Politico: Benjamin Netanyahu’s side strikes back
Friday, February 6, 2015
By Edward-Isaac Dovere and Jake Sherman
(Excerpt)
Now comes the backlash to the Bibi backlash.
Republican and conservative Jewish organizations are threatening shaming campaigns against Democrats who skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech to a joint meeting of Congress next month. Even talking about not showing, they say, is forsaking America’s relationship with Israel.
Read moreRJC Statement on Jerusalem Synagogue Terror Attack
Washington, D.C. (November 18, 2014) — Reacting to today’s horrifying terrorist attack in Jerusalem, the Republican Jewish Coalition’s National Chairman David Flaum said:
“On behalf of the leaders, members, and staff of the Republican Jewish Coalition, I offer our sincere condolences to the families of those murdered in this horrifying evil act. It is our heartfelt hope that they will be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
“We offer our prayers for peace and healing to the injured, to their families, and to all Israelis confronting the scourge of vicious terrorism.
“And we call on American policy-makers to offer appropriate support and solidarity at this solemn moment. Secretary of State Kerry was right to place a heavy measure of responsibility for this horror on a Palestinian leadership that has tacitly and explicitly encouraged terrorist violence. We urge members of the Obama administration to adhere to this standard of moral clarity in all their statements and actions during the difficult days ahead.”
Larry Elder at the 2014 California Summer Bash
Radio and television personality Larry Elder was one of the featured speakers at our 2014 California Summer Bash.
//player.vimeo.com/video/97767221?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff
Republicans, Jews, the Media and Sheldon Adelson
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
By: RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks
The Republican Jewish Coalition was recently honored to have several prominent Republican elected officials, including Governors Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, and Scott Walker, address RJC leaders at our spring leadership meeting in Las Vegas. This meeting of Jewish Republican activists from around the country was convened at the Venetian Resort, of which RJC board member Sheldon Adelson is the majority shareholder.
Judging by the way some in the mainstream media covered the event, you would think the meeting took place in a one-man phone booth. Some wrote that Adelson “summoned” the governors to town. NBC’s Chuck Todd said, “A single billionaire (Sheldon Adelson) held a cattle call, and potential Republican presidential candidates showed up.”
The reason these governors and other speakers came to the RJC meeting is the same reason they and other Republican elected officials have come to the RJC’s meetings for nearly 30 years, regardless of where the meeting is held and regardless of whether Sheldon Adelson is there – it’s because we invited them and they want to talk with hundreds of Jewish activists who are proud supporters of a strong US-Israel relationship and the GOP.
Because of their obsession with one man, the media’s depiction of our meeting was exaggerated and ignored the real news story here: the warm relationship between the GOP and the American Jewish community.
Since 1985, the RJC has been the Republican Jewish voice in both the broader Jewish community and in the Republican Party. Our members are intensely active in both communities.
That’s because the Jewish community is regarded as an important and valued constituency within the GOP. Republican candidates at every level are committed to reaching out to the Jewish community. Republican decision makers and the grassroots support the core issues that matter to the Jewish community. To give just one example, Gallup and Pew polls over the last few years have consistently shown that Republicans are far more supportive of Israel than Democrats are.
Jewish voters are responding. In 2012, a very challenging year for Republicans overall, the Jewish vote for the Republican presidential candidate jumped almost 50 percent, from 22 percent in 2008 to 32 percent in 2012, a ten-point gain. Republicans have increased their share of the Jewish vote in five of the last six presidential elections. The bonds between the Republican Party and the Jewish community are strong and getting stronger over time.
The RJC leadership meetings over the years have been the venue for many prominent Republicans to get to know the Jewish community. Gov. Mitt Romney addressed our March 2006 meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. Senator John McCain spoke at our May 2006 meeting in Washington, D.C. Gov. Haley Barbour spoke at our March 2010 meeting in Las Vegas. Senator Rick Santorum spoke at our October 2010 meeting in Washington, D.C. Wherever we meet, party leaders regularly join us, not because of any one man, but because of their strong support for Israel and because our thousands of members are knowledgeable activists whose support for these leaders is important.
Any of the governors who attended the RJC meeting in Las Vegas could have met privately with Mr. Adelson at any time they chose. Those governors came to the RJC meeting to speak to 400 active, committed Jewish Republicans, because the Jewish community is an important part of the Republican Party. To portray the event as all about one Jewish man and his money is unfair to the governors, the GOP, and most of all, the Jewish community.
Matthew Brooks is the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
This article was published in the New York Observer on April 9, 2014.
By: RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks
The Republican Jewish Coalition was recently honored to have several prominent Republican elected officials, including Governors Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, and Scott Walker, address RJC leaders at our spring leadership meeting in Las Vegas. This meeting of Jewish Republican activists from around the country was convened at the Venetian Resort, of which RJC board member Sheldon Adelson is the majority shareholder.
