NO, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE DEMOCRATS


Tapped completely misreads the findings of the latest AJC study and concludes that the Dems have not lost any ground with Jewish voters. As wrote recently, the numbers say precisely the opposite. Tapped's error stems from not actually reading the findings itself, but instead recylcing second-hand a brutally spun analysis from the Israel Policy Forum., America's premier Pro-Peace-Process think tank. IPF spins the figures by 1) ignoring the rise in GOP affiliation, 2) failing to note the drop in support from Gore to non-Lieberman Dem candidates, and 3) thrusting forward data that shows American Jews remain solidly liberal on cultural issues. (Although, even in the figures given, you can see the 15-18% gap between opposition to Bush on cultural issues and the War on Terror).


The IPF is unreliable on this issue because its agenda is to convince the US to impose an enlightened Beilinesque peace accord on the unwilling parties. Therefore, the idea that by pressuring Israel to make concessions (for its own good in the IPF view) the Dems might lose some votes is problematic for IPF. Unfortuately for the Dems and the IPF, it looks like this is precisely what has and will continue to happen.