Lieberman's Stepson: I'm Voting For Obama

There's one less Democrat listening to Sen. Joe Lieberman. Rabbi Ethan Tucker, the senator's step son, offered up his opinion on the difficulties facing Obama in reaching out to the Jewish community:

Tucker, 32, the biological son of Lieberman's wife, Hadassah, opines that an age split is apparent within the Jewish community in attitudes about Obama (as has also been shown in the overall Democratic constituency). Tucker, as paraphrased by reporter Jodi Kantor, asserts that younger Jews "have grown up in diverse settings and are therefore less likely to be troubled by Mr. Obama's associations than their elders."

So where does Rabbi Tucker fall on Obama, whose foreign policy bona fides were bashed by his stepfather in a recent editorial? Actually, he's backing Obama. Apparently, Obama's associations aren't a problem for him:

"Rabbi Tucker said he had given money to Mr. Obama and would vote for him in the fall. 'If association was the litmus test of identity, everyone would be a hopeless mishmash of confusion, or you'd have no friends,' he said."

Comments

[calpubserv]

Speaking of Lie-berman's kids (I'm still waiting for those Katrina hearings he promised to conduct), Holy Joe has stated emphatically that he would never "permit" any of his own kids to marry a gentile. Can you imagine the furor if, say, a Christian politician had said something like that?

[LaurieLee]

Did he really say that? I have friends who are very liberal Jews who say similar things. The funniest is a friend who was formerly Irish-Catholic, who converted to Judaism to marry her husband, who was giving me the Elliot Abrahms arguments against mixed marriages.

[krol]

Ok, although I wouldn't take that approach in my parenting, that is a position that MANY people take, regardless of religion. Also, it is a concern within the Jewish community that intermarriage is leading less people to practice. They are concerned about a diminishing role of the Jewish community in people's lives, and are encouraging Jews to marry other Jews to keep the community active.

One could make the argument that, "well, what if someone said, 'don't marry anyone outside your race." However, Judaism is a particular religion with a particular set of beliefs and culture. It is THAT the people want to propogate, not the fact that someone's mother's vagina was Jewish, which would be closest to the analogy to race.

There would be no uproar if a Christian politician said that about his or her own kids because it shouldn't concern anyone. Also, I'm sure a lot of politicians make it clear to their kids that they want them to marry a Christian/­Muslim/Hin­du/whateve­r.

[NURREDIN]

As a Sephardic Jew, I want to know why Joe isn't upset about the Israelis talking to Syria, but thinks Obama trying to engage the Iranians in some sort of meaningful dialog isn't the right thing to do?

[LaurieLee]

I was wondering that myself.

[Vergadoce]

Dear Nurredin,

The reason why Liebermann can't answer such a question is simple: Logic. The absence of it in his tiny little pea brain makes such a connection impossible.

[sophistwatch]

I am a gentile in the eyes of the Jews. In the eyes of the Christians I am a sinner. In the eyes of the Muslims, I am an infidel. In my eyes, I am not looking quite as young as I once did.

NURREDIN you make a very valid point. Bush an Lieberman are embarrassingly hypocritical on this issue. Mr. Lieberman is not alone. There are people of all faiths prostituting themselves and their religions for the normal reasons - power and money.

As surely as Lieberman has sided with a gentile, the radical Muslim's betray their own words when they tell us "it is a Muslim's duty to kill infidels" and yet they take our cash for petroleum. If they kill all of us, they will go broke.

Perhaps In many ways all Americans need a new Mosses regardless of who we pray to at night. I'm sure you know what I mean.

[glesslib]

Bush and Lieberman think that they are today's news, when reallly, they are yesterday's.

There is nothing so sad as a formerly powerful politician.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Perhaps Lieberman's step son is a real Democrat. The same can't be said for Lieberman who has become more of an embarrassment than Zell Miller.