Judging by the way some in the mainstream media covered the event, you would think the meeting took place in a one-man phone booth. Some wrote that Adelson “summoned” the governors to town. NBC’s Chuck Todd said, “A single billionaire (Sheldon Adelson) held a cattle call, and potential Republican presidential candidates showed up.”
The reason these governors and other speakers came to the RJC meeting is the same reason they and other Republican elected officials have come to the RJC’s meetings for nearly 30 years, regardless of where the meeting is held and regardless of whether Sheldon Adelson is there – it’s because we invited them and they want to talk with hundreds of Jewish activists who are proud supporters of a strong US-Israel relationship and the GOP.
Because of their obsession with one man, the media’s depiction of our meeting was exaggerated and ignored the real news story here: the warm relationship between the GOP and the American Jewish community.
Since 1985, the RJC has been the Republican Jewish voice in both the broader Jewish community and in the Republican Party. Our members are intensely active in both communities.
That’s because the Jewish community is regarded as an important and valued constituency within the GOP. Republican candidates at every level are committed to reaching out to the Jewish community. Republican decision makers and the grassroots support the core issues that matter to the Jewish community. To give just one example, Gallup and Pew polls over the last few years have consistently shown that Republicans are far more supportive of Israel than Democrats are.
Jewish voters are responding. In 2012, a very challenging year for Republicans overall, the Jewish vote for the Republican presidential candidate jumped almost 50 percent, from 22 percent in 2008 to 32 percent in 2012, a ten-point gain. Republicans have increased their share of the Jewish vote in five of the last six presidential elections. The bonds between the Republican Party and the Jewish community are strong and getting stronger over time.
The RJC leadership meetings over the years have been the venue for many prominent Republicans to get to know the Jewish community. Gov. Mitt Romney addressed our March 2006 meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. Senator John McCain spoke at our May 2006 meeting in Washington, D.C. Gov. Haley Barbour spoke at our March 2010 meeting in Las Vegas. Senator Rick Santorum spoke at our October 2010 meeting in Washington, D.C. Wherever we meet, party leaders regularly join us, not because of any one man, but because of their strong support for Israel and because our thousands of members are knowledgeable activists whose support for these leaders is important.
Any of the governors who attended the RJC meeting in Las Vegas could have met privately with Mr. Adelson at any time they chose. Those governors came to the RJC meeting to speak to 400 active, committed Jewish Republicans, because the Jewish community is an important part of the Republican Party. To portray the event as all about one Jewish man and his money is unfair to the governors, the GOP, and most of all, the Jewish community.
Matthew Brooks is the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
This article was published in the New York Observer on April 9, 2014.
Jewish Exponent: Israel Stalwart Gerlach Won't Seek Re-Election
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
By: Bryan Schwartzman, Jewish Exponent Staff Writer
Jewish Republicans and many local pro-Israel advocates said they were stunned and disappointed by the surprise announcement that U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, a Republican from Chester County, won’t be seeking re-election.
The 58-year-old, six-term congressman was considered a pro-Israel stalwart. He was a frequent target of Democrats and had survived several close contests that drew national attention to the Pennsylvania suburbs.
“The news that Jim Gerlach is leaving is a tremendous loss to the Southeast Pennsylvania congressional delegation,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Gerlach has “always been great on Israel,” Schatz said, but he’s also been open to Federation’s concerns on a range of social issues, even if he hasn’t always backed the organization’s stance. She cited Gerlach’s vote in September to cut $40 billion from the federal food stamp program as an example where Gerlach heard the organized Jewish community’s concerns but ultimately voted the other way.
In a prepared statement released Monday, Gerlach, who previously spent 12 years in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, said: “It is simply time for me to move on to new challenges and to spend more time with my wife and family, who have been extremely supportive and have made significant sacrifices during my tenure in public office.”
Gerlach’s planned departure follows on the heels of U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan’s (R-N.J.) announcement several months ago that he also won’t be seeking re-election. Both Gerlach and Runyan have expressed frustration with the current state of gridlock in Washington.
First elected to Congress in 2002, Gerlach has been considered a go-to lawmaker on issues related to Israel. Just this past week, Gerlach called for American funding to the Palestinian Authority to be halted until a reported stipend program the authority has used for convicted terrorists is ended.
For his efforts, Gerlach got a shout-out from the Zionist Organization of America.
Scott Feigelstein, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Philadelphia chapter, said “It is very disappointing to see someone as talented and as effective as Jim” leave public service.
On the other hand, Democratic activist Betsy Sheerr said “no tears were being shed” over Gerlach’s exit. David Broida, a Democrat from the Main Line, said that while he may have sometimes reached across the aisle, Gerlach was a reliable Republican vote.
