'The Great Schlep' may seal the Presidency deal for Barack Obama (to Florida to Convince Family)

The Times ^ | October 11, 2008 | Tom Baldwin

[nickcarraway]

Children and grandchildren are making trips to their Jewish families in Florida to persuade them to vote for the Democrats

Jonathan Packman has spent the past few days enjoying poolside views of the Atlantic at his elderly Jewish grandparents' condominium, eating quantities of their Mandel Bread – while trying to ensure that “pop pop” and “mom mom” vote for Barack Obama.

“I think my grandmother is moving towards Obama,” he says. “My grandfather is still undecided. He is old-fashioned and is having a hard time getting his mind wrapped around voting for a black man.”

Mr Packman has travelled from the ultra-liberal city of Berkeley, California, hoping that he can use his influence as a grandson to flip Florida – and the White House – back into Democratic hands.

It is called “The Great Schlep”, an effort organised by the pro-Obama Jewish Council for Education and Research, which should lead to hundreds of grandchildren descending on the Fort Lauderdale area for the Columbus Day weekend to combine an annual family visit with some ruthless political activism.

The reason is that elderly Floridean Jews, most of whom have migrated south for some retirement sunshine, are potentially the key swing voters in this crucial swing state.

They make up about 5 per cent of the state population but in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach County – where the shenanigans over hanging chads and uncounted ballots eight years ago gave the world President Bush – they number as many as one in four voters.

Although the latest polls in Florida suggest that Mr Obama is narrowly ahead, he has a problem with this usually reliably Democratic demographic. One survey suggests that he is supported by 57 per cent of Jews – compared with the 77 per cent for John Kerry four years ago.

[reformedliberal]

I read recently that Whole Food's sales were off by 30% and their share price, pre-crash, was off by 13%. While my area is dominated by organic farming and the country's largest organic dairy co-op is the largest employer, they have had to put off building a new office building, due to lack of funds. They have a huge turnover of employees at the low level: warehouse and cheese cutters and there is also a lot of turn at the milk desk, which I believe is a broker position, but I am not sure. I know this from the newspaper ads and talking to employees. Meanwhile, the local food co-op, subsidized by the organic dairy, who holds their note, cannot afford to hire anyone at the moment.

I noticed years ago that Whole Foods no longer carried lots of little lines, but instead had mostly house brand packaged foods. I don't see how anyone can afford their meat, as the prices are entirely out of line from 2 1/2 times the supermarket price for chicken, up to 9 times the butcher price for veal (Whole Foods veal=$45/lb 2 years ago). Even Trader Joe's has dropped in quality and selection while the prices have risen a lot. I think I saw organic beef tenderloin at $12-$15/lb there about 6 months ago.

Good luck to Jonathan. Bubbe may be lying to him, as well. Since the crash, Bubbe and Zayde may not even be able to afford their retirement much longer.

No one is factoring in the fact that the PUMAs are lying en masse to the pollsters and organizing to vote straight GOP to prevent a trifecta if zerO does manage to win. If zerO is walking away with this election, why do the grandkids feel the need to sway their vote and why in the solid blue areas of Florida, which are not only heavily, reliably donk, but the home of total election incompetents who win for the donks by fraud? What about the grandparents in the Orlando and Panhandle areas or on the West Coast? Why not organize the grandparents in Arizona, too? Come to think of it, the majority of retirees these days are the age of these folks parents (60+). The grandparents (80+) are reliable FDR donks. This smells of flop sweat.

[reformedliberal]

I read recently that Whole Food's sales were off by 30% and their share price, pre-crash, was off by 13%. While my area is dominated by organic farming and the country's largest organic dairy co-op is the largest employer, they have had to put off building a new office building, due to lack of funds. They have a huge turnover of employees at the low level: warehouse and cheese cutters and there is also a lot of turn at the milk desk, which I believe is a broker position, but I am not sure. I know this from the newspaper ads and talking to employees. Meanwhile, the local food co-op, subsidized by the organic dairy, who holds their note, cannot afford to hire anyone at the moment.

I noticed years ago that Whole Foods no longer carried lots of little lines, but instead had mostly house brand packaged foods. I don't see how anyone can afford their meat, as the prices are entirely out of line from 2 1/2 times the supermarket price for chicken, up to 9 times the butcher price for veal (Whole Foods veal=$45/lb 2 years ago). Even Trader Joe's has dropped in quality and selection while the prices have risen a lot. I think I saw organic beef tenderloin at $12-$15/lb there about 6 months ago.

