Joe Lieberman And The Jews
Rabbi Marc Gellman, writing in Newsweek, expresses puzzlement about why Joe Lieberman did so poorly among Connecticut’s Jews. Here’s part of it:
Joe Lieberman did not lose the Democratic primary because of his support for the war in Iraq. He lost because of his lack of support from Jews. Joe got the support of black Baptists (except of course for Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who stood so conspicuously behind challenger Ned Lamont on election night). He got the support of Catholic Union guys. He got the support of all the Connecticut papers, and he got the support of most Jews, but not at all an overwhelming number of Jews and that is why he lost. He lost because Barbra Streisand’s highly publicized contribution to Lamont and because of the number of Jews who hated Bush and the war more than they loved Joe. That’s why he lost, and I don’t get it.Please understand, this is not a political rant. Yes, I support the war and yes I support and admire President George W. Bush, but I understand and respect those who have come to another conclusion about how best to fight the war on terror. My disappointment is with my people. I simply do not understand why so many Jews bailed on Joe. I cannot understand why Joe’s percentage of the Jewish vote was not in the high 90s instead of the 54-57 percent range (according to Lieberman’s campaign). I have opinions on way too many things I don’t know nearly enough about, but I know about Jews. I am a professional Jew, and yet if you asked me to explain why Jews did not vote for Joe the way blacks voted for Barack Obama or Catholics voted for John F. Kennedy I would not know what to tell you.
In truth I am also bewildered about why Jews do not support President Bush more than the pathetic 22-26 percent (depending on which exit poll you look at) he received in 2004. Bush would win a landslide in Israel, and never once invited Yasir Arafat to the White House, but that is a bewilderment best left for another day. What has frozen me is the lack of support for Joe by Jews. Joe voted the Democratic line 90 percent of the time. Twenty-nine other Democrats also voted for the war and none of them was targeted (yet). Joe is the most famous Jewish politician of all time (unless you count former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia whose mother was Jewish). He is an observant Jew and obviously he was on the presidential ticket in 2000. He is modest and self effacing. He is moral and faithful. He is principled and intelligent … and he is one of us! What more do you want of the guy?
There’s a lot more in his impassioned and thoughtful essay but perhaps the answer is a bit simple:
Few groups are totally monolithic anymore. Just because people are Jewish doesn’t mean they’re going to be more inclined to vote for him if other factors are there — or NOT there.
Perhaps one of the factors in this whole Lieberman saga that is being forgotten is this: Joe Lieberman has not shown the kind of political skills in recent years that you would expect of a longtime Senator.
Reagan was the Teflon candidate; Lieberman became the Velcro candidate. Some news stories noted how he was scrambling to press the flesh back home once he saw he was in serious trouble with the Lamont challenge.
As I’ve written here, I am originally from Connecticut (but was voting in California when in 1988 Lieberman defeated Lowell Weicker — a politician I greatly admired for his courage in pressing the Watergate issue early on despite anger from his own party for doing so). Lieberman carried New Haven (my home town), where he has long had his law practice. In fact, a relative of mine met him before he was Senator several times. This relative — who is obviously Jewish — was notably unimpressed with him personally, to this day calling him a “cold fish” and “a sourpuss.” He still got the person’s vote, mostly because he was a well-known local.
Perhaps, too, Lieberman’s lecturing style has not worn well with Jewish voters (he almost sounds like a stereotypical Jewish mother at times). And then there’s the other aspect of how he has operated politically in recent months. His statement right after the foiled airlines plot came to light trying to tie it in with the now-Democratic Senate candidate Ned Lamont won’t play well with many voters:
Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut seized on the reports of a terror plot yesterday to attack Ned Lamont, his Democratic opponent for re-election, saying that Mr. Lamont’s goal of withdrawing American troops from Iraq by a fixed date would constitute a “victory� for extremists.“If we just pick up like Ned Lamont wants us to do, get out by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England,� Mr. Lieberman said at a campaign event in Waterbury, Conn. “It will strengthen them, and they will strike again.�
Even someone who is NOT a Lamont supporter could be offended by that comment.
And it could lose Lieberman even more support from Jewish voters. I know many Jewish voters who are vehemently against anything that even slightly hints of McCarthyite tactics. It scares them. Lieberman may truly believe this about Lamont — and the case could be argued that, yes, extremists could see the victory of anti-war candidates as a sign that some policies might change — but when faced with a choice between allowing unfettered, free political speech and backing those who define opponents who question policies as enablers of enemies of the state, some Jewish voters will balk.