Gerlach first traveled to the Jewish state in 2005 on an RJC trip led by Philadelphia lawyer Steven Friedman. He returned on an official congressional trip.
In June 2006, in a tough re-election year, he caused a controversy by hosting a public program in Ardmore with Danny Ayalon, then Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
Though it was done under the auspices of his congressional office and was not a campaign event, many Democrats, including his opponent, Lois Murphy, said the program appeared to be an endorsement of Gerlach.
Gerlach, whose district used to include the Jewish enclave of Lower Merion but no longer does, briefly ran for governor in 2010. But he dropped out of the race and ran for another term in the House.
The district is still considered competitive and, with Gerlach’s departure, Democrats see a new opening. One declared candidate is Michael Parrish, the 49-year-old CEO of a financial services firm.
© 2013 Jewish Exponent.
This article was published on the Jewish Exponent web site on January 8, 2014.
By: Bryan Schwartzman, Jewish Exponent Staff Writer
Jewish Republicans and many local pro-Israel advocates said they were stunned and disappointed by the surprise announcement that U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, a Republican from Chester County, won’t be seeking re-election.
The 58-year-old, six-term congressman was considered a pro-Israel stalwart. He was a frequent target of Democrats and had survived several close contests that drew national attention to the Pennsylvania suburbs.
“The news that Jim Gerlach is leaving is a tremendous loss to the Southeast Pennsylvania congressional delegation,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Gerlach has “always been great on Israel,” Schatz said, but he’s also been open to Federation’s concerns on a range of social issues, even if he hasn’t always backed the organization’s stance. She cited Gerlach’s vote in September to cut $40 billion from the federal food stamp program as an example where Gerlach heard the organized Jewish community’s concerns but ultimately voted the other way.
In a prepared statement released Monday, Gerlach, who previously spent 12 years in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, said: “It is simply time for me to move on to new challenges and to spend more time with my wife and family, who have been extremely supportive and have made significant sacrifices during my tenure in public office.”
Gerlach’s planned departure follows on the heels of U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan’s (R-N.J.) announcement several months ago that he also won’t be seeking re-election. Both Gerlach and Runyan have expressed frustration with the current state of gridlock in Washington.
First elected to Congress in 2002, Gerlach has been considered a go-to lawmaker on issues related to Israel. Just this past week, Gerlach called for American funding to the Palestinian Authority to be halted until a reported stipend program the authority has used for convicted terrorists is ended.
For his efforts, Gerlach got a shout-out from the Zionist Organization of America.
Scott Feigelstein, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Philadelphia chapter, said “It is very disappointing to see someone as talented and as effective as Jim” leave public service.
On the other hand, Democratic activist Betsy Sheerr said “no tears were being shed” over Gerlach’s exit. David Broida, a Democrat from the Main Line, said that while he may have sometimes reached across the aisle, Gerlach was a reliable Republican vote.
Gerlach first traveled to the Jewish state in 2005 on an RJC trip led by Philadelphia lawyer Steven Friedman. He returned on an official congressional trip.
In June 2006, in a tough re-election year, he caused a controversy by hosting a public program in Ardmore with Danny Ayalon, then Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
Though it was done under the auspices of his congressional office and was not a campaign event, many Democrats, including his opponent, Lois Murphy, said the program appeared to be an endorsement of Gerlach.
Gerlach, whose district used to include the Jewish enclave of Lower Merion but no longer does, briefly ran for governor in 2010. But he dropped out of the race and ran for another term in the House.
The district is still considered competitive and, with Gerlach’s departure, Democrats see a new opening. One declared candidate is Michael Parrish, the 49-year-old CEO of a financial services firm.
© 2013 Jewish Exponent.
This article was published on the Jewish Exponent web site on January 8, 2014.
Jewish Exponent: Israel Stalwart Gerlach Won't Seek Re-Election
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
By: Bryan Schwartzman, Jewish Exponent Staff Writer
Jewish Republicans and many local pro-Israel advocates said they were stunned and disappointed by the surprise announcement that U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, a Republican from Chester County, won’t be seeking re-election.
The 58-year-old, six-term congressman was considered a pro-Israel stalwart. He was a frequent target of Democrats and had survived several close contests that drew national attention to the Pennsylvania suburbs.
“The news that Jim Gerlach is leaving is a tremendous loss to the Southeast Pennsylvania congressional delegation,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Gerlach has “always been great on Israel,” Schatz said, but he’s also been open to Federation’s concerns on a range of social issues, even if he hasn’t always backed the organization’s stance. She cited Gerlach’s vote in September to cut $40 billion from the federal food stamp program as an example where Gerlach heard the organized Jewish community’s concerns but ultimately voted the other way.
