RUTHFULLY YOURS

They said it would never happen. They said it couldn’t be done. But Jews — who have cleaved to the Democratic Party with a ferocity unknown to man or Icelandic volcano since the signing of the Magna Carta or the inauguration of FDR, whichever came first — are slowly (inexorably?) beginning to drift away from Barack Obama.

According to a poll published this week by McClaughlin & Associates ^[1], 46 percent of Jewish voters would prefer someone else than Obama in the presidency, compared to 42 percent who would re-elect him. That’s only a meagre four percent separation, but that number is stunning considering Obama got 78 percent of the Jewish vote in November. That’s a difference of 32 percent between now and then. Has there been another voting block with that large a swing? There may have been, but I doubt it. Something is clearly going on here.

Now I understand these views are fluid and could switch back again. Habits are hard to change, longterm habits even more so. I’m sure the Democratic Party is banking on that. All loyal subjects come back in the end. But considering the Obama Administration continues to pressure Israel in such a mindless, almost primitive, manner, it’s not entirely unlikely that this swing will continue, even expand. As I wrote the other day ^[2], Obama’s attitude toward Israel and its leadership is excessively personal. Many Jews can see that. How could they not?

And it’s not just the President.

Obama’s Secretary of State is still bashing ^[3] Israel in a way that makes little logical sense and seems fueled by personal animus (though in her case it may be against her husband, who was indeed a friend of Israel). As recently as a speech Thursday, Hillary insisted Israel must do more for peace and increase its support of the Palestinian Authority (whatever that means) in order not to empower Hamas. Of course, there was the traditional aside that the PA should lower their incitement, but largely it was Israel Israel Israel. Israel must, Israel should, Israel had better, etc. Of course, I am not the first to point out that this is essentially racist toward Palestinian Arabs, implying that they are infants unable to do anything for themselves, but never mind. Israel is the villain.

The Congress (the majority Democrats, as we know) is worried about the Administration’s behavior. They’ve probably been reading this poll too and don’t want to be dragged down with their leader. And, yes, I imagine it’s likely the Administration will walk back on this at some point and make nice with the Israelis, possibly even with the reviled Netanyahu. But the “dye” has been cast. We have seen it. Some of it is indelible.

So regarding my headline, does this switch — big, little, permanent or not — mean that Jewish Tea Parties are coming? I’m not sure, but I will say this. When your mind opens one way, it opens other ways. That happened to me. When I became upset with the Democratic Party for its weakness on the War on Terror, I began to see that the Republicans had a point when it came to fiscal responsibility (not that they adhered to it.). The same process may be occurring here — or soon will be. A lot of intelligent American citizens are waking up right now. Don’t hold it against Jews that a lot of them have college educations, some from fancy institutions. That doesn’t completely blind you.

So maybe there will be Jewish Tea Parties. And if there are, you can count me in. I’ll even bring the borscht. I think I can still find my grandmother’s recipe.