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Feb

24

Obama, Clinton campaigns tackle Cleveland Jewish community


I’ve been bombarded with emails and phone calls and personal requests to attend events with Clinton and Obama and their surrogates and numerous other combinations, all in front of or at Jewish venues.  I think that’s great and I’m pleased.

That said – I’ve not made it to any yet and I don’t know if I’ll get a chance.  I’m not sure what new would come of it, certainly nothing that I can’t read in others’ accouts.

However, as I suspected after hearing about comments made by Barack Obama this morning with a group of NEO Jewish leaders, the MSM is also reporting on Obama’s main points to the Jewish community, which you can read here at the Politico.  Jeff Coryell has more here.  I’m not sure which meeting this Time.com piece is referencing – the small group meeting this morning or the Fairmount Temple appearance.  Either way, the message is pretty much the same: there’s nothing to fear, I support Israel, I’m not a threat and so on.  I never really have felt that he was a threat, but the concern is/was reasonable, in my opinion.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:27 pm February 24th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, Cleveland+, Foreign Affairs, Hillary Clinton, Jewish, Media, Ohio, Politics, Primary, Religion, WH2008 

Comments

6 Responses to “Obama, Clinton campaigns tackle Cleveland Jewish community”

  1. 1 JAMES RUGGIERO on February 25th, 2008 12:51 am

    Is there video or audio of these events? Or do you have to be one of the “chosen ones” to know what actually transpired?

  2. 2 Jill Miller Zimon on February 25th, 2008 11:16 am

    James – your comment is borderline re: the way you use “chosen ones.” Consider this a warning. Any comments with similar references may be deleted or edited.

    If you want to find video or audio of those events, do what the rest of us do: click on the links provided and/or Google for the information. I have no links to audio or video of the events – which, if you notice, aren’t named even by the Time magazine reporter. I suggest you e-mail him too as you research for what you are looking for.

  3. 3 JAMES RUGGIERO on February 26th, 2008 2:45 am

    I appreciate you allowing me to post here.

    Hmm borderline? Border line what? Trade mark infringement ? Just kidding.

    I left a response for you over at progress ohio.
    http://www.progressohio.org/page/community/post/jillmillerzimon/C3Zk

    Well I did do some research and� I found this link
    http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/02/_beachwood_in_the.html

    There were private meetings. I can only assume that this means no video or audio. The fact that it is “private” is in it self troubling.

    Some interesting things on the page linked above. Such as this quote from an attendee: “Certainly for any Jewish person, it’s a major issue. …A Jewish person is almost by definition connected to the idea of Israel being a state.”

    Do you agree with this?

    And this by Obama

    “I will strengthen Israel’s security and strengthen Palestinian partners who support that vision and personally work for two states that can live side by side in peace and security with Israel’s status as a Jewish state.

    Israel’s security? They are the fifth biggest military in might, and have 300 plus nukes and no nuclear treaties ever have been signed. Even with the US.

    The President of Iran did not say he wanted to wipe Israel out he said the Zionist need to be wiped out. Am I correct in saying this is a big difference?

    The translation is official now and some in the mainstream media have acknowledge this. But the translation “error” continues, acting as a mantra to war.

    Once again I appreciate you allowing me to post here.

  4. 4 Jill Miller Zimon on February 26th, 2008 8:39 am

    James –

    Really – as most others who read this blog and have met me will tell you, for me, it really is about the dialogue – I would MUCH rather have the hard discussion with ACTIVE listening than leave people to speculate.

    Ok – you asked if I agree with this: ““Certainly for any Jewish person, it’s a major issue. …A Jewish person is almost by definition connected to the idea of Israel being a state.”

    No – I don’t – I never have. And in fact, although I have no position on how much this matters – because I just haven’t given it a lot of time yet, there have been several stories in the last year or so that focus on the LACK of connection, particularly with younger people born into Jewish families or who even self-ID as Jews, to Israel. This fact has many other Jews very, very concerned.

    Here’s how I feel – and I’ve written this and if you read that Kos piece, then you know this already: I don’t feel that Israel is a very good example of democracy the way I learned about democracies because I think of democracies as including participation by ANYONE. Now – that’s not to say that, for example, even the U.S. has to allow everyone and anyone into the country, be a citizen and let them vote etc. But obviously restricting it to only WASPs or something would be unfathomable.

    Likewise, the notion of primarily only Jews having a say…this is very problematic to me, truly.

    My preference would be to work toward making ANY and EVERY place a safe and welcoming place for Jews, or ANYONE for that matter. Not the beauty pageant answer of “I would like to see world peace” exactly, but to work toward governments that allow for diversity to exist and hopefully thrive.

    I apologize that with the awful snowfall right now and a very busy day due to the debate, I can’t spend more time on this.

    The words of Ahmajinadad aren’t as relevant as his actions and what he supports. So I don’t want to get into a battle over the translation – yes, I’m aware that some people say he didn’t really say that. You know – I think this is mincing. We know his intentions aren’t to go and embrace and welcome Jews into Iran and so on – so let’s be honest about that, if we’re looking to be honest about what he’s “actually” said – fair?

    In Hebrew, a very popular saying is “It’s a problem” and “It’s no problem.”

    For someone like me, having a position like I do about Israel, I get earfuls all the time, I cannot really speak about my feelings in my own community because I’ll be called an anti-semite and I can tell you that there have been people who have witnessed a certain Jewish politician (not a Dem) at his most intense explaining to me how wrong I am (in different words, trying to make his case).

    I don’t believe in military solutions and I don’t believe that you resolve a problem but eliminating the people who are causing it.

    Again – I am sorry for this to be so quick and cursory but hey! There’s a debate I have to cover. :)

    Thanks and I’m happy to continue – this is a VERY important discussion and I don’t expect to change anyone’s mind – but if you can at least imagine what it might be to think differently about a situation, even if you don’t change your mind, that’s movement.

  5. 5 Jeff Hess on February 26th, 2008 12:14 pm

    Shalom Jill,

    Anecdotally I have noticed a generational split over the importance of Israel in this election.

    Those over 60 are more concerned that Clinton will be better for Israel than Obama (due in part to the flood of questionable emails people are getting concerning Obama’s connections to Islam and the alleged pro-Palestinian position of some of his foreign advisers).

    The under 40 crowd are more concerned about how Obama will be good for the United States.

    The 40-60 somethings are mixed, usually related to their self-perceived connection to Israel.

    B’shalom,

    Jeff

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