J4O Newsletter: Last Chance to Help Make History!

Now is not the time to rest. The election is Obama's to lose, but he can lose it if we don't keep doing everything we can right up until the polls close on Election Day. Here's what you can do to help:

McCain is also being surprisingly silent about the recent news, which no honest political observer found terribly surprising and in fact many pundits predicted, that Al Qaeda is hoping for a McCain victory. As Nicholas D. Kristof wrote on October 25:

They know that Barack will be a steadfast supporter of Israel and that he shares our commitment to Jewish values like Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and the separation of church and state.

But with only one day until Election Day, we need to make sure that we're reaching every voter. Barack is counting on supporters like you to get involved, reach out to the people you know, and make sure they vote for Obama on or before November 4.

Watch this video from the Obama campaign (click here if you can't see it at left) and forward it (or this entire newsletter!) to your friends and family now!

Would you find the rampant excess appalling? Would you think that it calls into question Barack Obama's claim to be the candidate of the middle class? Would you be especially outraged by the fact that Michelle ordered Iranian caviar?

That's exactly the reaction an anonymous enemy of Barack Obama was hoping for when he or she forged a room-service receipt from the Waldorf-Astoria, when Michelle Obama wasn't even staying in the hotel.

This source provided a copy of the forged receipt to the New York Post (which, of course, has endorsed John McCain), and embarrassingly, the Post ran with it, displaying the same right-wing eagerness to believe anything bad about Obama that has led to the circulation of so many patently absurd smears during this campaign.

Fortunately, FactCheck.org sets the record straight. On October 21, the Post posted a retraction, but not before the right-wing blogosphere and a slew of talk-radio hosts took the story and ran with it. Whether they all ran corrections is anyone's guess, but ours would be, um, no.

We've said it many times before, but it bears repeating... If McCain is the better candidate, then why have his supporters felt the need to use absurd, fabricated smears like this to make their case?

With him, we call for a return to the successful reliance on bipartisan cooperation at home and close coordination on the use of active diplomacy with our friends and allies abroad, to face the challenges posed by those who are neither. We have watched with profound regret the frequent, costly failures of the current administration to apply these fundamental principles.

We, the undersigned, are firmly convinced that new American leadership is critical at this juncture in world history. We urge Americans, regardless of party affiliation, to select as our next president Senator Barack Obama, a leader with courage, intelligence, energy, a fresh perspective and a focus on the future. We believe based on our long foreign policy experience that he has the qualities needed to restore American leadership, credibility and respect in the world, the persona to make bipartisanship a possibility once again, and the judgment and vision to set our nation on the path to a better future.

... Including Ambassador Peter Bridges

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Amb. Peter Bridges (Ret.)

Dear Friends and Relations,

A friend and former colleague of mine in the Foreign Service, Kevin McGuire, some time ago drafted a short statement of support for Obama and began to ask retired Foreign Service officers if they would sign it. So far 334 of us have done so, including by my count 66 former American ambassadors.

I will remind you that the Foreign Service of the United States is our country's career diplomatic and consular service. We staff both the State Department in Washington and our embassies and consulates abroad. Usually two-thirds or more of our ambassadors are Foreign Service officers, although both Democratic and Republican administrations have made a number of ambassadorial appointments for political reasons. Some of these Republican appointees and, by my count, two former career officers, have come out for McCain.

In the Foreign Service we serve the President and the Constitution faithfully — I served under seven Presidents, finally as ambassador to Somalia under President Reagan — and we do our best by our country. We do not speak lightly about national security. Five of my friends and colleagues were killed by terrorists. More American ambassadors have died violent deaths since World War II than our admirals and generals combined. Two other friends and colleagues were kidnapped by terrorists, but survived.

I have backed Obama since early 2007. He is a prudent manager, a professor of constitutional law, and a moral and upright man with sound judgment. I agree with Colin Powell that Obama is fully qualified to be commander in chief. He understands the problems that we face at home and abroad, and he will begin — though it will take years — to resolve them. He has a sturdy and experienced running mate, Joe Biden, whom I have admired greatly since I first met him in 1981.

In recent days, there has been a flood of statements from prominent Jews and non-Jewish “FOTs” (Friends Of the Tribe) in support of Sen. Obama's candidacy. Some of the people we've heard from just recently went “on the record,” while others have been Obama supporters for a while. There are far too many statements for us to share them all with you, but in this, our final newsletter before the election, we would like to share with you some of the best and most persuasive.

Video: Rahm Emanuel, in the Running for Chief of Staff: Why I Support Obama

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U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel is an Israeli American Jew who spent much of his childhood in Israel and volunteered on an Israeli army base during the 1991 Gulf War. Rep. Emanuel's father was a member of the Irgun. As you might imagine, Rep. Emanuel is a staunch supporter of Israel.

Rep. Emanuel is rumored to be the real-life model for the fictional character Josh Lyman in the popular, long-running television drama The West Wing. While we normally wouldn't mention something so seemingly trivial, many people have remarked on the remarkable similarity between the real-life Obama / McCain campaign and the fictional campaign which occurred in the last season of The West Wing. At the end of that fictional campaign, Josh Lyman became the Chief of Staff for the fictional Democratic president-elect, and in yet another instance of life imitating art, rumors have swirled over the past few days that Sen. Obama has approached Rep. Emanuel about being the Chief of Staff in his administration.

