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Much has changed in recent months in the campaign for the Jewish vote, but the Obama camp has reason to be concerned that one variable, perhaps the crucial variable, has not. Barack Obama's percentage of the total Jewish vote, which could prove crucial to the outcome in such key states as Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio, lags far behind the average for Democratic presidential hopefuls. An American Jewish Committee poll released late last week showed Obama taking 57 percent of the Jewish vote, versus 30 percent to McCain. "He seems to have reached a plateau," said AJC research director, told the...

WASHINGTON — Senator Biden delivered a heartfelt endorsement of Senator Obama's commitment to Israel here yesterday, telling an audience of Jewish Democratic activists that he would not have joined the party's ticket if he were not convinced of Mr. Obama's support for the Jewish state. "My support for Israel begins in my stomach, goes to my heart, and ends up in my head," Mr. Biden told the National Jewish Democratic Council at the group's annual conference. "I promise you. I guarantee you, I guarantee you, I would not have joined Barack Obama's ticket as vice president if I had any...

The Speech Palin WOULD HAVE GIVEN at Rally TODAY, If Obama Didn't Have Her Removed from the Speaker's List Governor Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president, was scheduled to speak today at a rally in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza to protest the appearance here of President Ahmadinejad of Iran. Her appearance was canceled by rally organizers who were facing threats from Senator Obama's Campaign. Following are the remarks Mrs. Palin would have given: Palin on Ahmadinejad: 'He Must Be Stopped' By SARAH PALIN | September 22, 2008 I am honored to be with you and with leaders from across this...

"This phenomenal woman, pro-life, pro-normal marriage ... a woman's woman... a reflection of the Jewish midwives in the book of Exodus,they kept the babies alive." NEW YORK, NY (LifesiteNews) - In response to recent claims that Gov. Sarah Palin's strong religious views may be "a cause of concern" for the Jewish community, noted Rabbi Yehuda Levin has issued high praise for Palin, saying that anti-Semitic claims could not be farther from the truth for "this phenomenal woman," whom he calls "a gift from God" to America. "Sarah Palin's caring about the security of the residents of Israel is certainly important...

    Sarah Palin: Strong on Israel; Strong Enough to Prevent a Nuclear Iran - A Friend to the Jewish Community Palin: Compliments McCain, A Strong Choice for the Jewish Community:  By choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential candidate, John McCain once again demonstrated a commitment to challenging politics-as-usual. As governor of Alaska, Palin has enjoyed a strong working relationship with Alaska's Jewish community. She has shown sensitivity to the concerns of the community and has been accessible and responsive. Palin has a proven track record of experienced and principled leadership. Palin has been a leader on the critical...

WASHINGTON – Senator McCain's running mate in the US presidential election, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, met with the board of directors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Wednesday and expressed her admiration for Israel. The meeting took place inside Palin's hotel, sources said. A campaign official would not say who asked for the meeting, but said it was geared towards putting the American Jewish community at ease over her understanding of US-Middle East relations. "That's obviously going to be an issue," the aide said. "It's not like being the senator from New York, obviously. But these aren't issues...

(IsraelNN.com) Republican vice presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin sports an Israeli flag in her lapel and displays an Israel flag in her office window despite the tiny Jewish population in her state. Republicans say "that says it all" concerning what they charge is Democratic propaganda that she once backed Pat Buchanan, whose name is anathema to most Jews. Florida Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler of Florida came out swinging at Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain immediately after he named Gov. Palin as her running mate. He accused her of backing 'Nazi sympathizer" Pat Buchanan in a previous election and said...

Submitted for your amusement, a tale of two columnists, as different as it is humanly possible to be in their view of the Middle East. First, four quotes from the columnist who is second to none in his support for Israel: 1) “Yes, I love the state of Israel. It is everything a Western democracy should be at this point in history: brave, resourceful, tough, realistic, in search of peace but ready for war. It is a King Arthur of nations which is showing the rest of us how a brave and free people ought to live.…” 2) “I have...

