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President Bush is Attracting More Jewish Voters
For decades, when it comes to courting the Jewish vote, Democrats have had the inside track. Their liberal positions on the issues matched up well. But this campaign season may be a bit different, as George W. Bush tries to make a dent in Democratic territory. To many Americans, President Bush is seen as a born-again Christian, wearing his faith on his sleeve daily. But in a way, he is starting to earn another reputation: the first Jewish president. Just like Bill Clinton was called the first black president because of his support for African Americans, Mr. Bush seems to be making major inroads within the Jewish community.There is an area on the upper west side of New York that is considered very Jewish and very liberal, and the Bush camp doesn't expect many votes to come from this area. That is because the Jews here pretty much disagree with the President on every social issue from abortion to stem cell research. But another camp, a growing number of Jews, do support the President's strong stand for Israel and for fighting Muslim terrorists. And one of the leading Bush supporters is a famous face, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. He is a Democrat, he is liberal and he is Jewish. But he says, Bush is the right man to lead the war on terrorism and his support for Israel is rock steady. Koch said, "On that issue, there's no question that George Bush ranks as number one of all Presidents with respect to supporting the security of the state of Israel." So the result is more of this: orthodox Jews showing up as delegates at the convention this week. One said, "The orthodox Jewish community mostly endorses George W. Bush, and they will vote for George W. Bush." And it is not just his support for Israel that has them excited. The Jews who believe in Old Testament law embrace Bush's stance on family values. Tuvia Yamnik said, "President Bush is teaching us we should go back to this morality, to this law, and if we do it, this will make the country stronger and more secure, and that's the reason why we should vote for President Bush." Posted by: Steve 2004-09-01 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=42097 |