Assuaging Jewish fears

Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:21 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Democratic debates, David Gregory

From NBC's David Gregory
I have heard from many Jews who are worried about Senator Obama. Is he an anti-Semite? Is he close to Farrakan? His own pastor is close to Farrakhan. Tonight a strong attempt to assuage their fears. To say that Israel's security is sacrosanct is a strong pro-Israel statement. Beyond that, to say he wants to rebuild the relationship between Blacks and Jews is new ground. But give Senator Clinton for pushing him harder to reject Farrakhan. Here, again, he absorbed the blow, conceded the point and defused what could be a slip up for him.

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Comments

Delusional that he absorbed this blow. He sounded like Bush trying to explain his point.

jennifer arroyo grande ca (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:24 PM)

diffused? I think he made her look silly and petty while cementing his support for israel.

joe, manchester (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:26 PM)

where did this come from?

michael,ca (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:27 PM)

They should be. Rev. Wright (Obama's pastor) has publicly stated that if they knew Obama's positions vis a vis Nation of Islam-they would desert him instantly.

SammyAL (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:27 PM)

Before Obama was in love with Israel he was in love with Edward Said.

American Jewry ought to be aware of where his sympathies truly lie:

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6619.shtml

Shtuey (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:27 PM)

I agree David. I think Barack did a good job of "rejecting and denouncing" Farrakhan.

Gina Walker, Fort Washington, MD (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:28 PM)

Race baiting and playing to racial fears may be an effective tactic, but it is still unseemly. Trying to elicit denunciations to drive wedges into a consituency she lost smells desparate regardless of Obama's handling of it. HRC may be in danger of losing much of the 10% of the African American vote she clings to.

John D, Los Angeles California (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:28 PM)

I want to know more about his position on his church's Black Values System and is this a form of racism against caucasians? Would a caucasian candidate be considered racist if they attended a church that was all white and had a White Values System?

Wendy Waterman, Wisconsin Rapids, WI (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:29 PM)

Why link him? Because they are both black? Bad questions by Tim R

russ,san antonio, texas (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:29 PM)

I wonder why the media didn't broadcast the endorsement of Louis Farakan for Mr. Obama like they have all the other endorsements?

Catmom, Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:32 PM)

The debate has become the difference between "denounce" and "reject." What a disappointment. She's right though. He's playing as much "old politics" as she is.

Thedigi Talhobo New York, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:32 PM)

So to know somebody that knows somebody is now guilt? Fears of a minority candidate are coming to light this past week...

Brandon, Sacramento (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:32 PM)

David Gregory, see the next blog statement. Obama won that one!

Laura, Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:39 PM)

Wow you guys don't see how all of this ties together? Hillary releases the picture of Obama dressed like the 28 hijacker in the same week that Farrakahn endorses him? This was clearly an attempt to cast BO as a radical musilim cleric with ties extremist groups, and the scary part is that it might just work!

Robert, Chicago IL (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:39 PM)

When will Obama denounce the racial comments from his church?

Thomas, Cedar Rapids, IA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:41 PM)

Russert hit Obama with a Farrakhan one-two sucker punch. Obama took it on the chin and answered from the heart. Watch Obama's support grow now.

The Republicans are probably ticked off that Russert telegraphed their blow.

Roscoe (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:43 PM)

God bless B.O. for being willing to put himself forward and take on all the CRAP that needs to come to the surface in America. It's about time we grew up a bit, put some of the past behind and got a better picture of ourselves as a nation and a people in a world of nations and peoples. I think he's got the goods and the grace to handle it.

C R Green, Atlanta, GA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:44 PM)

Obama is really good at getting out of near misses. He may not know much about what is going on in the world but he has the character to handle it.

Claudia R. (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:44 PM)

I could tell Obama was sincere about the Jewish people. He didn't just denounce, he talked about how Jewish people helped the black civil rights movement and how their had to be healing. Good for him!

Cynthia McMurray (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:44 PM)

This Farrakan thing is just another distraction to test Obama. As toxic as Farrakan is do people out there really think Obama would touch him even if gold were poured on him? I see Clinton did not hesitate to pile. Most Affrican Americans don't agree with Farrakan. Do you see the Nation growing by leaps and bounds?