Good luck to Jonathan. Bubbe may be lying to him, as well. Since the crash, Bubbe and Zayde may not even be able to afford their retirement much longer.

No one is factoring in the fact that the PUMAs are lying en masse to the pollsters and organizing to vote straight GOP to prevent a trifecta if zerO does manage to win. If zerO is walking away with this election, why do the grandkids feel the need to sway their vote and why in the solid blue areas of Florida, which are not only heavily, reliably donk, but the home of total election incompetents who win for the donks by fraud? What about the grandparents in the Orlando and Panhandle areas or on the West Coast? Why not organize the grandparents in Arizona, too? Come to think of it, the majority of retirees these days are the age of these folks parents (60+). The grandparents (80+) are reliable FDR donks. This smells of flop sweat.

[antisocial]

Send them this link to Obama’s website blog:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/alanmaki

[NYCynic]

No, no, no. Jonathan Packman is the Obama-bot mentioned in the article. He's definitely not on our side and not one to contact.

[antisocial]

or this:http://www.barackbook.com/Profiles/AliAbunimah.htm

[dragonblustar]

That’s interesting. Did they think republicans wouldn’t be about civil rights and support of Israel?

[Candor7]

The Florida Schlep?

More like the Florida Reverse Schlep.

The elders will convince the youngers.

[chuckles]

....."Most people have never heard of Odinga.".....

Tune in to Hanity and the other guy tonight. Supposedly it will be on his show Monday night.

[Ancesthntr]

If I had tried to persuade my grandparents (of blessed memory) to vote for any Republican, I’d have been told (in a very nice way) to f- off. I know, because I DID try. I have to believe that it works the other way, and that Jewish grandparents today are as ornery as 20+ years ago.

[Alouette]

I think this whole “Schlep” is just a media event. I very much doubt that Jewish liberals, whose only connection to Judaism is they think they know what the word “schlep” means, will flock down to Florida in large numbers to persuade grandparents who have probably been voting Democrat since FDR was on the ballot.

Anyway, my parents live in California, and my mom is a Koolaid-drinking dem. My dad, a U.S. Navy vet, is voting for McCain.

[justiceseeker93]

You're probably right that it works the other way more often than not. Polling data has consistently showed that among Jews - in contrast to other groups - younger voters are more likely to support Republicans than more elderly ones. The elderly have generally been more addicted to the 'Rats, based in large part on their irrational love for Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The author of this article is udoubtedly giving this "Great Schlep" initiative much more attention than it deserves. The innuendo that elderly Jews who support McCain are racists, which is a major theme of the "Great Schlep" campaign, is just plain inane. These elderly Jews have very substantive reasons to reject the antisemitic, anti-Israel, pro-Islamist Obama!

[trumandogz]

As for civil rights and the Civil Rights Act of 1965 the bill was passed without the support of any Southern Republicans and just a few Southern Democrats.

As for Israel, they supported the Camp David Accords and like Bush, McCain and Obama support a two-state solution.

Without the two-state solution the long term survival of Israel is threatened. With the two-state solution Israel will continue to exist as the sole purpose of being the Homeland for Israelis and the Jewish People.

[justiceseeker93]

The idea of "The Great Schlep" is subliminally racist in itself, the subtext being that any elderly Jewish voter who goes against Obama is a racist. Nothing can be further from the truth. There are very legitimate reasons for any Jewish (or pro-Israel) voter to reject the anti-American, anti-Israeli, pro-Islamist Obama.

[ncpatriot]

"...is having a hard time getting his mind wrapped around voting for a black man.”

I just don't believe that.

[justiceseeker93]

Your wife’s parents are an anomaly. The general trend among Jews is that Democrats are switching to independents or Republicans, though the ‘Rats still have a big edge, unfortunately.

[MozarkDawg]

Are these grandchildren going to be oh-so-kind this time, stick around come Election Day to assist the old folks in properly casting a ballot??!!

(The lamest excuse used during that whole fiasco).

[trumandogz]

They used to be Republicans but became Democrats 25-30 years ago and are Democrats like the vat majority of the Jewish People.

Obama will end up with 65% of the Jewish Vote however, Hillary would have received 85-90% of the Jewish Vote.

[dalereed]

I saw a picture of that ugly unkempt POS on the news and couldn't figure out exactly what they were talking about.

If the “descending hoards” they are talking about are anything like that creep they shouldn't be able to change one vote unless it's away from the obamination.

[justiceseeker93]

Ping!!!

Please see my posts #s51 and 53.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!