I am more than a little disgusted by the Republican attempts to exploit the less than informed fears about Barack Obama in certain segments of the Jewish community. Senator John Kerry skewers the House GOP leaders about this at Huffington today. And Jeff Goldberg’s interview with Obama is certainly worth reading.
I disagree with Obama’s position on Hamas, which is at stark variance with his larger–and eminently wise– principle of trying to keep lines of communication open with everyone, friend and foe alike. I’ll have more to say about the Hamas squabble in my print column tomorrow, and I’ll have much more to say about the counterproductive influence of Jewish neoconservatives on U.S policy in the region during the course of this campaign, as I have in the past. As a Jewish-American, and a supporter of the state of Israel, I find their demagoguery–and the disastrous course they prescribe–quite embarrassing.
Memo to Kathy R. and other Commenters who want me to be explicit about George W. Bush’s role in the empowerment of Hamas: There will be much more in my print column tomorrow.
Update: Hillary gets it right.