HOW MUCH OF JEWISH VOTE DOES OBAMA NEED? DEPENDS ON WHOSE NUMBERS YOU USE
by John Lantigua | October 23rd, 2012BOCA RATON — Former South Florida Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler of Boca Raton, now president of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, says GOP claims that many Jews who voted for President Obama last time will not vote him this time due to his rocky relations with Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other missteps on Israel won’t come true.
But Wexler, who attended the third and last presidential debate Monday night at Lynn University, also claimed that exit poll numbers cited by the media after the 2008 election inflated Obama’s success with Florida Jews. The exit polls said Obama won 78 percent of that vote, while Wexler said he thought it was “more like 73 to 74 percent.”
“I think he’ll do low 70s again this time,” Wexler said.
In other words, Obama will not have to win as many Jewish votes in the state as some people think will need in order to match his performance last time.
Palm Beach County GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein said he had never heard those lower numbers before.
“The number that’s always been out there was 78 percent,” Dinerstein said.
But he saidObama will not come close to the lower number either. He has predicted that Obama will win only around 60 percent of the Florida Jewish vote this year and that will be a major factor in handing the state to GOP challenger Mitt Romney.
Early in his presidency Obama angered some Jews when he stipulated that U.S.-led negotiations with Palestinians could only begin if Israelis stopped building settlements in disputed territories. He also made a trip during his first year in office to various Arab countries, but did not visit Israel, a point Romney emphasized during Monday night’s debate.
Obama supporters point out he visited Israel twice as a U.S. senator. During the debate he said while Romney had visited Israel to attend a political fundraiser, he had visited the national Holocaust museum and a town that had been hit by rockets fired by Israel’s enemies. That trip, he said, led to his winning Israel $70 million to build a system that will help Israelis protect their territories from short range rockets and also artillery –a system called Iron Dome.
Most experts on the Jewish vote are saying Obama will nonetheless lose some points, in part due to the slow economic recovery, but not as much as Dinerstein is hoping. But with 490,000 Jewish voters in the state, according to National Democratic Jewish Council, every percentage point will be important in a close race.
Wexler says he believes overall during his first four years Obama has proven himself a strong friend of Israel.
“President Obama has an A-plus record on Israel,” he said. “Right now the largest joint military operation ever between the U.S. and Israel is going on. He has also provided more money to Israel than any other president. And that includes Clinton and George W. Bush and they did pretty well.”
Wexler said that Obama has also derailed a “unilateral attempt” by Palestinians to achieve statehood via the United Nations,a move vehemently opposed by Israel.
– “And he is committed in the most unquestionable terms to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power,” he said. “No, ifs, ands or buts.”
The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County will host an extension of the Monday’s presidential debate — with emphasis on Israel issues — on Thursday from 8-10 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Former Minnesota senator Norm Coleman,a Republican, will represent Romney and will face off against Wexler, who will represent the president.
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October 23rd, 2012 at 1:38 pm
No one cares what this piece of crap says. He is a schmuck and Obama should get rid of him ASAP
October 23rd, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Romney’s jobs and economy plan calls for conflict as a stimulus for military manufacturing industries. Israel will be ground zero for that conflict and will be a magnet for more bombs, rockets from all sides. be careful what you ask for since you may just get it.
October 23rd, 2012 at 1:56 pm
What percentage of the muslim vote will go to Obama?
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I am from Israel. Please,please,please don’t vote Obama!!! 80% if israelis don’t love him and for reason. He is the worst anti-Israel president after Carter. He will abandon us at first opportunity. We all feel this here… Don’t believe him, he is so double-faced and unreliable…
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I am Jewish.
I thought one exchange truly highlighted the core difference between these two polar opposite candidates.
It was when Obama told Romney, “When I went to Israel as a candidate, I didn’t take a bunch of donors. I went to YAD VASHEM, the Holocaust memorial”.
I think this is the perfect example of the choice we have as Americans and Jewish Americans.
I have been to Israel. I have family in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and near a Golan Heights. I have been to Yad Vashem.
Mitt Romney is a politician. He is an opportunist. He worships money.
Barack Obama cares about PEOPLE. He cares about HISTORY. He cares about PROGRESS.
As someone who had whole swaths of my personal family massacred by the Nazis, I think it is UNTHINKABLE for me that Americans can’t see through the hundreds of millions of dollars in lies and propaganda surrounding the entire Republican Party. It is downright scary.
It is TIME for Americans to seize the day and seize the FUTURE for all 100% of Americans. Young, old, black, white, Asian, Latino, handicapped, GLBT.
