Blessed: Barack Obama enjoys
a laugh as he is introduced to
supporters during a town hall-style
meeting at the B'nai Torah Congregation
in Boca Raton, Florida
Posted on 05/26/2008 5:33:36 AM PDT by yankeedame
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:22 AM on 23rd May 2008
Blessed: Barack Obama enjoys
a laugh as he is introduced to
supporters during a town hall-style
meeting at the B'nai Torah Congregation
in Boca Raton, Florida
Barack Obama explained the roots of his unusual name, listed some of his Jewish friends and voiced support for Israel during a synagogue visit designed to shore up Jewish support for his U.S. presidential bid.
Mr Obama, an Illinois senator and the front-runner for his party's White House nomination, has battled concerns among some Jewish Americans about his race, religion and views on Israel.
He addressed those issues in a nearly two-hour meeting with Democrats and Republicans at a Jewish temple in Florida, a state that will be key to winning November's general election.
"There is not a single trace of me ever being anything more than a friend of Israel and a friend of the Jewish people," Mr Obama said, telling the crowd not to believe fliers and e-mails that suggested otherwise.
"Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American."
Critics have raised doubts about Obama's commitment to the Jewish state and have floated rumors that he was a Muslim.
Obama, who is a Christian, said as president he would bring "an unshakable commitment" to maintaining the American-Israeli bond, a mainstay of U.S. Middle East policy.
"If you get one of these e-mails that says I'm a Muslim: not true," he told the crowd. The questions from the B'Nai Torah Congregation touched on Obama's policy proposals and his personal life.
When asked about his name, Obama said it had the same roots as a similar Jewish one and meant "one who's blessed."
One questioner asked the Illinois senator to name close friends who were Jewish and pro-Israel. "I hesitate to start listing them out," Obama said, cautioning against a stereotype that having acquaintances in a minority group meant you did not behave in a prejudiced way.
Support: People listen as Democratic presidential
hopeful Barack Obama in Florida
He then identified a handful of close Jewish friends and advisers.
Questioners also drilled him on his willingness to meet with U.S. foes like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has denounced Israel and denied the Holocaust occurred.
Obama, while critical of the Iranian president, said direct diplomacy with Iran would be more effective than no engagement. "I believe the policy of not talking to our enemies has not worked," he said.
Not everyone agreed. "I think that our commander in chief should not propose talks with someone who calls for the destruction of Israel," Stephen Lippy, 51, told reporters.
Badge of honour: A supporter wears a campaign pin in Hebrew of
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama
Some said they were concerned about Obama's support for the Jewish state before his visit but came away satisfied.
"I think today convinced me," said Aaron Levitt, 32, a rabbi and Democrat. "I feel like he made it very clear that Israel's at the center of his Middle East policy and would be a very important ally in his presidency."
Mr Obama, who would be the nation's first black president, addressed the issue of race directly, saying he was concerned that a historic connection between African Americans and Jewish Americans had slipped.
"I want to make sure that I am one of the vehicles by which we can rebuild those bonds," he said.
A sample of audience members said race would not affect their votes, while admitting it could be an issue for some.
"I think that people don't realize it, but I do think it's there," said Obama supporter Barbara Schneider, 55.
"As a Jew, would I vote for a black person? Sure," said Lippy. "But ... my issue is will he be the best commander in chief when it comes to assisting Israel and our other Western democratic allies."
Some people will believe anything......
Why is it that Jewish people can be so easily tricked?
Then there is the Arab blood problem.
Hussein has more Arab blood than Black Blood. Some say he is Arab American rather than African American.
Being black is a lie, being white is true, being Arab is true
“What Game is This?
“Barack Hussein Obama - Arab-American, only 6.25% African
Barack Hussein Obama is not half black. If elected, he would be the first Arab-American President, not the first black President. Barack Hussein Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother’s side and 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% African Negro from his father’s side. While Barack Hussein Obama’s father was from Kenya, his father’s family was mainly Arabs. Barack Hussein Obama’s father was only 12.5% African Negro and 87.5% Arab (his father’s birth certificate even states he’s Arab, not African Negro). “
If I'd asked the question, I'd have been slightly insulted by this condescending remark. Actually, I'm slightly insulted anyway.
From the article:
“Judge me by what I say and what I’ve done. Don’t judge me because I’ve got a funny name. Don’t judge me because I’m African-American.”
One questioner asked the Illinois senator to name close friends who were Jewish and pro-Israel. “I hesitate to start listing them out,” Obama said, cautioning against a stereotype that having acquaintances in a minority group meant you did not behave in a prejudiced way.
But then he added:
He then identified a handful of close Jewish friends and advisers.
If someone had the "courage" to research it, we would probably find that Obama's ancestors were involved in the slave trade, not as slaves but as slave-traders.
Could someone, please, for the Love of ALL that is HOLY and Right, explain to me why race is even a factor in this? No one said a DAMN THING about his being black, but he's got to bring it up every time like it's something compulsory to the discussion.
I don't look at Obama as black. I don't look at Hillary as female (which is questionable in some aspects anyway). I look at both of them as socialist nitwits who want to dismantle the Greatest Country In History to make the chimera of some Marxist utopia akin to what they think the USSR was aspiring.
Like John Kerry in '04 with his, "I was in Vietnam," schtick, Obama is going to use his race (half of it anyway) as a crutch to hobble into the White House, and as I've been saying for the last few weeks here on FR, "the death knell of the white, Christian male" will grow louder and louder.
I don’t look at Obama as black as much as just dirty.
Race is Obama’s refuge and magical deflector. Just wait til the general election; everything McCain calls him on will be “racist”, every attempt to investigate his past or his shady associates will be “racist” attacks on a black man. Republicans and conservatives in general will be called “racists” for even questioning the messiah. Superdelegates are jumping on board the SS Obama to avoid being called “racists”. The MSM will not delve too deeply into Obama scandals to avoid being called “racists”.
Since his greatest percentage is white why is he not called white?
It's called "Playing The Race Card". It worked for OJ, didn't it?
Little does the Jewish vote know what it’s getting itself into. If Obama’s church can post Hamas editorials in its bulletins and it goes unnoticed, maybe they could live in Nazi Germany and not notice the anti-semitism.
Gimme a break. Barack was the name of the winged horse Mohammmed hallucinated in one of his dreams (yes, Mad Mo was an equal-opportunity plagiarist, stealing from Judaism, Christianity, paganism - and even Greco Roman mythology). The only connection is a faint etymological connection between two Semitic languages, but Barry’s name in no way refers to Baruch.
What a lying, sleazy sack o’ something. And these idiots apparently fell for it.
This pic was titled by the Brit rag with "Support"? How do they know? Mr Burly "knitted Kippa" Orthodox is probably holding back his lunch after hearing Obama.
“I think that our commander in chief should not propose talks with someone who calls for the destruction of Israel,”
What about someone who calls for the destruction of the United States.
Are there any black FReepers who can tell me if they feel that Dr. King intended this course of action? I thought he spoke of "content of character," and racial equality regardless of any factors. And yet here we have a race-baiting socialist, pandering to the leftists and the poverty pimps, and it doesn't matter one whit what I have to say about it? Why? Because if it's substantive in its argument but can't be interpreted by the population at large, I'm all of a sudden a racist?
It's really too early for my BP to be this high.
And this button..... What, are they all out of Auschwitz "Arbeit macht frei" buttons?
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