According to the latest poll, US Jews are down on Sen. Joe Lieberman and evangelical Pastor John Hagee. Therein lies the rub: Hagee's spokesmen do not believe the results, saying the poll - commissioned by J Street, the new left-leaning pro-Israel lobby - relied on skewed questions. As for Lieberman, the Democratic-turned-independent US senator from Connecticut is not disputing the findings, but says he pays little attention to polls. According to the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, Lieberman scored an unfavorable rating of 48 percent among US Jews, compared to a favorable rating of...

Sen. Joe Lieberman praises pastor who said Holocaust was God's work One of John McCain's most prominent supporters on Tuesday praised an evangelical leader whom the Republican presidential candidate repudiated after a string of controversial remarks were made public. Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent who frequently campaigns with McCain, said pastor John Hagee's support for Israel outweighed the remarks that led McCain to reject his endorsement. Lieberman said he had been urged not to speak to Hagee's group, Christians United for Israel. Advertisement "The bond that I feel with Pastor Hagee and each and every one of you is...

Barack Obama's visits to the Israeli town of Sderot, which was struck by Palestinian rocket attacks, and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial are smart moves. They underline that he stands, beyond any doubt, in solidarity with Israel against "terrorism". You assume that it is smart to exploit the suffering and death of millions of Jews in the Holocaust for Israeli and/or American political goals. But how does his visit to Sderot square with any solidarity with the decades-long dispossessed, oppressed and occupied Palestinians? Well, that is why he visited Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and Salam Fayyad, the Palestinian prime...

During a whirlwind 36-hour visit that saw US presidential hopeful Barak Obama meet with all of the top Israeli and Palestinian leaders and visit numerous sites throughout the country on Wednesday, the Democratic candidate said all the right things as he tried to assure Israelis that a US administration with him at the helm would not endanger the Jewish state. Polls have shown that a large majority of Israelis prefer Obama’s opponent, Republican John McCain, as president, fearing the Democratic candidate’s Muslim family history and his personal ties to religious figures and political advisors hostile toward Israel.

SDEROT, Israel (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama assured Israel and its U.S. Jewish supporters on Wednesday he was a friend who would not press for peace concessions that would compromise its security. Hailing Israel as a "miracle," he vowed staunch support and held only a low-profile meeting with Palestinian leaders in the occupied West Bank. Obama, seeking to allay wariness among some U.S. Jewish voters about his policy towards Israel, flew to Sderot, a town hit by rockets fired from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, saying he hoped to bring peace but would not dictate the terms of...

JERUSALEM - Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Monday that the United States could never allow Iran to inflict a "second Holocaust" on the Jewish people, in comments aired on Israeli TV on the eve of a visit to Israel by his Democratic rival Barack Obama. Israel, widely believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, has described Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last month said it must be stopped by "all possible means." Asked whether he would back Israel if it chose to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, McCain...

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama began a visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday pledging staunch support for Israel and saying that if elected, he would work to reinvigorate the Middle East peace process. As part of an overseas tour aimed at bolstering his foreign policy credentials, Obama will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Israel opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials. "I will share some of my ideas. The most important idea for me to reaffirm is the historic and special relationship between the United States and Israel -- one that...

Walter Russell Mead is one of the most revered American foreign policy scholars in the U.S. He has authored some great books (chief among them, Special Providence), as well as many great articles. Last year he wrote the most powerful argument against Walt and Mearsheimer's The Israel Lobby. Now Mead has a new article in Foreign Affairs, entitled "Why Gentile Americans Back the Jewish State". Although I usually refrain from just quoting articles without adding my own take, I think this time I'll do just that. Most people do not read such long articles, and are not Foreign Affairs subscribers,...

Sister Ruth Lautt works from a single room on the 19th floor of the God Box. Such is the nickname for the Interchurch Center, the office building on Riverside Drive in Manhattan that is the closest thing to a Vatican for America’s mainline Protestant denominations. Indeed, Sister Ruth’s fellow tenants include agencies of the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Wearing the tapered suits left over from an earlier career in law and the crucifix of her more recent life as a Roman Catholic nun, Sister Ruth cuts an inconspicuous figure at the...

