The Federal Calendar

Late in May, President Obama went on a major charm offensive. Objective: to win over the American Jewish community by proving himself a true friend of the Jewish people. The maneuver coincided with Jewish Heritage Month on the federal calendar, kicked into high gear when the president was interviewed for The Atlantic magazine by Jeffrey Goldberg, his Jewish court-chronicler; moved into higher gear the next day at a Jewish preschool; and culminated with his Erev Shabbos address to Congregation Adas Israel.

The media described this last venue as a “large, liberal Conservative” Washington, D.C., synagogue. I haven’t a clue what “liberal Conservative synagogue” means; it seems just an oxymoron, though not nearly the most impressive of the evening. That dubious distinction belongs to what may be the greatest of all oxymorons: Obama recounting he was dubbed “America’s first Jewish President” by Adas member and self-same court-chronicler, Jeffrey Goldberg. It strains the imagination to consider this president Jewish, despite his confession at the White House Chanukah celebration, “I am Jewish in my soul.” I guess nothing should come as a shock with Obama, a confounding combination of terms never before synthesized in the office of the president: Black/White; Muslim/Christian; and another oxymoron — “leading from behind.”

Obama’s Jewish media blitz, an attempt to persuade American Jewry that somehow his much maligned nuclear deal with Iran, the central policy of his second term in office, was in the world’s best interest, began back in March to counter Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress. By winning Jewish public opinion, Obama felt he could somehow prove his Iran plan was not indifferent to Israel.  Strange logic, like saying because some of Obama’s best friends are Jewish, as I am sure they are, it certifies him as pro-Israel, a most dubious claim considering his record.

Through direct statement and implication, Obama regularly claimed to know better than Netanyahu what is best for Israel. This strategy proved counterproductive in Israel, boosting Netanyahu to a resounding victory in the recent election. In America, however, it has had some traction among politically liberal Jews who yet vouch for the “Jewishness” of Obama’s soul, believing him to be “the first Jewish president,” and find it cute when the president refers to himself as a “member of the Tribe” — an offensive term when arrogated by a gentile.

Obama, countering the official Israeli government position that the deal is a dangerous failure, condescendingly declared that the inchoate Iran deal is in Israel’s best interest. To demonstrate strength and his investment in the deal, Obama told the synagogue crowd of nearly 1,200: “I will not accept a bad deal. This deal will have my name on it, so nobody has a bigger personal stake in making sure that it delivers on its promise.” So Obama guarantees the deal as a winner because it’s got his name on it. That is “his” with a lower-case “h,” right? No offense to the president, but the only “his” I bet my life on is written capital “H-i-s.” I would also add, Israel is in Iran’s crosshairs, NOT Washington — yet.

While his speech was greeted with rapturous applause at the “liberal Conservative” synagogue and by many other Jews of that ilk, many less trusting “members of the Tribe” were putting distance between themselves and their former political position and heading Right.

Obama’s legacy with Jews may well be how he caused a seismic political shift to the right. It is an accepted truth that the majority of Jews will continue to vote as Liberal-Democrats. Nonetheless, Obama, with his “tough love” for Israel, petulant treatment of Israel’s democratically elected leader, perilous and naive Iran accord and general pandering to Arab nations might be just the man to motivate an exodus. Though American Jewry accounts for only 2 percent of the national vote at over a 90-percent voter turnout rate, it ranks highest among all American ethnic groups. During Obama’s presidency, the number of Jews identifying as Republican or Independents leaning Republican jumped by more than 50 percent to 1 out of 3 Jews. This shift may be enough to deliver crucial swing states like Ohio and Florida, with their large ­Jewish voting bases.

Jewish flight from its traditional nest in the Democratic Party is not solely due to Obama. As the 2016 presidential election approaches, there is a strong indication that putative Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton will have an uphill battle reclaiming “lost” Jewish voters, because the Democratic Party in recent years has increasingly appeared anti-Israel, notable examples being the Democratic National Convention in 2012 and recently, the dozens of Democratic politicians who boycotted ­Netanyahu’s speech last March.

Jewish Heritage month is behind us, so the federal calendar says, meaning June is “busting out all over.” June 30 is the termination date of the most recent extension period (I lost count of how many), a date the White House has said will not be extended. If Obama wants to show he “does have Israel’s back” and speaking of backs, hopes to get the fleeing Jewish voters “back” to his party, he will let this day pass quietly, glance at the federal calendar, and look forward to the 4th of July.


 

Meir Solomon is a writer, analyst, and commentator living in Alon Shvut, Israel, with his amazing wife and two wonderful children. He can be contacted at msolomon@hamodia.com.

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