We need to give Lieberman the boot from our party before the conventions.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m.s.-bellows/the-new-zell-miller-the-d_b_97791.html

[CTmom13]

Thank god he is not like his dad. Joe is HATED here in CT now and he will never win a seat again. Even the local newspaper apologized for endorsing him and published an article saying they were UNENDORSING HIM.

[Irons]

WOW, you mean all of the Liebermans aren't smarmy slime-balls?

[frappe]

It's nice to know that good people of conscience and independent thought are still alive and well. For what it's worth, in my opinion, you have made a very wise choice, Mr. Tucker.

Obama '08

[edva]

One good "turn" deserves another...­.....

[TrialDate]

When I saw the title, I laughed my azz off...Awes­ome!

[lisakaz2]

Good for the Rabbi. We all need to turn the page already. Seems like a modernist point about associations that only ppl who've moved or have gone to college could make. Maybe that's why oldsters don't get it.

He's even given money! Coooool.

[kirsch59]

The Obama crew should create a youtube ad or TV ad with the Rabbi explaining why he's voting for Obama.

Mazel Tov Rabbi.

49 year old Jewish male who support s Obama.

[crossoverwriter]

Yeah, baby, Jews for Obama!!!!
Let's get this thing started so we can turn all the states purple!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KarateKid]

LMAO. Joe must have upchucked his lunch when he read this.

Actually, in registering new voters, I have found that this generational aspect also applies to women and evangelicals, too. The younger ones have grown up in a much different environment, the Digital Age, the YouTube and MySpace age, and don't have the phobias of their elders.

Some of the evangelicals are adamantly Pro Life, but don't see that as the most important issue in the election. Obama is succeeding in melting down the things that have divided us in the past.

I have great faith in the intelligence of this younger generation. Gen Xers the are not.

[dollphingurl]

but also, as a lot of the Seasoned commenters on this post attest, there are a great deal of folks over 25, over 50, who support obama. yes, the "movement" part is younger folks, the college kids, et cetera, but the notion that most of obama's supporters are expressly of college-age is a twdry MSM construct.

i really would like to learn more about this whole Likud, AIPAC, zionist thing. would that i could make some of you commenters my "friends" like on myspace so that you could teach me more. only so much is to be learned through "the Google"

blessings and peace to US ALL!!!

[SeriousBlack]

Me too! I think the younger generation will turn out (has already been turning out) in droves and make us all proud.

[Lisa123]

Actually, I think that this is the most under-reported story of the campaign season so far...that this is a generational issue. And the Generation Xers - in their mid 30s - (of which I am part) are definitely onboard the Obama wagon and have been for a very long time.

It is the older generation (over 50 or so that has been harder to get onboard with Obama), but it is happening. Don't get me wrong, there have been many people over 50 with Obama for a very long time (like some of the posters to this article), but the demographic breakdown in the overall electorate seems to indicate that people over 50 are perhaps more skeptical about Obama (possibly because of cynicism that comes through seeing politicians say one thing and do another election after election).

BTW, I am an evangelical Christian (not part of the "religious right"), but someone who reads the Bible, attends church a couple of times a week, and consider myself an evangelical Christian since my purpose in life is to spread God's word. IMHO, Obama can definitely win the evangelical vote (at least, those of us under 40 or 50).

[goosie29]

Well, I'm GenX, pro-life, but pro-choice, hate the sin, but love the sinner (and this includes ALL sin), Obama supporter

[lunadove]

You talk about people uniting, then you write negatively about Gen X?!

Are you listening to yourself? You certainly aren't proofreading yourself!

So you are only prejudice against a certain age range?

How truly bizarre!

[realitybase]

Right on. We can do this!

Obama 08!

[walk0nwalls]

Jews: get out here with some more positive Yiddish. I'm not Jewish so i can't do it.

Yay rabbi!

[UsofA]

Lieberman's step-son, Rabbi Ethan Tucker only has character and a spine because he's not genetically related to Lieberman

[kidvidkid]

It's long past time for CT to retire Senator Fudd to a wetirement of wabbit hunting. Or perhaps, if McCain wins, he'd like to be posted to Iwan?