In a prepared statement released Monday, Gerlach, who previously spent 12 years in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, said: “It is simply time for me to move on to new challenges and to spend more time with my wife and family, who have been extremely supportive and have made significant sacrifices during my tenure in public office.”
Gerlach’s planned departure follows on the heels of U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan’s (R-N.J.) announcement several months ago that he also won’t be seeking re-election. Both Gerlach and Runyan have expressed frustration with the current state of gridlock in Washington.
First elected to Congress in 2002, Gerlach has been considered a go-to lawmaker on issues related to Israel. Just this past week, Gerlach called for American funding to the Palestinian Authority to be halted until a reported stipend program the authority has used for convicted terrorists is ended.
For his efforts, Gerlach got a shout-out from the Zionist Organization of America.
Scott Feigelstein, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Philadelphia chapter, said “It is very disappointing to see someone as talented and as effective as Jim” leave public service.
On the other hand, Democratic activist Betsy Sheerr said “no tears were being shed” over Gerlach’s exit. David Broida, a Democrat from the Main Line, said that while he may have sometimes reached across the aisle, Gerlach was a reliable Republican vote.
Gerlach first traveled to the Jewish state in 2005 on an RJC trip led by Philadelphia lawyer Steven Friedman. He returned on an official congressional trip.
In June 2006, in a tough re-election year, he caused a controversy by hosting a public program in Ardmore with Danny Ayalon, then Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
Though it was done under the auspices of his congressional office and was not a campaign event, many Democrats, including his opponent, Lois Murphy, said the program appeared to be an endorsement of Gerlach.
Gerlach, whose district used to include the Jewish enclave of Lower Merion but no longer does, briefly ran for governor in 2010. But he dropped out of the race and ran for another term in the House.
The district is still considered competitive and, with Gerlach’s departure, Democrats see a new opening. One declared candidate is Michael Parrish, the 49-year-old CEO of a financial services firm.
© 2013 Jewish Exponent.
This article was published on the Jewish Exponent web site on January 8, 2014.
By: Bryan Schwartzman, Jewish Exponent Staff Writer
Jewish Republicans and many local pro-Israel advocates said they were stunned and disappointed by the surprise announcement that U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, a Republican from Chester County, won’t be seeking re-election.
The 58-year-old, six-term congressman was considered a pro-Israel stalwart. He was a frequent target of Democrats and had survived several close contests that drew national attention to the Pennsylvania suburbs.
“The news that Jim Gerlach is leaving is a tremendous loss to the Southeast Pennsylvania congressional delegation,” said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Gerlach has “always been great on Israel,” Schatz said, but he’s also been open to Federation’s concerns on a range of social issues, even if he hasn’t always backed the organization’s stance. She cited Gerlach’s vote in September to cut $40 billion from the federal food stamp program as an example where Gerlach heard the organized Jewish community’s concerns but ultimately voted the other way.
In a prepared statement released Monday, Gerlach, who previously spent 12 years in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, said: “It is simply time for me to move on to new challenges and to spend more time with my wife and family, who have been extremely supportive and have made significant sacrifices during my tenure in public office.”
Gerlach’s planned departure follows on the heels of U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan’s (R-N.J.) announcement several months ago that he also won’t be seeking re-election. Both Gerlach and Runyan have expressed frustration with the current state of gridlock in Washington.
First elected to Congress in 2002, Gerlach has been considered a go-to lawmaker on issues related to Israel. Just this past week, Gerlach called for American funding to the Palestinian Authority to be halted until a reported stipend program the authority has used for convicted terrorists is ended.
For his efforts, Gerlach got a shout-out from the Zionist Organization of America.
Scott Feigelstein, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Philadelphia chapter, said “It is very disappointing to see someone as talented and as effective as Jim” leave public service.
On the other hand, Democratic activist Betsy Sheerr said “no tears were being shed” over Gerlach’s exit. David Broida, a Democrat from the Main Line, said that while he may have sometimes reached across the aisle, Gerlach was a reliable Republican vote.
Gerlach first traveled to the Jewish state in 2005 on an RJC trip led by Philadelphia lawyer Steven Friedman. He returned on an official congressional trip.
In June 2006, in a tough re-election year, he caused a controversy by hosting a public program in Ardmore with Danny Ayalon, then Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
Though it was done under the auspices of his congressional office and was not a campaign event, many Democrats, including his opponent, Lois Murphy, said the program appeared to be an endorsement of Gerlach.
Gerlach, whose district used to include the Jewish enclave of Lower Merion but no longer does, briefly ran for governor in 2010. But he dropped out of the race and ran for another term in the House.
The district is still considered competitive and, with Gerlach’s departure, Democrats see a new opening. One declared candidate is Michael Parrish, the 49-year-old CEO of a financial services firm.