CBNNews.com - The primary race is officially over but neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton are taking a break. Today the two spoke at a Washington conference sponsored by American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobby. Both candidates affirmed a strong defense of Israel against terrorists and rogue nations. "We know that we cannot relent, we cannot yield. And as president I will never compromise when it comes to israel's security," Obama said. "We stand with Israel because Israel demonstrates that democracy can flourish in the most difficult conditions. Because it's very existence is a stinging rebuke to...

Video at Link WASHINGTON, D.C. –Ridiculing the idea of negotiating with Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a “spectacle” that would embolden extremists, McCain jabbed Obama on Iran and Iraq before more than 7,500 members of the highly influential pro-Israel lobbyist group.“We hear talk of a meeting with the Iranian leadership offered up as if it were some sudden inspiration, a bold new idea that somehow nobody has ever thought of before,” McCain told AIPAC members, adding that Obama is engaging in a “serious misreading of history.”“It’s hard to see what such a summit with President Ahmadinejad would actually gain, except an...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suffered a humiliating setback this week in his quest for international legitimacy. Ahmadinejad is expected to arrive in Rome this week to participate in a UN summit on the global food crisis (which has been caused by the rise in oil prices that Ahmadinejad is so pleased to have had a role in fomenting). Ahmadinejad was hoping that while in the Italian capital he would be able to have a photo-op with Pope Benedict XVI. To secure the meeting, Ahmadinejad - who has called for all nations to convert to Islam or be destroyed (except for...

Sen. John McCain was wrong to reject the endorsement of Texas evangelist Rev. John Hagee. Several years ago the Rev. Hagee delivered a sermon that was caught on tape in which he preached, "Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun, and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said, 'My top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel." Anyone hearing the tape would conclude that Hagee is hostile to...

Senator Joe Lieberman says he'll speak at a July conference hosted by Pastor John Hagee, whose endorsement has been rejected by GOP presidential candidate John McCain.  McCain last week repudiated the months-old endorsement after an audio recording surfaced in which Hagee said God used Adolf Hitler to push Jews back to the Promised Land.   In a statement, Lieberman says he considers some of Hagee's comments unacceptable and hurtful, but will judge him on his life's work fighting anti-Semitism and building bridges between Christians and Jews.   Lieberman says he still plans to speak at Hagee's Christians United for Israel summit in...

JERUSALEM - Tapes of Lyndon Johnson's Oval Office conversations, released to the public for the first time on Wednesday, reveal that the American president had a personal and often emotional connection to Israel, a scholar said. In the first public presentation of the tapes Wednesday at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Professor Robert Johnson said this connection influenced his policy decisions and helped lay the foundation for the special relationship between the two nations. "I sure as hell want to be careful and not run out on little Israel," Johnson said in a March 1968 conversation with his ambassador to the...

A foreign policy expert consulted by presidential hopeful Barack Obama has accused members of the American Jewish establishment of "McCarthyism" in its attitude towards critics of Israel. Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski says that the pro-Israel lobby in the US is too powerful, while the slur of anti-Semitism is too readily used whenever its power is called into question. Presenting a solution for the Middle East, he listed historical compromises that had to be made by Israelis and Palestinians but accused the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) -- the largest and most influential lobby group -- of obstructing...

Jewish allies of the Rev. John Hagee rushed to his defense yesterday to say the Texas evangelist is not anti-Semitic despite Sen. John McCain campaign's repudiation Thursday of the evangelist's endorsement. "John Hagee is one of the Jewish people's best friends," Los Angeles talk show host Dennis Prager said on the air yesterday morning. "Identifying John Hagee with anti-Semitism would be like identifying Raoul Wallenberg, the great Swede who saved thousands of Jews in the Holocaust, with anti-Semitism." Orthodox Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, of Congregation Rodfei Sholom in San Antonio, appeared at an afternoon press conference yesterday to say Mr. Hagee's...