Those who think all Jewish voters are liberals are wrong. And those who think the bulk are conservatives are wrong, too. It isn’t a monolithic group.
Lieberman is not entitled to the vote of Jewish voters because he’s an Orthodox Jew — just as Ralph Reed found out that many Christian voters wouldn’t give him their vote just because of his religion.
So it’s no surprise. ALSO: there are signs the Connecticut GOP may try and field a stronger candidate. That could further complicate the task of Lieberman — who kissed off a whole segment of his political party when he said Lamont’s victory would be welcomed by extremists.
Is what he said partly true? Again, someone could argue the case yes (as others will angrily argue the case no). But a GOOD POLITICIAN would not use that verbal atomic bomb. Especially this EARLY in the campaign.
Lieberman isn’t getting as many Jewish votes as the Rabbi would think because the real truth is: his political skills are rusty.
Lieberman is not entitled to anyone’s vote just because he shares their religion or even if he shares a lot of their views. He has to execise political skills that successful politicians who took controversial or even downright hated stands have for years. He has to earn it.
He didn’t work hard or effectively enough in recent years — so he didn’t earn it on Tuesday and he isn’t earning it among many Jewish voters.
32 Responses to “Joe Lieberman And The Jews”
Just in response to a more impressive GOP candidate, I doubt it…..
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/08/11/i-was-here-first/
Talk about someone who doesn’t care about their party…. A Republican might have a shot, but Alan says no…..
….Bush grabbed Joe and kissed him like a vampire……
….zealous blogger’s had an art project feild day with their spaz toys…
…people hate war….
The Rabbi can’t understand anything as long as he is in the grip of Bush cultism. That overcomes religion, self intrest, and even common sense and sanity. Therefore, nothing that doesn’t fit their programming will make sense.
The people that will have to live on prozac after this thing has played out will be incredible. And my respect for the Jewish people for not being syncophets like the good Rabbi remains undeminished.
We are witnessing the death of the moderate in both parties. The Republican party is in the grips of far-right conservative groups like this one, which will force moderate Democrats to turn to the left and vote for candidates like Lamont if they want to offer true opposition to them. Bi-partisanship and centrist candidates will become increasingly rarer if groups like Club for Growth are successful. I thought Lieberman was a decent Senator until he began siding too much with Bush on the war and other issues.
What I don’t understand is why Republican voters keep picking far-right candidates, who have so far done such a terrible job leading the country. Most Republicans are not that conservative.
Lieberman is now in the land of the “lost”. Lieberman lost because of his stand on the war, period.
We are getting tired of reading about Holy Joe. He is gone. The MSM dumped him, so should you.
People who are not from Connecticut fail to understand that the reason Lieberman lost is that he is more concerned about his own career than his constituents. Many in CT don’t see him through the same bush colored glasses as those who call him a moderate. Joe does what’s expedient for Joe period. Marcia
Rabbi Gellman doesn’t understand that most Jews worry more about the Christian Right and about GOP assaults on social justice than they do about some far-fetched campaign ostensibly designed to help Israel. Gellman is, by his own admittance, a “professional Jew.” That may be the problem. Come and talk to us regular Jewish folk and he’ll see why he is so out of touch, and why Jews are still loyal Democrats – even leaders of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Russ Feingold has much more in common with American Jews than Joe Lieberman.
Rabbi Gellman,
Perhaps sir it would be wise to take Elrod’s advice and go among the regular Jewish members of your community to pose your question, THEN report back to us your findings. This would present us with a much more informative and factual understanding of the issue.
We get enough “huffing and puffing” on the networks already.
It doesn’t help that the Christian Right is being led by apocalypse seekers that only support Israel because they see it as a pivotal part in unleashing Armageddon. Although the Iraq War was not designed by these people, the weird alliance between neo-conservatives and the endtimers both call for a lot more war. From what I’ve read, Israel is starting to get very worried about this — maybe that’s a reason why Jews don’t fully support the Republicans.
How can a Jew be so *!#@(* stupid???
The overwhelming majority of American Jews are here because of religious persecution.
George W. Bush is the Toquemada of American presidents. He represents EVERYTHING American Jewry detests, except for his support of Israel which is born oh so transparently more from his need for the support of the evangelical right than his love of jews.
American Jews know full well the abject horror of the mix of politics and religion. How many of us are even here because politics and religion were mixed to our detriment? Do you think our wisdom and our memories are so shallow?