© 2013 Jewish Exponent.
This article was published on the Jewish Exponent web site on January 8, 2014.
NJ Jewish Standard: It's Ari's Party
Friday, October 11, 2013
By: Larry Yudelson, New Jersey Jewish Standard
You don’t get much more Jewish than the name “Ari.”
And you don’t get much more Republican than serving as White House press secretary for President George W. Bush.
Which makes Ari Fleischer a natural public face of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Fleischer was in Teaneck last week, as a four-city “Blueprint for Victory” barnstorming tour featuring him and RJC director Matthew Brooks touched down at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun.
The session was moderated by the synagogue’s Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, an enthusiastic partisan.
“Sometimes I watch Republican spokesmen and I wonder why the response is not more forceful,” Pruzansky said at one point to Fleischer.
“Rabbi, you’d make a great press secretary,” Fleischer replied.
Jewish Republicans are rare and lonely, Pruzansky admitted, noting that the recent Pew Survey found 70 percent of American Jews identify as Democrats or leaning that way, versus 22 percent as Republican. While Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal often is seen as having created the Jewish Democratic vote, Pruzansky said it went back further — it was Warren Harding, elected in 1920, who was the last Republican to receive a majority of the Jewish vote. “Maybe because his middle name was Gamliel,” Pruzansky joked — though Ronald Reagan came close in 1980.
But in the Orthodox community, the political leanings go the other way. The Pew Survey reported that among the Orthodox, 57 percent are or lean Republican, and only 36 percent are Democratic or lean that way.
Looking back at the last election, Brooks said that for the Republican Jewish Coalition, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Worst, because “the Republicans were blown out of the water across the board” with the defeat of Mitt Romney.
Best, because “it was our greatest year ever. We had the most sophisticated, largest, most expensive outreach in the Jewish community. At a time when Republicans were being wiped out across all constituent groups, we actually increased by 50 percent. John McCain got 22 percent of the Jewish vote in 2008; Romney got 32 percent in 2012,” Brooks said.
“We’ve gained market share in the Jewish community in five of the last six national elections. We’ve gone from 11 percent in 1992” when Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush. “This trajectory underscores that we’re having an impact in the Jewish community.”
But if Republicans did better among the Jews, why did they not succeed in the general population?
“I’m the child of an immigrant,” Fleischer said. “My mother got out from Hungary in 1939. Romney sent a signal that we don’t want that here. That’s in contrast to my old boss who said, ‘Family values don’t stop at the Rio Grande.’ When Bush said that, Hispanics would listen to the next sentence. Republicans won’t get the White House again unless we’re able to get a sizable chunk of Hispanic votes. Bush got 44 percent of the Hispanic vote. Romney got 27 percent.”
Fleischer, who was among the authors of a 100-page Republican National Committee post mortem released in the spring, said Romney was a flawed candidate.
“Too many people looked at that person and did not feel he represented them enough,” he said. “Did the candidate care about me, or just about the wealthy? That’s a question the Republicans have to do a better job of addressing.”
Fleischer’s report was criticized quickly by Rush Limbaugh and other leaders of the party’s right wing. Some of the internal party tensions were quietly audible in the interplay between Fleischer and Pruzansky, who at one point complained about the general “demonization” of the Tea Party movement.
“It’s very hard to compete with the party of the free stuff,” Pruzansky asked. “How do you compete against the free stuff?”
Fleischer pushed back against the premise.
“It’s not just people who are getting free stuff, the poor or low income,” he said. “It’s people from all walks of life. It’s corporations who are getting tax benefits they don’t need anymore. It’s wealthy people who get tax cuts they don’t need anymore. I don’t limit my criticism of people who get free stuff to just one group of people.
“What wins it for the Republicans is the power of aspiration. If we have that optimistic, sunny can-do candidate, with the sense of calling American to its higher aspirational self, we can win on those grounds,” he said.
In response to a question on the key differences between the Republicans and Democrats on issues of concern to the Jewish community, Brooks pointed to Israel.
“In Congress, there is strong bipartisan support for Israel,” he said. “What really worries me is what’s taking place at the grass roots level. In poll after poll, when asked who do you most side with in Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the overwhelming majority of Republicans stand with Israel. Not even a majority of Democrats do.
“What happened at the Democratic convention in Charlotte should send a chill down everyone’s spine. The leadership scrambled to get Jerusalem back into the platform to the boos of the activists in the hall. The Democrats have to do some serious soul-searching,” he said.
© The Jewish Standard. Story link.
The "Blueprint for Victory" town hall event in Northern New Jersey drew a large and enthusiastic crowd. Photo credit: RJC
By: Larry Yudelson, New Jersey Jewish Standard
You don’t get much more Jewish than the name “Ari.”
And you don’t get much more Republican than serving as White House press secretary for President George W. Bush.
