WASHINGTON — Barack Obama reassured the American Jewish community on
Wednesday that he's a devoted friend of Israel, a view seconded enthusiastically
by Hillary Clinton.
On his first full day as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee,
Obama appeared before one of his toughest crowds, a community that's been
skeptical about his intentions toward Israel.
Addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Obama opened
his remarks by noting that "I know some provocative e-mails have been circulating
throughout Jewish communities across the country ... they're filled with
tall tales and dire warnings about a certain candidate for president.
"And all I want to say is," he paused and smiled, "let me know if you
see this guy named Barack Obama, because he sounds pretty frightening."
Don't worry, he said, because "I am among friends. Good friends."
Clinton, on the other hand, has long been a favorite of this crowd,
and she assured them that they can trust her rival.
"I know Senator Obama knows what is at stake here," she said of the
U.S.-Israel relationship. "I know Senator Obama will be a good friend to
Israel."
Their appearance before AIPAC at the Washington Convention Center --
Obama spoke first, then Clinton -- was largely a polite affair, a reaffirmation
by both senators that they'd do what was necessary to protect Israel's
security.
Their speeches, each of which lasted about half an hour, came the day
after Obama clinched the party's presidential nomination. Clinton made
no mention of the race and didn't discuss her future at the conference.
Like Obama, she concentrated on promising the crowd that she was a
strong backer of Israel and had long-standing ties to the Jewish community.
Both senators vowed to get tough with Iran if necessary.
"I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a
nuclear weapon. Everything," Obama said.
He drew a sharp contrast between himself and his likely general election
Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain.
McCain spoke to this gathering Monday, and tried to paint Obama as
soft on Iran because of his emphasis on diplomacy.
Dialogue with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would have little
value, McCain said, "except an earful of anti-Semitic rants and a worldwide
audience for a man who denies one Holocaust and talks before frenzied crowds
about starting another."
Obama elaborately explained his view of diplomacy Wednesday, and charged
that McCain "offers only an alternate reality, one where the war in Iraq
has somehow put Iran on its heels.
"The truth is the opposite. Iran has strengthened its position. Iran
is now enriching uranium ... its support for terrorism and threats toward
Israel have increased."
He promised to "use all elements of American power to pressure Iran.
I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear
weapon."
While diplomacy would be his starting point, Obama noted: "I have no
interest in sitting down with our adversaries just for the sake of talking.
But as president of the United States, I would be willing to lead tough
and principled diplomacy with the appropriate Iranian leader at a time
and place of my choosing - if and only if it can advance the interest of
the United States."
And if that diplomacy doesn't work, he said, "we will ratchet up the
pressure."
After Obama's speech, two high-profile Jewish McCain supporters ripped
the Illinois senator in a conference call, honing the McCain campaign theme
that Obama is a smooth talker who's out of his depth on foreign policy.
"Senator Obama argued today that American foreign policy in recent
years has essentially strengthened Iran ... and has made Israel less safe,"
said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent Democrat from Connecticut.
"I just disagree with that. If Israel is in danger today, it's not
because of American foreign policy, which has been strongly supportive
of Israel in every way. It's not because of what we've done in Iraq. It's
because Iran is a fanatical terrorist expansionist state and has a leader
and a leadership that constantly threatens to extinguish the state of Israel."
U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., called Obama's speech "nice. It had some
good phrases and lines in it." But, Cantor said, "it's easy to talk about
supporting Israel. It's hard to do it. ... John McCain doesn't need any
on-the-job training. It's in his DNA."
© 2008, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Jewish World Review
June 5, 2008 / 2 Sivan, 5768
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