As President Obama said this morning in Delray Beach:
“Everyone has a place in the American Family!”
I’m voting for Barack Obama.
I believe that my Jewish ancestors who gave up everything to come to America — and my Jewish ancestors who were slaughtered by bigoted autocratic fascists — are looking down on this whole scenario…
…And they are cheering for Obama (and the American Dream) too.
GOTV for Obama, we WILL deliver Florida’s 29 electoral votes for the American Dream and not some New Gilded Age nightmare of income inequality and class warfare by the wealthy on the rest of us!
GOTV DEMS! No time to waste! Seize the momentum! Let’s bring it home.
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 pm
You know there are more than jews living in S FL.
It’s disturbing to think that jews rule the area.
We have a burgeoning latino population and all anybody thinks about is the jewish population. They are aging out. They do not reproduce in high numbers. Can’t say that about latinos!
Last hurrah for jewish population in S FL, a new group is arising.
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:41 pm
a nation can’t defend itself, let alone other nations, if there economics are foundering.
America has not been prosperous under Obama.
we have high unemployment, high gas prices and we’re still dependent on foreign energy from countries in the Middle East which are in danger of erupting.
We can’t depend on these countries, we must depend on ourselves and in the process we can secure employment for millions while supplying our OWN energy!
We’ve got homes which are devalued, high food prices, as a result of gas prices.
We can’t have more of the same. We need to change the course that we currently are on or America will be way behind.
My vote will be for the future with Mitt Romney as president.
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Attention VOTERS!
There are numerous Amendments on the ballot this year.
Firefighters and police are seeking a REDUCTIONS in their HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS!
These groups already have high pay, solid pensions, early retirment, free take home cars and now want the rest of the property owners to pick up the balance of their costs!
Someone has to make up the difference in reduction of taxation that fire fighters and police are asking for.
Guess who will be ASSESSED MORE TAXATION to make up the difference….WE, the everyday citizen property owner.
IT’s time to end the preferential treatment of these groups.
We’re ALL EQUAL! WE ALL SHOULD PAY TAXES and not ask for reducations!
NO on AMENDMENT 9!
and to be safe..NO on ALL amendments.
October 23rd, 2012 at 2:57 pm
The reason the candidates focus on jews is because we vote. It is a sin almost in our community not to vote. We vote overwhelmingly for democrats because that is who we are. Fairness, equality, empathy and tolerance is what matters in the talmud and to us. Obama has more integrity than any President I rememember. His policies show he cares about the 100%. He will win 80% of our vote again, he is a kind and honorable man and deserves a seconfd term.
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:25 pm
55, Jewish Widower, not registered with any party. Voting Obama, next week, easy choice!
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:50 pm
I do not understand how President Obama continues to manipulate so many, including Jewish voters. WAKE UP, PLEASE!
May this report give you pause, A STUDY OF HOW MANY RADICALS HAVE ENTERED THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER A STUDY OF THE WHITE HOUSE LOGS:
Report: Islamist radicals find warm welcome in Obama White House
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/22/report-islamist-radicals-find-warm-welcome-in-obama-white-house/#ixzz2A9ZTlEQM
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Djnfla,
You’re RIGHT!
You DON’T understand!
You can take your false, hateful propaganda trash and shove it where the sun don’t shine!
Biggest joint military exercises in HISTORY between USA and Israel.
REALITY!
DEAL WITH IT, pitiful conspiracy nutjob!
October 23rd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Hey ” no to amendment 9 ” I called your trolling ass out on the last blog. That amendment is nothing like you say it is. Google it any and everyone. It was passed with no dissenting votes by republicans. It’s for widow and widowers of vets and first responders who die on the job or in war. Once again douch bag I’m calling out your outright lie.
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:23 pm
“Indie” is a RPOF stooge!
Everyone knows:
VOTE NO ON *ALL* BS AMENDMENTS
VOTE YES ON ALL JUDGE RETENTIONS
You right wingers are GOIN’ DOWN BABY!
And the Dem Attorney General is going to win.
AND 2014 is right around the corner, when we can finally rid this great state of the despicable theif Rick Scott and replace him with a DECENT person (I.e. Democrat).
Florida’s going BLUE all over and there is NOTHING the pitiful haters and conspiracy dunces on the right can do about it!
LMAO!
Can’t WAIT to turn this state around and start building a REAL future for Florida.
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Obama, not a stooge at all. Just calling out BS from a right wing troll. Never said any amendment was good, he’s just lying. Pipe down, Francis.