Haaretz
Chishvan 4, 5765
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida
- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry boasts of flying an Israeli
jet and calls out in Hebrew during Florida campaign stops, trying to keep
the state's large Jewish population from straying to President
Bush.
In 2000, Jews voted 4-to-1 for Democrats Al Gore and Joe
Lieberman, the first Jewish candidate on a major party's presidential
ticket. But President George W. Bush has built a reputation as a strong
backer of Israel, and has courted Jewish voters in hopes that even a
slight increase in support could make a difference in another tight
election.
Kerry on Monday told voters in West Palm Beach that he
will do a better job than Bush of "holding those Arab countries
accountable for funding terrorism."
"We'll do a better job of
protecting the state of Israel than they are today," Kerry said.
Supporters held signs distributed by the campaign that said, "Jewish
Americans for Kerry" and wore stickers and T-shirts that said
"Kerry-Edwards" in Hebrew.
After courting Jewish voters with a
little Hebrew, Kerry tossed out some French to communicate with Haitian
immigrants at a rally later in Orlando. Kerry speaks fluent French, but
usually avoids doing so in public.
But not in Florida, where many
Haitians have moved to seek relief from problems in their homeland. "Je
vais aidez les Haitiens," Kerry said, promising to help the Haitian
people.
The words in French were unusual, but the outreach to
Jewish voters is standard in Kerry's Florida pitch. Spokeswoman Stephanie
Cutter said Kerry wants to reassure them that he will continue his record
of fighting for Israel. "By and large the Jewish population in Florida
knows who's on their side and who isn't," she said.
Kerry's
paternal grandfather was a Czech Jew who immigrated to the United States
and changed his name to Kerry from Kohn to escape violent anti-Semitism.
Kerry's Jewish roots were discovered last year by the Boston Globe, but he
hasn't mentioned it during his Florida stops. Instead, he talks about his
visits to Israel and his pro-Israeli voting record.
"I've had the
privilege of flying a jet in Israel, learning firsthand how tight that
security is, how close the borders are, how tiny and fragile it is," Kerry
said. "I've climbed to the top of Masada and I've stood on the top of
Masada and yelled out as the Air Force recruits and others used to from
the side of that cliff, the words 'Am Yisrael Chai!'"
Kerry's use
of the Hebrew cry that means "The people of Israel live" delighted the
crowd. The symbolism of Masada - the desert mountain where Jewish rebels
chose suicide over capture - still looms large in Israel as soldiers come
at the start of their military training to pledge allegiance to the
state.
Sharyn Wachs, wearing one of the campaign's Hebrew stickers
on her shirt, said Kerry seemed "really united" with Israel and she was
touched by his story of climbing Masada since she's done it twice herself.
She has been angry with Bush's invasion of Iraq and left the rally to go
cast her vote for Kerry since early voting began Monday in
Florida.
"Let's just hope he can come through," she said. "That's
the thing - they can say anything to get elected."
Kerry promised
that he would stay engaged in the Middle East and help create a
Palestinian entity with which Israel could negotiate. "You don't have one
today, so you have to build a fence and you have to do what you are
doing," he said.
Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said
Kerry had a different position when speaking to an Arab-American gathering
near Detroit one year ago - he said the security fence separating Israel
from the Palestinian territories was a "barrier to peace."