RJC Calls for Obama to reject Michael Moore’s endorsement

This whole RJC request for the rejection of endorsements is getting kind of ridiculous. First they order Senator Obama to reject Jimmy Carter’s endorsement, and now this.

On the 22nd the RJC “called on” Senator Obama to reject filmmaker Michael Moore’s endorsement for his campaign for the presidency. Those who take issue with Michael Moore should not project that onto Senator Obama or any other politician whom he shows favor toward. It isn’t up to Senator Obama, or any other politician for that matter, to be responsible for the actions of those who choose to endorse or support him.

If Michael Moore happened to be a big dollar donor who was a felon and involved in some sort of corporate scandal this may be a different story. But he’s not, he’s just a man who makes movies and says things to make Republicans mad. That’s all. The Republicans are hypocritical in their efforts to undermine Moore’s endorsement of Obama.

Just because Senator Obama received an endorsement from Mr. Moore does not mean that he shares his sentiments about anything. It is not as if Senator Obama endorsed Michael Moore.

“I Used to be a Democrat” Ads Misleading

By Josh Pasek

Identifying non-existent trends

In February of 2008, the Republican Jewish Coalition launched a new advertising campaign called “I Used to be a Democrat.” The campaign highlights individuals who were formerly registered Democrats and have more recently registered as Republicans. While any given individual may have switched party registration, the ads are meant to convey a sentiment stated by RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks:

The ads reflect the movement we’ve witnessed for years: More and more American Jews express serious misgivings with the direction of the Democratic Party. Again and again, they are finding that the Republican Party better represents their concerns ranging from national security to the well-being of the state of Israel. (1)

While Brooks may claim to have witnessed such a migration, polling data has not. In the American Jewish Committee 2007 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, 58% of American Jews identified as Democrats, down only one percent from the 59% recorded in the 2000 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion. The difference is well within the survey’s margin of error. (2)

What transformed the “I Used to be a Democrat” voters from Republicans to Democrats according to the ads? In two cases it was 9/11, and in two cases, the transformation is linked to Joe Lieberman (one case mentions both). While these events may have driven the three listed individuals to reregister, suggesting that a broader change is afoot runs directly contrary to available data. Indeed, there has been no noticeable drop in Jewish Democratic registration over a time period spanning both events.