Pastor John Hagee has pulled his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate John McCain; McCain subsequently renounced Hagee’s endorsement. Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented on this development today: “One week ago today, I met with Pastor Hagee in my office. I found him to be sincere, apologetic and friendly. I also found him to be the strongest Christian defender of Israel I have ever met, and that is why attempts to portray him as anything but a genuine friend to Jews—one for whom the Holocaust is the horror of horrors—is despicable. “Hagee’s decision to sever all ties to McCain is...

William Daroff is vice president for public policy and director of the Washington office at United Jewish Communities, an organization representing America's Jewish federations. In other words, he's a lobbyist. Daroff is also one of the country's better-connected Jewish operatives. In recent months, he has been called upon to moderate dozens of panels aimed at Jewish activists and professionals, dealing with the hot topic of the day: the 2008 election and the Jewish community. This election has reignited an old debate: Which party is better for Israel—the Republicans or the Democrats? Assuming that Jewish voters care about this question, the...

In the poll of Jewish voters (conducted April 1-30), it showed Obama getting 61% of the Jewish vote against John McCain (32%). Yet in the same poll Hillary Clinton beat Obama among Jewish voters 62% - 38%. So obviously Jews are lifelong democrats who would vote for Obama, whom they rejected in the primaries, rather than vote for McCain. Thus, for them, party loyalty is preferable to Israel loyalty. Recently I posted two articles by Yarom Ettinger, former Israeli Ambassador to the US, The Prospects of a Palestinian State and National Interests of the United States and It’s American interests,...

Why should Christians care about Israel? Amid the National Post's extensive coverage of Israel's 60th anniversary, it is a question worth asking. In particular, it was a question I had to think seriously about a few years ago when I was invited to join the board of directors of the Canada-Israel Committee, the branch of organized Jewry in Canada that defends the cause of Israel, works to enhance Canada-Israel relations and promotes Israel in Canadian public opinion. Before accepting, I wanted be sure that there were theological reasons for joining. I did accept, for three reasons which I think answer...

The Democratic White House hopefuls vowed Wednesday to defend Israel against any Iranian attack but differed on how to engage the Islamic republic over its nuclear ambitions. At a televised debate ahead of next Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agreed that a nuclear-armed Iran was unacceptable. Both called for diplomacy but Obama went further in renewing a promise of "direct talks" at a leaders' level with Tehran, along with other US foes. Iran should be presented with "carrots and sticks," the Illinois senator said, while stressing "they should also know that I will take no options off...

Most American Christians – regardless of their denomination and background – say they feel a "moral and biblical obligation" to support the State of Israel, according to a new survey conducted by a D.C.-based evangelical organization. Though figures released this week by the Joshua Fund differed among Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals and non-Evangelicals, the new figures confirmed that American Christians as a whole believed that a “biblical obligation� exists behind their support for the State of Israel. According to the survey, evangelical Christians were the most supportive of Israeli causes; nearly 90 percent said they felt a “moral and biblical obligation�...

Despite withering criticism from the leader of the Reform movement, there is growing evidence that America’s leading Christian Zionist, Pastor John Hagee, is winning acceptance in pro-Israel circles. And some politicians are taking note. While nervously distancing himself from the controversial Hagee’s endorsement when addressing other audiences, Sen. John McCain last week raised the Hagee connection in an interview with a Jewish newspaper. Those are only two elements in an increasingly tangled controversy that reflects bitter divisions among Jewish groups about Middle East peace — and that is colored by Hagee’s fundraising for Israel. This week the San Antonio pastor...

Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, seems to think Israel has too many allies in America.  In particular, he believes that Israel can do without the support of evangelical Christians, and especially Pastor John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel. At a convention of reform rabbis in Cincinnati this week, Yoffie lowered the boom on Hagee and urged Jews to no longer attend Hagee's series of "Nights for Israel",  which have helped raise tens of millions of dollars for the Jewish state,  and strengthened the connection between Jews and Evangelicals around the country. Yoffie must think...