Which makes Ari Fleischer a natural public face of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Fleischer was in Teaneck last week, as a four-city “Blueprint for Victory” barnstorming tour featuring him and RJC director Matthew Brooks touched down at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun.
The session was moderated by the synagogue’s Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, an enthusiastic partisan.
“Sometimes I watch Republican spokesmen and I wonder why the response is not more forceful,” Pruzansky said at one point to Fleischer.
“Rabbi, you’d make a great press secretary,” Fleischer replied.
Jewish Republicans are rare and lonely, Pruzansky admitted, noting that the recent Pew Survey found 70 percent of American Jews identify as Democrats or leaning that way, versus 22 percent as Republican. While Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal often is seen as having created the Jewish Democratic vote, Pruzansky said it went back further — it was Warren Harding, elected in 1920, who was the last Republican to receive a majority of the Jewish vote. “Maybe because his middle name was Gamliel,” Pruzansky joked — though Ronald Reagan came close in 1980.
But in the Orthodox community, the political leanings go the other way. The Pew Survey reported that among the Orthodox, 57 percent are or lean Republican, and only 36 percent are Democratic or lean that way.
Looking back at the last election, Brooks said that for the Republican Jewish Coalition, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Worst, because “the Republicans were blown out of the water across the board” with the defeat of Mitt Romney.
Best, because “it was our greatest year ever. We had the most sophisticated, largest, most expensive outreach in the Jewish community. At a time when Republicans were being wiped out across all constituent groups, we actually increased by 50 percent. John McCain got 22 percent of the Jewish vote in 2008; Romney got 32 percent in 2012,” Brooks said.
“We’ve gained market share in the Jewish community in five of the last six national elections. We’ve gone from 11 percent in 1992” when Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush. “This trajectory underscores that we’re having an impact in the Jewish community.”
But if Republicans did better among the Jews, why did they not succeed in the general population?
“I’m the child of an immigrant,” Fleischer said. “My mother got out from Hungary in 1939. Romney sent a signal that we don’t want that here. That’s in contrast to my old boss who said, ‘Family values don’t stop at the Rio Grande.’ When Bush said that, Hispanics would listen to the next sentence. Republicans won’t get the White House again unless we’re able to get a sizable chunk of Hispanic votes. Bush got 44 percent of the Hispanic vote. Romney got 27 percent.”
Fleischer, who was among the authors of a 100-page Republican National Committee post mortem released in the spring, said Romney was a flawed candidate.
“Too many people looked at that person and did not feel he represented them enough,” he said. “Did the candidate care about me, or just about the wealthy? That’s a question the Republicans have to do a better job of addressing.”
Fleischer’s report was criticized quickly by Rush Limbaugh and other leaders of the party’s right wing. Some of the internal party tensions were quietly audible in the interplay between Fleischer and Pruzansky, who at one point complained about the general “demonization” of the Tea Party movement.
“It’s very hard to compete with the party of the free stuff,” Pruzansky asked. “How do you compete against the free stuff?”
Fleischer pushed back against the premise.
“It’s not just people who are getting free stuff, the poor or low income,” he said. “It’s people from all walks of life. It’s corporations who are getting tax benefits they don’t need anymore. It’s wealthy people who get tax cuts they don’t need anymore. I don’t limit my criticism of people who get free stuff to just one group of people.
“What wins it for the Republicans is the power of aspiration. If we have that optimistic, sunny can-do candidate, with the sense of calling American to its higher aspirational self, we can win on those grounds,” he said.
In response to a question on the key differences between the Republicans and Democrats on issues of concern to the Jewish community, Brooks pointed to Israel.
“In Congress, there is strong bipartisan support for Israel,” he said. “What really worries me is what’s taking place at the grass roots level. In poll after poll, when asked who do you most side with in Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the overwhelming majority of Republicans stand with Israel. Not even a majority of Democrats do.
“What happened at the Democratic convention in Charlotte should send a chill down everyone’s spine. The leadership scrambled to get Jerusalem back into the platform to the boos of the activists in the hall. The Democrats have to do some serious soul-searching,” he said.
© The Jewish Standard. Story link.
The "Blueprint for Victory" town hall event in Northern New Jersey drew a large and enthusiastic crowd. Photo credit: RJC
FoxNews: Samantha Power facing early resistance in bid for UN post
Friday, June 6, 2013
FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON – President Obama's nominee to replace Susan Rice as the next U.N. ambassador is running into early opposition from conservative Jewish groups and at least one Republican senator, as she prepares for what could be a tough confirmation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shortly after Obama nominated Samantha Power, called the selection "deeply troubling."
Never shy about his views, Cruz bluntly questioned a series of statements Power has made, including a 2003 essay in which she called for the U.S. to institute a "doctrine of the mea culpa" to enhance credibility.