Rosemary, California (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:45 PM)

C R Green, Atlanta, GA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:46 PM)

I am Jewish, and I think his answer was well put for denouncing Farrakan. Go Obama.

Dawoud (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:47 PM)

Having a candidate hesitate to denouce AND reject Louis Farrakhan's support is a deal breaker for me. As an Orthodox Jew myself, Obama's membership in an extremist church directly supports the claim that Obama is anti-Semitic as well as racist. Just by Obama's membership in the Trinity United Church of Christ, whose magazine just honored Louis Farrakhan, speaks for itself.
Jews for Hillary '08.

Judith Holtzman (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:49 PM)

Semantics? Russert didn’t know the difference between hypothetical and “real,” while Obama thought the proof was “in the pudding,” instead of “in the tasting.”

Duke, Amsterdam, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:54 PM)

A show of support can come from anyone. That does not make it "gospel" for the person receiving it. At what point will the media stop proliferating racism as worthy opposition? Would the same questions and dialog occur if Minister Farakan had announced his support for John McCain?

Lori Wright, Indianapolis, IN (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:01 PM)

i have been waiting but still don't see any questioning of David on the POV - every Israeli i've ever met in the US has been astonished at the prevailing media pro-Zionism because that is not the prevailing view in Israel, remember Olmert makes Bush look popular w/his ongoing under 10% approval rating - please David, assure us that you've been talking to some everyday orthodox, reform and secular Jews, some people other than Podhoretz' crowd?

kc albuquerque nm (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:15 PM)

That was a waste. I hereby reject and denounce the prospect of listening to someone whining about who wins the coin toss, and whether one should reject any support that was never offered in the first place.
Obamee dont play dat!

Jammetrymon, Denver, CO. (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:42 PM)

Obama will win the nomination just like he won the debate.

xraydoc, San Jose, Ca (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1:53 AM)

For someone who is paraded as the ' inspirational speaker' the semantics do matter.
Rejecting the support of a divisive personality like Farrakan is absolutely necessary for somone trying to unify the country much less someone running for the presidency.

Literally millions of people denounce the views of people like Farrakhan -- That's not unique -- What was needed from Obama was a clear response to the endorsement by Farrakan- Obama clearly waffled and did not have a clear answer on this. He needed to reject the support or endorsement by Farrakan and had to be coached to do that by Clinton.

This is his lack of experience -- right here between making good speeches and taking the right action

Liz, Newark,CA (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 2:06 AM)

Who really cares about Israel? Seriously? They have no tactical importance for the US whatsoever.

Now evryone is going to pile on and say that they are a strong ally in the region. I doubt it. All we are is an ATM for them, whenever Israel needs money either our government gives it to them, no questions asked, or AIPAC fundraises for them. They aren't the only democracy in the region by the way, and to say that they are our only ally in the region is a falsehood and a slap in the face to Turkey.

If people are so worried about Israel, then they should move there. I believe the money we spend on Israel can be better spent at home, besides it will give us a better standing in the worldview. We won't look like we are turning a blind eye towards the bullshit that Israel does, that which we ignore.

J chicago il (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 8:15 AM)

What about Arab Americans? The last time I read the Census there are more Arab and Muslim American citizens than Jewish citizens. What are our options? Why is it political suicide to criticize Israel?

Shtuey above me is obviously a hate monger, Edward Said was a professor of english literature at Columbia University. Is it a crime in america to be friends with people of arab heritage? Can I not watch Monk on tv without my patriotism being questioned?

Average Voter (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:09 AM)

The only fears that some Jewish people might have are people like you and your publicity hungry news station who consistently continue to race bait.

KJ, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:20 AM)

Has Obama always been a supporter of Israel's right to exist. There are questions and rumors out there that Obama may have to deal with about the subject of Israel. If there was something in his distict that he went to that supported the Arabs, then he should clear the air about that. To have people worried that Obama might not support the only real democratic country in the area is a concern.

For those that think supporting Israel is a crime, I ask you about the surrounding Arab countries. Do they allow the freedoms that the Israelis do? Could anyone do what they can do in Arab countries that they can do in Israel like protest the government or have a different political party?

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Wednesday, February 27, 2008 10:40 AM)

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