Think about this for a moment: Barack Obama, the man who has been accused of being anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, and too “friendly” with Palestinian sympathizers, is supported by an Israeli American whose father fought in the Irgun and who staunchly supports Israel, and Obama is on the virge of asking him to be his Chief of Staff. It is incomprehensible that anyone could look at facts like these and continue to believe that Barack Obama isn't a friend of Israel.

In August, Rep. Emanual spoke about Obama and his support for Israel before the Jewish Community Leadership Council of Seattle. Click here to watch the video if you can't see it above.

Rabbis Call for Obama; Rabbi Adam Mintz Endorsement

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Rabbi Adam Mintz

Twenty rabbis from all denominations gathered recently in an apartment overlooking New York City's Central Park to make phone calls on behalf of the Obama campaign to Jews in swing states.

Perhaps the most prominent caller was Orthodox Rabbi Adam Mintz, former president of the New York Board of Rabbis. Here's what he had to say about the experience:

“This morning I had the privilege of participating in a Rabbi's Phone-Bank on behalf of Senator Obama. Over twenty rabbis from all the different denominations gathered together in the spirit of unity to volunteer for Barack Obama's campaign. As we sat around the dining room table and in various locations throughout a magnificent apartment overlooking Central Park, we laughed and shared experiences from our many phone calls. Personally, I was very encouraged by the enthusiasm that was expressed by the people whom we called. Many were not only voting for Senator Obama... some volunteered for the campaign to assist in last minute efforts to get out the vote. Finally, and most exciting for our group of rabbis, was the appreciation that many people expressed for the fact that rabbis had taken time out of our busy schedules to volunteer for Senator Obama. If we could do it so could they! I'm already looking for my next phonebank to attend.”

M.J. Rosenberg: “How Stupid Do They Think Jews Are?”

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M.J. Rosenberg, Israel Policy Forum

I have been looking to see if the Jewish “defense organizations” put out statements condemning the vicious attacks on Professor Rashid Khalidi, the Palestinian-American academic.

I looked in vain. But then, these Jewish organizations tend not to get overly excited when the targets of bigotry are Palestinian or even Palestinian-American. And some of these organizations themselves play the “guilt by [Palestinian] association” game so they are in no position to criticize it.

Fortunately, the Washington Post (which happens to be a bastion of neo-conservatism) published a terrific editorial today that points out that Khalidi is nothing more, or less, than a respected Palestinian-American academic who holds views that are “unsurprising” although “complex.”

What are those views? He supports the two-state solution. He opposes terrorism. And he is strongly critical (like at least half of Israel's population) of the occupation of the West Bank). He is neither anti-Jewish nor anti-Israeli. And he's an American.

But even if he was a strident critic of Israel's policies, so what? Is policy toward Israel the only issue about which an American is not allowed to hold opinions? Is it possible that it is acceptable to oppose, the US war in Iraq, President Bush and everything he stands for, and, say, social security, but you cannot oppose Israel's policies in the West Bank? If it is, Walt, Mearsheimer, and Carter are not just right but guilty of understatement.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on National Security

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Former Security of State Madeleine Albright
speaks at UNLV

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright held a “Conversation on National Security” before an overflow audience of students and community members at the University of Las Vegas today. She was introduced by former Nevada Governor Bob Miller, who expressed hope that Nevada would swing blue due to 100 thousand newly registered Democratic voters. He also praised Obama as a leader who would “unify world opinion, not dictate it.”

Albright began by proclaiming that, at age 71, this was the most important election she has witnessed in her lifetime. “We are in a very difficult place,” she argued, that required a president with judgment, wisdom, curiosity and vision. “We need Barack Obama to be president.”

In a concise, clear, and frequently funny talk, Albright outlined six foreign policy “umbrella issues” that she considered today's most urgent problems: fighting terrorism without creating new terrorists; nuclear non-proliferation; the growing gap between rich and poor, domestically and abroad; restoring the good name of democracy; the global energy, environmental and food crisis; and the global economic crisis.

Alan Dershowitz: Why I Support Israel and Obama

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Alan Dershowitz

I am a strong supporter of Israel (though sometimes critical of specific policies). I am also a strong supporter of Barack Obama (though I favored Hillary Clinton during the primaries). I am now getting dozens of emails asking me how as a supporter of Israel I can vote for Barack Obama. Let me explain.

I think that on the important issues relating to Israel, both Senator McCain and Senator Obama score very high. During the debates each candidate has gone out of his and her way to emphasize strong support for Israel as an American ally and a bastion of democracy in a dangerous neighborhood. They have also expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself against the nuclear threat posed by Iran which has sworn to wipe Israel off the map and the need to prevent another Holocaust.

There may be some difference in nuance among the candidates, especially with regard to negotiations with Iran, but supporters of Israel should not base their voting decision on which party or which candidates support Israel more enthusiastically. In the United States, Israel is not a divisive issue, and voting for President is not a referendum on support for Israel, at least among the major parties.

I want to keep it that way. I want to make sure that support for Israel remains strong both among liberals and conservatives.

Please enjoy this humorous, Yiddish take on the election from the National Jewish Democratic Council. Click here if you can't see it at right.