“No nation has spilled more blood or sacrificed more for the freedom of others than ours, and yet Ms. Power has publicly embraces the need for America to continue apologizing to the world for perceived transgressions, going so far as to explicitly urge ‘instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa’,” Cruz said in a written statement.
It's unclear whether other conservatives will join Cruz or mount a sizeable opposition. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., already has said he would support Power, while other influential lawmakers have not yet offered an opinion on her credentials.
Obama nominated Power as he named Rice, who had a controversial tenure in the ambassador job, to be his national security adviser. Rice will not face confirmation for that position. Obama, who called Power "experienced, effective and energetic," urged the Senate to confirm her "without delay."
However, not everyone is on board with his pick.
A few groups have come out against putting the Harvard scholar in a position to represent the country’s interests on a global scale. They say Power’s past comments on Israel and other issues should be seen as warning signs.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said Power "has a record of statements that are very troubling to Americans who support Israel."
"We urge members of the U.S. Senate to question her closely about her past statements and writings," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a written statement. "She must respond to the strong doubts about her views raised by that record. Senators should also examine her tenure as head of the President's Atrocity Prevention Board to see what results, if any, came out of her time there."
Critics point to a 2002 interview where Power seemed to suggest the possibility of military intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
-- Read the rest of this story at the FoxNews web site --
Copyright ©2013 FOX News Network, LLC
Story link.
FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON – President Obama's nominee to replace Susan Rice as the next U.N. ambassador is running into early opposition from conservative Jewish groups and at least one Republican senator, as she prepares for what could be a tough confirmation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shortly after Obama nominated Samantha Power, called the selection "deeply troubling."
Never shy about his views, Cruz bluntly questioned a series of statements Power has made, including a 2003 essay in which she called for the U.S. to institute a "doctrine of the mea culpa" to enhance credibility.
“No nation has spilled more blood or sacrificed more for the freedom of others than ours, and yet Ms. Power has publicly embraces the need for America to continue apologizing to the world for perceived transgressions, going so far as to explicitly urge ‘instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa’,” Cruz said in a written statement.
It's unclear whether other conservatives will join Cruz or mount a sizeable opposition. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., already has said he would support Power, while other influential lawmakers have not yet offered an opinion on her credentials.
Obama nominated Power as he named Rice, who had a controversial tenure in the ambassador job, to be his national security adviser. Rice will not face confirmation for that position. Obama, who called Power "experienced, effective and energetic," urged the Senate to confirm her "without delay."
However, not everyone is on board with his pick.
A few groups have come out against putting the Harvard scholar in a position to represent the country’s interests on a global scale. They say Power’s past comments on Israel and other issues should be seen as warning signs.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said Power "has a record of statements that are very troubling to Americans who support Israel."
"We urge members of the U.S. Senate to question her closely about her past statements and writings," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a written statement. "She must respond to the strong doubts about her views raised by that record. Senators should also examine her tenure as head of the President's Atrocity Prevention Board to see what results, if any, came out of her time there."
Critics point to a 2002 interview where Power seemed to suggest the possibility of military intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
-- Read the rest of this story at the FoxNews web site --
Copyright ©2013 FOX News Network, LLC
Story link.
FoxNews: Samantha Power facing early resistance in bid for UN post
Friday, June 6, 2013
FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON – President Obama's nominee to replace Susan Rice as the next U.N. ambassador is running into early opposition from conservative Jewish groups and at least one Republican senator, as she prepares for what could be a tough confirmation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shortly after Obama nominated Samantha Power, called the selection "deeply troubling."
Never shy about his views, Cruz bluntly questioned a series of statements Power has made, including a 2003 essay in which she called for the U.S. to institute a "doctrine of the mea culpa" to enhance credibility.
“No nation has spilled more blood or sacrificed more for the freedom of others than ours, and yet Ms. Power has publicly embraces the need for America to continue apologizing to the world for perceived transgressions, going so far as to explicitly urge ‘instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa’,” Cruz said in a written statement.
It's unclear whether other conservatives will join Cruz or mount a sizeable opposition. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., already has said he would support Power, while other influential lawmakers have not yet offered an opinion on her credentials.
Obama nominated Power as he named Rice, who had a controversial tenure in the ambassador job, to be his national security adviser. Rice will not face confirmation for that position. Obama, who called Power "experienced, effective and energetic," urged the Senate to confirm her "without delay."
However, not everyone is on board with his pick.
A few groups have come out against putting the Harvard scholar in a position to represent the country’s interests on a global scale. They say Power’s past comments on Israel and other issues should be seen as warning signs.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said Power "has a record of statements that are very troubling to Americans who support Israel."
