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Obama Takes Aim at Jewish GOP Criticism

February 26, 2008 01:44 PM ET | Permanent Link

Barack Obama's campaign is working to tamp down criticism levied by the Republican Jewish Coalition over the Democratic presidential front-runner's history of support for Israel.

In questioning Obama's Middle East bona fides, the coalition cited comments made this week by new third party presidential candidate Ralph Nader about what he characterized as the senator's "pro-Palestinian" positions during his Illinois state Senate career. The campaign has cited the candidate's U.S. Senate votes in support of Israel and has put forward Florida Rep. Robert Wexler, an Obama adviser who is Jewish, to speak on the candidate's behalf.

"Barack Obama's long-standing support for Israel is well known," Wexler said in a statement to U.S. News, "so it is confusing that the RJC would turn to Ralph Nader as their source for independent analysis of the situation in the Middle East." He said that Obama is "more interested in standing up for Israel's security than trying to score cheap political points."

And Wexler said that Nader has "zero credibility in the pro-Israel community."

—Liz Halloran

Tags: Barack Obama | Ralph Nader

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BLOOMBERG ENDORSES OBAMA ???

Obama spent over 20 years, deeply involved in Chicago's Trintity church, which gave anti-semitic Louis Farakan a life time achievement award. During that time Obama never stood up against Farakan's anti-semitism, and he only quit the church when it threatened his political ambitions. In addition, if you read the blogs, it's obvious that many of Obama's most devoted supporters are extremely anti-Israel. Actions always speak louder than words, or endorsements ... especially if the actions (or inactions) span a period of over 20 years. Even with all the efforts to package and sell Obama to the American people, the facts speak for themselves. Obama does not have the character, integrity and judgement to be President of the United States of America.

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