Of course, Republicans would never admit it, but Barack Obama’s been a super-strong friend of Israel, and I say that as someone who is strongly pro-Israel, although not from a hard right-wing perspective at all. Anyway, let the Republicans rant and rave, let Romney say stupid s*** in Israel and make a fool of himself, whatever. In the end, American Jews are going to vote overwhelmingly Democratic, as they always do, in November 2012. Why? Because American Jews are overwhelmingly committed to social justice, economic fairness, religious tolerance, women’s rights, civil rights, and all the other values Democrats believe and Republicans…well, don’t.
Plus, American Jews know that it was a Democrat named Jimmy Carter who brokered the historic Camp David Accords, a huge strategic victory for Israel (removing the greatest threat to its survival, Egypt, as a military threat for decades to come), and that it was another Democrat named Bill Clinton who brought Israel extremely close to a comprehensive peace treaty with the Palestinians. American Jews might also recall that it was a Republican President named Ronald Reagan (remember this?!?) and a Republican President named George HW Bush (remember this – not to mention James Baker’s “f*** the Jews” comment) who brought U.S.-Israeli relations to historic lows. Perhaps that’s part of why American Jews strongly support Democrats over Republicans, election after election, because we don’t forget stuff like that?