endorsing the non-members.

Unions are anti-Republican. Then again, union members are not too smart on the economy or why they can't make $100k a year for turning a wrench on 5 bolts a day. Sorry but unions are outdated and part of the problem with this country. They served a purpose at one time.

[Eugene V. Debs]

Is it just me or does the Democratic Party members seem to keep shooting holes in their own boat?

I am curious how the union leadership reconciles the fact that the Republican VP and her husband are/were working union members, and the other side of the ballot are not, yet unions are endorsing the non-members.

The reason unions are not endorsing McCain-Palin is because McCain attacked unions twice in his acceptance speech and while McCain will veto EFCA, Obama will not. Besides, the endorsements were done long before the VP pick-- you can't switch your allegiance that late in the game.

Imagine if Obama picked a gun-owning VP, would you expect the NRA to suddenly rush to endorse him? And who would you rather vote for? A gun-owning candidate who supports AWB or a candidate who own no guns but opposes AWB? Reagan was a union president (SAG) but on the issues labor supported, he was bad.

[Eugene V. Debs]

Unions are anti-Republican. Then again, union members are not too smart on the economy or why they can't make $100k a year for turning a wrench on 5 bolts a day. Sorry but unions are outdated and part of the problem with this country. They served a purpose at one time.

Well, unions serve the same purpose now as they did back in the day-- to improve wages and working conditions. It's the American economy that's changed. Even if you think unions are obsolete in traditional heavy industry (I don't agree, but I can see the argument), they still have a place in the growing service sector, where wages are way too low and few benefits offered, and where unions have seen the most growth by far over the last 20 years.

Back on topic-- Goldfarb seems to be acting dishonestly here (which is to be expected from a professional political campaign spokesman) simply speculating that Obama pressured Hillary and treating it as fact.

[ChamberedRound]

Is it just me or does the Democratic Party members seem to keep shooting holes in their own boat?

SHHHHHHHHH!!!!! No need to tell them what they're doing wrong...

The reason unions are not endorsing McCain-Palin is because McCain attacked unions twice in his acceptance speech and while McCain will veto EFCA, Obama will not. Besides, the endorsements were done long before the VP pick-- you can't switch your allegiance that late in the game.

While I agree that McCain gave the the unions a reason to not endorse him, I don't think it much mattered anyway. When was the last time you saw a union support anyone other than a Democrat? I can't recall.

[SteveXD]

When I saw that yesterday one word came out of my mouth and I don't think I'll repeat it here. However to bail on a rally because another WOMAN was there is pathetic. She'll say it's because there is a republican there, but I don't believe it. She is steaming over Palin.

[adymond]

Am I to take that Clinton expected that this was a Democratic rally? Did she not expect that any Republican might be there? Is she making a generalization that all Jewish people are Democratic? Is she saying that this is not an issue that should have bipartisan support?

[gwohsau]

Ohhhh Yeah. If you can get past the intro Jackie Mason hits the ball out of the park on his observations of Barrack Obama!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ5c6hxqXq4

[Eugene V. Debs]

SHHHHHHHHH!!!!! No need to tell them what they're doing wrong...



While I agree that McCain gave the the unions a reason to not endorse him, I don't think it much mattered anyway. When was the last time you saw a union support anyone other than a Democrat? I can't recall.

You'll find no bigger critics of unions supporting the Democratic Party than me. We win those fuckers elections then they turn around and screw us.They need us way more than we need them and yet we always end up laying beneath the kids table fighting over scraps. I've been kicked off of DU and other such sites for making such criticisms. That being said, in every Presidential race I can think of the Dem candidate has been better on labor's issues than the Republican. When it comes to more local politics in the Northeast, however, sometimes unions will support Republicans. Pataki is an excellent example, as is Specter.