"We urge members of the U.S. Senate to question her closely about her past statements and writings," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a written statement. "She must respond to the strong doubts about her views raised by that record. Senators should also examine her tenure as head of the President's Atrocity Prevention Board to see what results, if any, came out of her time there."
Critics point to a 2002 interview where Power seemed to suggest the possibility of military intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
-- Read the rest of this story at the FoxNews web site --
Copyright ©2013 FOX News Network, LLC
Story link.
FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON – President Obama's nominee to replace Susan Rice as the next U.N. ambassador is running into early opposition from conservative Jewish groups and at least one Republican senator, as she prepares for what could be a tough confirmation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, shortly after Obama nominated Samantha Power, called the selection "deeply troubling."
Never shy about his views, Cruz bluntly questioned a series of statements Power has made, including a 2003 essay in which she called for the U.S. to institute a "doctrine of the mea culpa" to enhance credibility.
“No nation has spilled more blood or sacrificed more for the freedom of others than ours, and yet Ms. Power has publicly embraces the need for America to continue apologizing to the world for perceived transgressions, going so far as to explicitly urge ‘instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa’,” Cruz said in a written statement.
It's unclear whether other conservatives will join Cruz or mount a sizeable opposition. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., already has said he would support Power, while other influential lawmakers have not yet offered an opinion on her credentials.
Obama nominated Power as he named Rice, who had a controversial tenure in the ambassador job, to be his national security adviser. Rice will not face confirmation for that position. Obama, who called Power "experienced, effective and energetic," urged the Senate to confirm her "without delay."
However, not everyone is on board with his pick.
A few groups have come out against putting the Harvard scholar in a position to represent the country’s interests on a global scale. They say Power’s past comments on Israel and other issues should be seen as warning signs.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said Power "has a record of statements that are very troubling to Americans who support Israel."
"We urge members of the U.S. Senate to question her closely about her past statements and writings," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a written statement. "She must respond to the strong doubts about her views raised by that record. Senators should also examine her tenure as head of the President's Atrocity Prevention Board to see what results, if any, came out of her time there."
Critics point to a 2002 interview where Power seemed to suggest the possibility of military intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
-- Read the rest of this story at the FoxNews web site --
Copyright ©2013 FOX News Network, LLC
Story link.
In Case You Missed It: President Obama lost votes in heavily Jewish precincts, Democratic analyst says
Washington, D.C. (February 11, 2013) -- The latest research by a Democratic party data analyst in South Florida underscores the effectiveness of the Republican Jewish Coalition's unprecedented outreach to the Jewish community in 2012.
The Republican Jewish Coalition conducted the largest-ever grassroots campaign in the Jewish community in top swing states, including Florida. Hundreds of RJC volunteers conducted phone banks, door-to-door literature drops, and sign-waving sessions on busy corners in key areas of the state. The RJC ran "My Buyer's Remorse" ads on broadcast and cable television and print ads in Jewish newspapers. We sent out mailers to hundreds of thousands of Florida voters and put up "Obama, Oy Vey!" billboards along major routes in South Florida. The RJC also produced a 9-minute mini-documentary on President Obama and Israel entitled Perilous Times, which was viewed over one million times.
George Bennett at the Palm Beach Post reports:
President Barack Obama easily carried Democrat-tilted Palm Beach County in November, but he got 11,555 fewer votes than in 2008. About half of that drop-off can be attributed to Democrats in 45 "very Jewish" precincts who appear to have crossed party lines and voted for Mitt Romney, a numbers-cruncher for the county Democratic Party says.
Richard Ingman, a retired chief financial officer who serves as the local party's director of data and statistics, included that estimate in a report on the 2012 elections at last Thursday's Democratic Executive Committee meeting.
It was mostly good news for Dems, but Ingman said Obama slipped in some precincts where Democrats have roughly a 3-1 registration advantage. In most of those precincts, Obama got about 75 percent of the vote. But in 45 precincts that have large senior and Jewish populations, Ingman said, Obama got around 65 percent.
"We had a problem. According to my calculations - and you have to use a lot of assumptions - 5,500 Democrats, good Democrats, in those precincts went to their polls and voted for Romney," Ingman said.
"What's their names?" shouted Mid-County Democratic Club President Allen Mergaman, who is Jewish.
"We have an issue there that we need to be aware of and deal with," Ingman continued. "But remember, in those same precincts, there were 22,000 other Democrats who have the same demographics, who share the same love of Israel, who have all the same issues, who heard all the same lies, who heard the chitter-chatter of their neighbors and still stayed loyal to President Obama."
National exit polls showed Obama getting 69 percent of the Jewish vote in 2008, down from estimates of 74 percent or 78 percent in 2008. Republicans aimed appeals at Jewish voters that cast Obama as a weak ally of Israel.