Lipstadt: “Learning to love Obama after Hillary Clinton’s defeat”

Aaron Keyak — October 16, 2008 – 9:43 am | Barack Obama | Domestic Policy | Election 2008 | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

In case you haven't seen the recent op-ed from Deborah Lipstadt titled, "Learning to love Obama after Hillary Clinton's defeat," you should definitely take a look. Lipstadt is a Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University and leading Jewish thinker who supported Senator Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries. In Lipstadt's op-ed she talks about how she is now "firmly in the Obama/Biden camp. I have been both pushed and pulled in that direction. I am there as an American, a woman and a Jew."

Here Lipstadt talks about how Jewish Values informed her decision:

The root of charity is "caras," as in dear -- caress, care. The root of tzedaka is justice. Jewish law prefers that people give charity lovingly and kindly. But Jewish law teaches, even if you don't care to give, that you are obligated to do so. How then could I support McCain, who has voted against the minimum wage at least 10 times? How could I support someone who believes in the privatization of Social Security? Can you imagine what would be happening today as the economy lurches toward implosion to people who depended on private Social Security accounts? Social Security is a contract a society makes with its citizens: We will help you when you are old and needy.

Below you will find how Lipstadt feels about Israel lead to her support of Senator Barack Obama:

What about the famous "experience" conundrum? Obama's familiarity with the issues has impressed many people, including the veteran journalist David Horowitz, editor of the Jerusalem Post. Horowitz compared his recent interviews with President Bush and Senators McCain and Obama.

When he met a few months ago with Bush in the Oval Office, the president -- who at this point is "presumably as expert on Israeli-Palestinian policy as he is ever going to be" -- brought with him "no fewer than five advisers and spokespeople during a 40-minute interview," Horowitz wrote.

On his whirlwind visit to Israel, "McCain, one of whose primary strengths is said to be his intimate grasp of foreign affairs, chose to bring along Sen. Joe Lieberman to the interview" and "looked to Lieberman several times for reassurance on his answers and seemed a little flummoxed by a question relating to the nuances of settlement construction."

Horowitz's meeting with Obama was markedly different. Obama "spoke with only a single aide in his hotel room." (The aide's only contribution was to suggest that Obama and Horowitz switch seats, so the Post photographer would have better lighting.)

Obama did not lack for Middle East advisers. Dennis Ross, President Bill Clinton's special envoy to the Middle East and one who is widely respected for his knowledge and commitment to a secure peace settlement, and Daniel Kurtzer, the former ambassador to Israel and Yeshiva University graduate and its former dean, were "hovering in the vicinity," Horowitz wrote, but they were not in the room. Horowitz observed that Obama "knew precisely what he wanted to say about the most intricate issues confronting and concerning Israel, and expressed himself clearly, even stridently on key subjects."

Basically everything that Professor Lipstadt publishes is worth reading, but for those of you who are former Clinton supporters, are still undecided, or - more likely if you are reading this blog - have friends or family who fall into either of those categories, this is a must read.

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