Support Israel, not terrorism Lebanon Daily News, PA - Mar-31-08 Shearer also speaks of 50 years of frustrated peaceful attempts by Palestinians to gain back their homeland. (Is it really their homeland? ... All Christians should pray for the safety of Jerusalem. http://www.ldnews.com/letters/ci_8757773

As a prominent evangelical pastor based in San Antonio, you were recently catapulted into national controversy when you endorsed Senator John McCain for president. Is it true that McCain actively sought your endorsement? It’s true that McCain’s campaign sought my endorsement. How did you feel when critics called you a Catholic-basher and said McCain should reject your endorsement? My statements regarding the Catholic Church have been grossly mischaracterized. I never called the Catholic Church “the anti-Christ” or a “false cult system.” I was referring to those Christians who ignore the Gospels. What about your observation in a recent book...

U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) (L) looks on as U.S. Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) places a note in the cracks of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City March 19, 2008. McCain came to Israel on Tuesday as part of a fact-finding tour of the Middle East which could also boost his popularity among American Jewish voters. REUTERS/Peter Andrews (JERUSALEM)My advice was to wear a black suede kippah, but I forgot about possible peer pressure from Lieberman. U.S. Sen. John McCain, center, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, far left, arrive at the Western...

JERUSALEM: Angela Merkel on Tuesday became the first German chancellor to address the Israeli Parliament, crowning a three-day visit intended to upgrade ties between the two countries. The Merkel visit was seen as highly symbolic by both sides, as the Jewish state prepares to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its establishment against the background of the Holocaust. Paying tribute to the "special relationship" between Israel and Germany, Merkel said that the Nazi genocide filled Germans "with shame." High on the agenda was what Israel sees as Germany's crucial role in the international campaign against the development of an Iranian nuclear...

No context whatsoever provided so we’re left to wonder in what sense they’re problematic. Problematic because they’re leery of McCain and might not turn out in force in November? Problematic because they’re the “agents of intolerance” Maverick once accused them of being? Problematic because they’re known for asserting that the U.S. engineered the AIDS virus and may just have let the attack on Pearl Harbor happen to justify a colonialist war in the Pacific? Oh, sorry; he said Christian right. My advice to McCain: Give a speech perfunctorily condemning every freaky thing any Christian preacher has ever said while embracing...

Merkel: Germany will stand by Israel By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press Writer German Chancellor Angela Merkel earned a standing ovation from Israel's parliament Tuesday after pledging to stand by Israel's side against any threat, particularly from Iran, and paying tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. In an emotional speech, Merkel said Germans are still "filled with shame" about the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews. Yet her extraordinarily warm reception by the Jewish state also signaled that the two nations are increasingly willing to look to the future. Germany has proven a staunch ally of Israel, particularly since Merkel...

In the United States, the two groups that most ardently support Israel are Jews and evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Jewish support is easy to explain, but why should certain Christians, most of them politically quite conservative, be so devoted to Israel? There is a second puzzle: despite their support for a Jewish state, evangelical and fundamentalist Christians are disliked by many Jews. And a third: a large fraction of African-Americans are hostile to Israel and critical of Jews, yet Jewish voters regard blacks as their natural allies. The evidence about evangelical attitudes is clear. In 2006, a Pew survey found...

So John Sidney McCain III is supposed to be in Israel this week, but you wouldn't know it from his website. Nor would you have any idea about his position on Israel's struggle to defend itself against the daily onslaught of attacks and attempted attacks by the so-called palestinians. And yet, today, as a report on Ha'aretz says, he's courting the Jewish vote. This visit to Israel could have a major impact in that regard. Here's some tips: DO: Visit the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem. Wear a black suede kippah (yarmulke), not some flimsy satin one stamped "Ashley's bas...

In recent years, conservative Christians have emerged as some of the most vocal supporters of the state of Israel -- support that many Jewish groups have welcomed at a time when they feel Israel is under siege. One of the loudest voices has been John Hagee, the San Antonio megachurch pastor who recently endorsed John McCain's White House bid and raised the ire of Catholic groups with statements that even some Jews called vicious and inflammatory. The Catholic flap has sparked a new round of questions among Jewish groups over the support from Christian Zionists like Hagee and the Rev....

