The Dersh backs a Republican
For the first time, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz has endorsed a Republican candidate for Congress. The candidate is Dershowitz's former student, Chicago-based Joel Pollak. And the issue on which Pollak differs most from Democratic incumbent Jan Schakowsky? You guess it: Israel.Aside from his intellectual sparring skills, Pollak’s strong stance on US-Israeli issues undoubtedly influenced Dershowitz’s decision. In an ironic twist, Schakowksy held a fundraiser of her own recently; it was headlined by none other than Helen ‘Jews-Go-Home‘ Thomas. Pollak pounced:So let's state the obvious: If you live in Illinois' 9th Congressional District, you'd better be voting for Joel Pollak. Here's a map of Illinois' 9th:[Schakowsky] groaned when I mentioned that the best line of Pollak’s speech was, “I’m very proud to have Alan Dershowitz at my fundraiser; she had Helen Thomas at hers.”In a sign that Schakowsky may be in some trouble with the district’s sizable Jewish voting bloc, the ostensibly “pro-Israel” lefty outfit, J-Street, poured $40,000 into the congresswoman’s coffers to counteract Pollak’s successful Dershowitz luncheon.
“Bad timing,” Schakowsky calls it. Thomas, 89, was the “featured guest speaker” at the congresswoman’s 9th Annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch on April 20. Just weeks later, Thomas retired after making comments suggesting Israeli settlers should go home to Germany or Poland. Schakowsky recalled the pioneering newswoman as “absolutely delightful and not in the least bit controversial.”
If you know Chicago (which I do), you know that the map includes nearly all of the Jewish areas in Chicago. It would be a shame for that district to send a friend of Helen Thomas back to Congress instead of a nice Jewish boy who supports Israel with his heart and soul.But are the Jews capable of pulling the lever for a Republican? Even J Street is afraid that they are.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:44 PM
3 Comments:
I have met Joel Pollak on several occasions. I really liked him very much.
He is brilliant and wise beyond his years.
Carl, you would be surprised how many Jews are switching over to vote for him. And more then Alan Dershowitz backing a republican he is backing an authentically talented and spirited individual.
"But are the Jews capable of pulling the lever for a Republican?"
Your statement proves why during 8 years of office the divisiveness of blind self indulgent politics ruined any chance of of passing the embassy act. While those republicans we elected to office were playing deaf and blind, Israel was given the quartet for peace.
You had a president who in the arena of the world openly accused Israel of humiliating the Palestinians. Great Jews we are to keep our mouths shut when OUR GUY calls a holocaust denier a man of peace. Yah, but liberal Jews are the only stupid ones...
I would suggest a nice tasty 'swiss cheese sandwhich' (ala GWB) to munch on while you gloat.
Indeed Carl. There is nothing more loathing then a liberal democrat. But there is nothing worse then thinking pulling a lever for a republican makes it all better. Especially when one basis their vote on mere promises.
Nomatter,
The problem isn't that Jews should be voting Republican every time. The problem is that most American Jews aren't capable of voting Republican at any time. See, e.g., the plurality that voted for Jimmy Carter in 1980 (when we all knew what he was about), which would have been a majority had Independent John Anderson not been in the race.
Carl I agree with you on your answer to me.
Here to tell you most liberal Jews I know regret having cast that vote. And yes, they did not learn and voted for Obama, I know this.
Jews voted for Carter for all the reasons Jews have historically always voted Democrat. Without thinking they did it again for Obama. It is our genetic humanity which always sides with what the Democratic party USED to stand for. I know this. Remember there was a time in US history the majority of antisemitism was from the right, not the left. This is one of the things that never stopped stinging...and this is one of the realities which continued to cloud realistic thinking.
Hate to tell you most Jews in the era of Roosevelt were struggling to live a decent life never saw Roosevelt was an antisemite Or wanted to admit it. Like it or not he Roosevelt was filling basic human needs. OR SO IT SEEMED. Life was tough then. Most Jews except for those who assimilated were not having an easy time of it.
This is why it would behoove every Jew to pull away from politics so they can better understand what drives their bad decisions both left and right. It is time to learn and time to throw away all preconceived political barriers. Without that most are simply robots tied to past perceptions that are no longer viable.
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