When Joe got up and denounced Clinton for having an extramarital affair, I blamed not Bill but Joe. How DARE he cast judgement??? Think he be Senator or Rabbi?
And when he castigated fellow democrats for RIGHTFULLY casting doubt on Bush for the manner of his waging war on Iraq I hoped in my heart Joe’s days would be numbered. And so they have been.
For my part, 3 cheers for Ned Lamont, giant-slayer!!! If you think American Jewry votes solely on the basis of needlessly blind support for Israel, you’re a goyesha kopp. We know full well what votes to cast in our self interest, and they are for a SECULAR government not a high and mighty one! Nor would we vote for someone who so blithefully reject democracy for his personal ambition. Joe is an EMBARRASSMENT to every right minded Jew.
The rabbi’s unconscious contempt for Jews (whom he claims to know “professionally”) makes him a perfect
Bushie. The Jews had better beware Texans like Bush and DeLay bearing gifts. The price will be Israel.
Another thing to consider: opposition to Lieberman stems from opposition to the Iraq War. Many proponents of the Iraq War said would help Israel. Suppose, for a moment, that the ONLY thing you cared about was Israel. Well, let’s look at the results.
Prewar: Saddam Hussein openly threatened Israel and gave money to Hamas suicide bombers. He attacked Israel in 1991 with Scuds.
Postwar: The Shi’ite-led government, including members of Moqtada al-Sadr, were the first regime outside Iran and Syria to praise Hezbollah. Tens of thousands of supporters of the new government march in the streets of Baghdad with white funeral cloth, signifying their willingness to die for Hezbollah against Israel. The new defense minister calls Israel’s airstrikes an act of “criminal aggression.” Maliki refuses to condemn Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Maliki’s Shi’ite government is buttressed by two militias – Sadr’s Mahdi Army and Hakim’s Badr Corps – both of which receive material assistance from Iran. Oh, and Iran, the real benefactor of the new Iraq, wants nukes and wants to destroy Israel.
Pretty much a wash on the face of it.
But deeper down, the Iraq war has been much worse for Israel. Not only is the new Iraqi government a proxy for Iran, but the chaos that has enveloped post-Saddam Iraq has helped to magnify Islamist extremism in the region. Gone, now, are the old days of secular organizations like the PLO and PFLP: terrorists to be sure, but secular and focused on “this world.” Now the players are Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad: even more committed to terrorism than the PLO ever was, and utterly unfazed by rational dealmaking. And with Hezbollah’s fighting prowess on display for the Arab world, these Islamists are even stronger.
Verdict: The Iraq War has imperiled Israel’s national security.
So, if Israel was the only thing that you, as an American Jew, cared about, there is nothing in George W. Bush’s foreign policy that you should find attractive.
We Jews are smart. We see through mindless rhetoric – we are rhetoricians and debaters to a core. That’s what we did around the dinner table as kids, and what we do as adults. Israelis do it too. As such, we are unmoved by grandiose schemes ostensibly geared toward the protection of Israel, but so unwisely planned and executed as to backfire.
That Jews disproportionately represent the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is a badge of pride. We Jews have not forgotten what it’s like to be poor. We Jews have not forgotten what happens when religion and politics mix. We Jews have not forgotten what happens when big politicians speak of “re-making” entire regions. That’s why so many Jews have given up on Joe Lieberman.
Maybe the Rabbi expects the Jews to cast aside their intellect and judgement and become the sheep-like followers from the Christian right that elected George Bush, Tom Delay, Rick Santorum, Bob Dornan etc. Maybe he should issue them voter guides with pro-Israeli candidates starred in the margins—so that no individual thought is required.
I respect the fact that Jews look beyond religion to other issues when deciding on a candidate, and wish all other religious or minority groups would do the same. We’d be a lot better off as a country than we are now with one special interest pitted against another for access to the governmental goodies!
So the Rabbi wants us to vote based on faith? It is ludicrous how he expresses disappointment that Jews looked beyond that..
By the way, you asked why more Jews don’t support Bush even though he would win an election in Israel in a landslide. Perhaps American Jews realized that simply being popular in Israel isn’t a good enough reason to vote for someone. Perhaps American Jews in growing numbers are realizing that they should vote for politicians who might actually benefit the USA first, and not Israel first. I am so glad that American Jews have not blindly supported Bush just because he’s popular in a foreign country. After all, Bush said he’s not running for president of france, but America. not Isreal, no other country just America. Maybe you should figure that out.