After days of media misrepresentation, I feel the need to respond to slanderous media reports. The truth is I am not now nor have I ever been anti-Catholic. That has been demonstrated in a lifetime of ministry that has assisted Catholics and the Catholic Church. I have given thousands of dollars to the Catholic Church for disaster relief and have personally supported a local convent for many years. Cornerstone Church has operated a social services center that gives food and clothing daily to people who in the majority are Catholic. My wife comes from a Catholic family and millions of...

Laying out the contours of the presidential race to come, Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama bemoaned the latest dire jobs report out this morning, while Republican John McCain focused on the slaying of eight students at a Jerusalem seminary on Thursday. McCain, whose strength is foreign policy and national security, called the shooting a "heinous massacre" and strongly defended Israel's right to defend itself. “I strongly condemn this heinous attack against innocent students," he said in a statement issued by his campaign. "No cause justifies wanton murder. This gruesome attack once again makes clear to the world that Israel...

In this work Hagee beautifully weaves strands of incompetence with cords of error to create a tapestry of Judeolatry. This book contains almost as many errors as it does pages. Due to space limitations I will only briefly list some of them. It is necessary, however, to survey evidence of his biblical and historical incompetence to demonstrate how his theological error is simply the conclusion of that incompetence. This will show how dangerous he is as an influence in the Church. ... In conclusion, this book should have a label on it warning the readers: “Contains doctrine that is hazardous...

How Barack Obama learned to love Israel Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 4 March 2007 (EI Illustration) I first met Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama almost ten years ago when, as my representative in the Illinois state senate, he came to speak at the University of Chicago. He impressed me as progressive, intelligent and charismatic. I distinctly remember thinking 'if only a man of this calibre could become president one day.' On Friday Obama gave a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Chicago. It had been much anticipated in American Jewish political circles which buzzed...

"I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud ap-proach to Israel, then you're anti-Israel, and that can't be the measure of our friendship with Israel," leading Democratic presidential contender Illinois Senator Barack Obama said Sunday. "If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we're not going to make progress," he said. He also criticized the notion that anyone who asks tough questions about advancing the peace process or tries to secure Israel by anyway other than "just crushing the opposition" is being "soft...

One-third of Americans believe that American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United States, according to figures presented to the Knesset on Tuesday by Anti-Defamation League director Abe Foxman. "This belief is so out of sync with everything else happening in America, with the fact that there's so much acceptance of Jews in all phases of life - academia, commerce, media, politics," Foxman told The Jerusalem Post. "When Joe Lieberman ran for vice president [in 2000], there was very little talk about double loyalty." Now, "because of the phenomenon of Mearsheimer and Walt and Jimmy Carter, this...

2008-02-15 L.A.'s defenders of Israel The L.A. battle for Israel's survival There is great racism against Jewish students on college campuses 2008-02-15 L.A.'s defenders of Israel The L.A. battle for Israel's survival By Brad A. Greenberg, Senior Writer A protester from the international pro-Israel group StandWithUs yells outside the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles during the conflict with Hezbollah in July 2006. Photo by Ringo Chiu/Zuma Press The notice shocked Karen Klein, head of Students for Israel at Cal State Northridge: Norman Finkelstein, the much-maligned scholar who wrote "The Holocaust Industry" and has spoken glowingly of Hezbollah, had been invited...

McCain Touts Stance on Israel News Analysis By Marc Perelman Wed. Feb 13, 2008 John Mc Cain prides himself on being a straight shooter, a political maverick who speaks his mind even when it riles his own camp or alarms voters. He supported President Bush’s troop surge in Iraq even though pundits called it political suicide. He once told a questioner that it “would be fine with me” if America kept a military presence there for 100 years. Asked last year about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, he jokingly sang the words “Bomb, bomb, bomb. Bomb, bomb Iran” to the tune of...