If you care about the well-being of Jews and Israel, by now the incessant Republican attacks on Barack Obama may have persuaded you to be wary of the Democratic candidate. Parse the poison, however, and you will see that it is nouvelle racism grafted to pure unadulterated right-wing bunk.

This election’s top Swiftboating trick (the Jews for Obama Newsletter calls it “schvitz-boating”) is to make you believe Senator Obama is both a secret Muslim and in the thrall of loudmouthed Christian minister Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Right-wing operatives make snide references to black-Jewish conflicts of the past—Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson’s “Hymietown” statement, the Crown Heights riots—in a transparent attempt to associate Obama—merely because of his race—with hostile African-Americans, and to imply that he sympathizes with the enemies of the Jewish people. Scurrilous emails link Obama to the leader of the Nation of Islam, despite the senator having expressly stated: “I decry racism and anti-Semitism and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan.”

Slash-and-burn opposition forces—including, shamefully, Senator Joseph Lieberman—want you to believe Barack Obama is “anti-Israel,” when, in fact, his record of support for the Jewish state has been attested to by such “pro-Israel” lawmakers as Senators Carl Levin, Ben Cardin, Russ Feingold, Ron Wyden, Barbara Boxer and Frank Lautenberg, and by no less a conservative voice than the New York Sun. The attackers also hope you’ll swallow their claim that the candidate is soft on Iran, though he has declared emphatically, “I will do everything in my power—everything—to ensure that Iran does not achieve a nuclear weapon.”

Having so often been the target of rumors and disinformation, Jews ought to be suspicious of crazy and loaded accusations. But some in our community—reportedly many senior citizens, and Jews for whom Israel is a political litmus test—have fallen for the smear and scare tactics.

Read more from Moment magazine…

via Politico

By Jeffrey Ressner
July 28, 2008 10:43 AM EST

“She sometimes answers questions by e-mail,” said one of Barbra Streisand’s trusted confidants, when asked if the star would consent to an interview with Politico. Streisand, who occasionally posts political statements on her own website, rarely does print Q&As and gave her last TV interview back in 2005 with Ellen DeGeneres.

So a month ago a dozen e-mail questions were sent off, nearly all regarding the presidential race. Late last week, we received her answers on shifting her support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama (”immediate”), racism (”naïve to think [it] won’t be a factor”), how things might play out this year (”close”), and much more.

Here are our questions and her answers in full, minus one exchange that substantially overlapped with another.

You strongly supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Was switching to Sen. Barack Obama difficult?

We had a very deep bench of Democratic Presidential candidates in the primary, and we were very lucky to finally have two capable, dynamic and intelligent candidates vying to be the nominee. Supporting Sen. Obama for President was an immediate decision for me after Sen. Clinton ended her bid for the Democratic nomination. Throughout this process, they challenged each other to be better. It was a historical race, with Hillary breaking through that glass ceiling for all women and Barack inspiring young kids that they can overcome their circumstances to reach greatness.

Will you be doing any concerts to support Obama and the Democrats before the election?

I would absolutely consider performing for Sen. Obama and for the Democratic Party.

What do you say to Hillary’s fans that might be moving to vote for McCain - a figure that’s been estimated to be as high as 15 percent of her supporters?

I would urge those voters to take a step back and realize that our country is at an extremely serious crossroad . . . . There is too much at stake right now to elect another George W. Bush to the White House. And John McCain is just that. He has stated that the issue of economics is not something he’s understood as well as he should. He does not support reproductive rights for women, increased veteran’s benefits and ending the war in Iraq. There is just no reason for Sen. Clinton’s supporters not to back Sen. Obama. (more…)

Je rêve qu’Obama, président, rassemble et unifie un pays divisé depuis trop longtemps

From LE MONDE | 26.07.08 | 15h02

By Raphaëlle Bacqué et Annick Cojean

Le Monde today had a full page story and endorsement by Joan Baez. It is reproduced here along with a pro-bono translation to English by the Poet Mary Baine Campbell. (more…)

CNN interviewed Alan Dershowitz following Obama’s AIPAC Speech (which you can watch and read in full, scan an abridged 15 minute version, or view in your home theatre as a 6:13 minute DVD.)

We’ve edited the original CNN video down to 2 minutes, just for you:

CNN: Alan, great to see you. What did you think of his speech?

DERSH: I thought it was a home run. It went a very, very long way towards assuring Jewish voters that he is good for America, he is good for the world, and he’s good for Israel. He said all the right things and went a long way towards assuring Jewish voters yesterday. (more…)

Congratulations, Detroit, on the Red Wings victory in the Stanley Cup finals.

I speak to you this evening as a citizen of the United States. I speak to you also as citizen of the world, because the outcome of this election will affect the future of our planet. For America to lead the world through the dangers we’re facing and to seize the opportunities before us, we’ve got to have new leadership. Not only a new president, but new policies. Not only a new head of state, but a new vision for America’s future.

I want to begin with a few words to my fellow Democrats. We have just concluded an historic contest among the strongest field of candidates any political party has ever offered for the presidency of this country.

An inspiring group of men and a woman with experience and vision, confidence and boldness. Their vigorous competition has attracted record numbers of voters in every part of America, reinvigorated our democracy and helped to rekindle the spirit of our country. And now we’ve made our choice. (more…)

According to the Times of London, Bob Dylan, who has never endorsed a candidate, said this about Obama:

“Well, you know right now America is in a state of upheaval…. Poverty is demoralising. You can’t expect people to have the virtue of purity when they’re poor. But we’ve got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up…. Barack Obama. He’s redefining what a politician is, so we’ll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I’m hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to.”

He added: “You should always take the best from the past, leave the worst back there and go forward into the future.”

Hello, I’m Tom Hanks and I want Barack Obama to be the next president of our country. As official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you!

History, with a capital “H” is going to be made this November, no matter who the president-elect is. I want Barack Obama to be president of this country, a country that once said that people of his skin color were only 3/5th of a human being. (more…)

Dear friends and fans,

Like most of you, I’ve been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where “…nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.” (more…)

Why Barack Obama Got My Vote (from HuffPost)

…Gender has nothing to do with it. Race has nothing to do with it. Integrity has something to do with it. That is why Barack Obama has my vote…

(more…)