THE PROGRESS OF bUSh’s WAR on tERROR
2600 US DEATHS
50000 IRAQI DEATHS
0 WMD
“Bush would win a landslide in Israel”
Please take him to Israel! Look what the milliatry POV has done for the middle east. Does this Rabbi not for one minute see the pointlessness of his support for this endless war? Is he worried about what is best for America or what Israel needs? Because I feel what is best for America is most important. More important then what is best for Germany, France or Israel.
I think he should care a bit more about what is going in within the boarders of my country, not what two religous states think about the best way to kill one another is.
SnarkyShark is correct, this Gellman is living in a fantasy world which does not exist. Lieberman never was anything but a shill for corporatism. And there are over 200 just like him in Congress right now selling all of our asses down the river. We are now waking up the the fact that both parties are controlled by corporate scum who will kill anyone for profit. Its about time.
Here is an excellent interview with an Israeli author. At one point he talks about the theocratic, undemocratic worldview of his sister, an ultra-orthodox, versus his own democratic secular left view.
As far as I can tell they are both Jews, though being a Jew seems to be a combination of a culture *and* a religion *and* an identity.
In other words, I think Rabbi Gellman grossly oversimplifies what is a very rich tapestry. Moreover, I think identity politics is overrated.
The push for centrism and “moderation” is a push for more apathy. Apathy is very effective for extremists, as the Bushites know. Yet if you stand for nothing, you ultimately will stand for anything. Yay for Jews against Lieberman and Bush.
The Rabbi overlooks the obvious when he wonders why more Jews didn’t vote for Lieberman. American Jews do not base their vote, thankfully, only on what is best for Israel, or if the candidate is a fellow Jew. Yes, U.S. policy toward Israel is important, and so is Jewish representation in our government. But what is best for America is the deciding factor in casting a vote. Secondly, Liberman’s cozying up to George Bush hurt him greatly. Bush and the Republican party are sold out lock, stock, and barrel to the Radical Religious Right, whose known aim is nothing less than making the U.S. a Christian theocracy. Their lip service to Jews and Israel is insulting. They do not support Israel because it is the Jewish homeland, they support Israel because Christ was born there and they begrudgingly would rather have Jews in charge than Muslims. The Radical Religious Right and their puppets in the Republican party have no more liking for Jews than they do for Muslims, Blacks, Gays, or anyone making less than a million dollars a year… except at election time, of course. Bush’s domestic policies regarding abortion, homosexuals, the poor, and anyone who does not agree with him 100% expose his real mission. Bush’s claim that the war in Iraq is a mission to spread freedom and democracy is a crock. If that’s the case, do we invade Saudi Arabia next? What about the African dictators? No, the war in Iraq is a payoff to Bush’s buddies in big oil and a payoff to the Religious Right. Don’t think so? Well, ask yourself this.. Who were the first two groups going into Iraq after the U.S. Army? Answer: Halliburton and Christian “aid” organizations. What lost the Jewish vote for Joe Lieberman was his not speaking out against the AMERICAN CHRISTIAN JIHAD that is going on in this country today. As a Jew, his support of people (Bush &Co.)who have continually shown their disdain for ANY non-Christian religion, in the name of political expediency, is unconscionable.
Highly suspect.
What poll? Link please.
I want more information on the poll.
This from Rabbi Gellman is significant:
I have to wonder if his major concern is the dissolution of the “tribe”.
Rabbi Gellman writes about the Catholic vote being monlithic for JFK. And I’m sure he’s right. But that was in 1960. And 1960 was a long time ago.
According to a news analysis by the Catholic News Service, George W. Bush got 52% of the Catholilc vote in 2004. John Kerry only got 47%, even though he is a Catholic.
Link HERE.
Another link to an analysis of the 2004 Catholic vote, by Beliefnet.com, is HERE.
Jews will wake up when it is too late. If we do not win this war, we are seeing the next holocaust. I have never recalled such Jew hating in one week, the UN, Iran and Mel Gibson. What Gibson said in his drunken state is what he and everyone else feels about the Jews… Jews like to bury their head in the sand. However, the jew haters will be happy to cut it off.
The problem is the zionists.
harry is correct about the influence of corporatism—Tom Delay and Abramoff set up an influence peddling machine with the K Street lobbyists that reward those in power for passing deregulation and tax breaksfor businesses. K Street lobbyists do contribute to both parties and sponsor fundraisers for those in Washington so that their influence can be maximized.
