GOP Presidential Candidates Stump for Jewish Support
The major GOP Presidential candidates (Brownback, Giuliani, McCain, Romney, and Thompson), and addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Forum this week. Coverage abounds!
The Romney campaign has posted excerpts from his RJC speech here, and Thompson campaign as done so here. The Giuliani website does not offer the text of his remarks, but they have posted, just in time for the RJC event, an extensive fact sheet, “Rudy Giuliani: Friend of Israel” which collects some of his statements on Israel and related concerns.
The Forward’s story leads with the news that “all five Republican presidential candidates expressed skepticism about the Bush administration’s current push for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.”
The Jerusalem Post’s report notes that “Speaking to a Jewish audience and focusing overwhelmingly on national security issues, the candidates sought to use Iran - and their willingness to talk and potentially act tough on the issue - to demonstrate why the Republicans would be the best to protect Jewish and Israeli interests.”
The New York Times’ report (“G.O.P. Candidates Court Jewish Voters,” on their “political blog’) says that “The Crowd Favorite Award went, hands-down, to Mr. Giuliani, who has had perhaps the most direct experience with the Jewish community as mayor of New York.”
The JTA’s Ron Kampas offers a more wide-ranging story, including these thoughts about the interaction for foreign and domestic policy for the RJC:“In addition to standing with Bush on foreign policy, Republican Jews also have emerged as one of the few constituencies willing to touch what has become a third rail in congressional politics: Bush's determination to roll back parts of the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program, which reaches children from families that earn above the Medicaid threshold but still cannot afford insurance.
[RJC Executive Director Matt] Brooks said such loyalty is natural for a president that has proven second to none in his backing for Israel. "Bush has earned it," he said. "Here's a president who in very difficult and challenging times, especially on core issues like Israel, was there for us and was one of the only world leaders standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel."
The RJC’s own coverage, including links to press coverage and, coming soon, a “webcast” of the event is available here.