Arab-Americans switch: Bush to Kucinich

worldnetdaily.com ^ | 1/31/04 | worldnetdaily.com

[ovrtaxt]

ELECTION 2004

Arab-Americans switch:
Bush to Kucinich

Prominent group that backed president
in 2000 says they were 'stung'

---

Posted: January 31, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Complaining it was betrayed, a key Arab-American group that endorsed George W. Bush in the 2000 election says it will back Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic nomination and stand behind that party's eventual nominee.

Dennis Kucinich

The endorsement of Kucinich was not based on who has the best chance to win, but on "principle," said Osama Siblani, head of the Arab-American Political Action Committee.

"The argument we had yesterday was should we stand by our principles or cast a vote based on electability," he said, according to the Associated Press. "But this was a group that voted for [President] Bush in 2000 and were stung by the Bush administration."

Kucinich finished sixth in the New Hampshire primary this week, but the Arab-American group's members gave him more than two-thirds of their votes Wednesday in Dearborn, Mich. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean came in second, followed by retired Gen. Wesley Clark.

At the vote, the members "decided that they needed to make it clear that this community will vote for the candidate that best represents its interests, not necessarily the one that may be elected," Siblani said, according to the AP.

Kerry did not do well, he noted, because of his stand on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Siblani said many members of the community who voted for Bush in 2000, based partly on electability, feel betrayed "and don't want to vote for someone who calls our group terrorists," the AP reported.

Eroding support

Meanwhile, a Zogby International poll of Arab-American voters nationwide shows Bush losing substantial support among that constituency.

If elections were held today, only 28 percent of Arab-Americans would vote to re-elect the president.

Forty percent would vote for "any Democrat," according to Zogby, while the remaining 32 percent would vote either for an independent candidate, or are undecided.

Zogby notes Bush won 44.5 percent of the community's vote in the 2000 presidential election.

His job approval rating also has dropped dramatically among Arab-Americans. In October 2001, 83 percent approved of his performance, but by July 2003, the figure dropped to 43 percent.

Now, just 38 percent of Arab-Americans approve of the president’s job performance, Zogby said.

A study by Zogby International and the Arab-American Institute attributed said the main reason for the erosion of support is the administration's Middle East policy

Two-thirds of Arab-Americans surveyed said Middle East policy was "very important" in determining their vote. But only 18 percent approved of the administration's policy, while 78 percent expressed disapproval.

Zogby noted that while the Arab-American community is small – an estimated 3.5 million nationally – it is concentrated in several "battleground" states, including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida.

[ovrtaxt]

The endorsement of Kucinich was not based on who has the best chance to win, but on "principle," said Osama Siblani, head of the Arab-American Political Action Committee.

Which principle would that be, the principle of being such a naive weenie that fighting Islam is not an option?

[Las Vegas Dave]

This seasoned citizen says it all!
Photo taken at Glenn Beck's Rally for America in Cleveland, March 2, 2003.

[WayneM]

Another reason for immigration control. Home is where the heart is, as we say here in America.

A telling example of how naturalized citizens will usually have the best interest of their country/culture of origin at heard - NOT what is best for the USA.

Same way with the Latino-Americans... A good illustration of how GWB is making a serious error if he thinks he can "import" a bunch of new Republican voters.

[FITZ]

Another reason for immigration control. Home is where the heart is, as we say here in America.

Apparently the so-called "religious" islamics are fine with abortion. I've never thought they were anything but hypocrits on that anyhow.

[FITZ]

Yes --- and the same goes for those so-called pro-family, anti-abortion Catholic latinos --- 80% voted for the anti-family, pro-abortion Bill Clinton. Never count on them becoming Conservative voters. They care about what handouts are promised to them more than any morals.

[ovrtaxt]

Apparently the so-called "religious" islamics are fine with abortion.

Yeah, after all, a suicide bombing is just a really late late late term mass abortion. What's the diff?

[ovrtaxt]

I can't decide if little Denny looks more like Alfred E. Neuman or a ventriloquist dummy.

[Erik Latranyi]

Siblani said many members of the community who voted for Bush in 2000, based partly on electability, feel betrayed "and don't want to vote for someone who calls our group terrorists," the AP reported.

Bush has gone out of his way to make it clear that only those fundamentalists are 'terrorists', not all Arabs.

This story smells.

[ZULU]

This is good news. Whne Bush gets re-elected, perhaps he will then deport all these Islamites back to Mecca where they belong!

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Ungrateful basta*ds!Bush freed their country and i don't consider them americans.

[DoctorMichael]

"....Arab-Americans switch: Bush to Kucinich...."

Oh yea, that'll work. {{LOL}}

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Siblani said many members of the community who voted for Bush in 2000, based partly on electability, feel betrayed

I wonder how they have been betrayed?

There has been zero attacks on arab-Americans in two years.

If Christian terrorists had attacked Mecca on 9-11, every Christian in the arab world would have been murdered by now.

In my experience I see that most arab-Americans are business people and have benefitted greatly from the Bush tax cuts.

[BlueAngel]

Not ALL Latinos are the way you and others on this forum always represent them. I know many Latinos that are conservative Republicans who have NEVER asked anyone for a handout, much less the government.

[FITZ]

No --- I said it was 80% ---- that's how many voted for Clinton. YOu're right --- 20% are Conservatives --- I realize that.

[LadyDoc]

Most Arab Americans are Christian: Christian Lebanese or Christian Palestinians...

Do they mean Muslims support Kucinich, or do they mean Arab Americans? These groups are NOT the same...

[FITZ]

It's pretty much the same with blacks and whites --- the majority of blacks are liberals --- but the Conservative Blacks are some of the best Conservatives you'll ever find. Same goes for Latinos ---- when they are Conservatives they are excellent --- but that doesn't change the fact that 80% voted for Bill Clinton.

[George W. Bush]

So GOP pandering to minorities still doesn't work?

I think this president has tried to pander more than any other. And they hate him even more for it.

Like Rush says, we conservatives can never outbribe the Dims with this stuff.

[veronica]

Gee I'm shocked. Goin' for the ultra-leftie. Wonder how many people know that the Palestinian "movement" is a Marxist movement.

[veronica]

So GOP pandering to minorities still doesn't work?

This is not about minorities. Arab-Americans don't like The Patriot Act for one thing. They don't think Arabs/Muslims should be profiled post 9-11. Meanwhile whatever Bush is doing it's working, so far. No new 9-11, and I pray there won't be.

[gaspar]

Principle, like gratitude, is a word foreign to Arabic.