I don’t think most of the public realized much about this until it came out in the MSM that Cheney had invited the oil execs to write our energy policy. I am convinced that Democrats were only outraged about this because environmental groups, who contribute largely to them, were left out in the cold. Corporate influence also explains why immigration laws are almost never enforced.
Let me borrow a line from Bill Murray in “Scrooged.” “The jews taught me a word, ‘schmuck’….” Very simply, Joe lost because he became a schmuck.
I had, shall we say, a considerably more negative response to the Rebbe’s piece. (Warning: Bad Language used.)
Incidentallally, have you noticed the Gunter Grass being in the Waffen SS story?
During the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide (Attacks against AMERICA– Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998;Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001;Pentagon 2001). Liberal administrations Presidents Carter and Clinton and Congress (until 1986) are responsible for our current crisis (let us not forget North Korea).
Joe Lieberman is better off without you, we as a country are worse off; your comments do not consider honesty and integrity. All of you will be rewarded; your Liberal votes will be cast and more Liberals will be elected. For those who challenged his character please consider; Moral values and obligations often contradict and conflict with each other over time.
NOTE: Because the total numbers killed during WWII are never widely discussed and I recently learned the true numbers; of over 80 million killed approximately 42 million were Christians.
It also seems to me that over long periods of time your votes and support may not have been advantageous to Jews/Israeli’s worldwide; please consider Captain Hugo Guttman.
Care to reconsider your voting records and support?
Ernie Gs
Columbus, Oh
Ernie- Aren’t you forgetting that the great bastion of Conservatism, Ronald Reagan, was also outwitted by the terrorists? After our embassy was bombed in Lebanon and the marine barracks decimated –283 killed in 1983- he cut and ran. At least Carter managed to bring all the hostages home ALIVE, and achieved a lasting peace accord between Egypt and Israel. Reagan was also guilty of appeasing our enemies by dealing arms for hostages in Iran.
But, I understand its much more convenient to blame all our problems in the ME on Clinton and Carter than to take the blinders off when you’re a conservative.
And, I might add, the present administration’s policies have led to near civil war in Iraq with the death of 139,000 civilian Iraqis, the election of terrorists into the government in Lebanon, Egypt and Palestine, and non-negotiation with major powers in the region, which never makes any situation safer for anyone.
I think you are getting Rabbi Marc
Gellman wrong. In “Joe and the Jews� [ http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14308339/] Gellman dons a mask to produce a brilliant impersonation of the sort of intellectually dishonest professional Jew who can’t understand why other Jews bother to think for themselves rather than rallying around the Holy Flag of Israel (regardless of what Israel does) and every Jewish politician in America (regardless of how contemptibly these politicians often behave).
Of course in Lieberman, Gellman found a perfect focus for this sort of satire, a smarmy selfrighteous politico who insisted on running for the Senate at the same time that he ran for Vice President, to make sure that, no matter the outcome, Joe wouldn’t have to go out and look for work, who lost no time sucking up to Bush and Cheney once they were in power, who supported their dishonest, destructive, and futile war without a qualm, who attacked all those who disagreed as unpatriotic, and who followed that up by running on the ME Party (yes, the Connecticut for Lieberman Party) when he lost the primary in his own state. About the only thing going for Lieberman is that he is Jewish rather than an Evangelical Christian, and for more than three quarters of his state’s own Jews that wasn’t enough.
I loved Gellman’s apparently irrelevant story about how the manly men of the Western Avenue schvitz bath stuck money into the rabbi’s pocket when he was raising money for Israel. That story shows the real values of tribal Jews, the shylocks and the factory owners that carry lots of cash around to juice the cops and building inspectors that might shut down their sweatshops, who can afford to throw a few bills the way of a young rabbi raising money for Israel, a young rabbi who is grateful because he doesn’t need to think about where that money was coming from. He certainly doesn’t need to consider that this relationship between manly men and their money, money and their government, government and its foreign policy, is precisely what was driving the Iraq war Lieberman could see nothing wrong with. The ethical poverty and thoughtlessness of the rabbi whom Gellman imitates is just totally brilliant.
Bravo Gellman: we haven’t seen satire like that since the days of Swift.
PING:
TITLE: Why Jews didn’t Support Joe?
BLOG NAME: Just Plain Bother
This guy is asking why Jews aren’t supporting Joe?
I don’t see why its so hard to get… Lots of people aren’t supporting Joe – he is trending right on a number of issues and not standing by his voters. I’m Jewish – but I&#…