New Poll: Israelis Prefer Obama

Even more positive news from Barack Obama's trip to the Middle East: a new poll by Israel Radio shows, for perhaps the first time, Israelis preferring Obama to John McCain.

When asked "who would you rather see elected as the next president of the United States," Obama bested John McCain by a 37-28 margin. While far from a decisive advantage -- 35 percent of Israelis chose "no preference" or some other answer -- the poll reflects a notably different state of affairs from previous surveys, which generally showed McCain with a large advantage over Obama.

Obama's competitiveness spanned the political spectrum across Israel's top three parties. The Illinois Democrat trounced McCain among Israel's most liberal voters, who belong to the Labor Party (44-6), tied among more right-wing Likud voters (28-28), and held a slight edge among sympathizers of the Kadima Party, which is led by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (40-32).

The survey of 600 respondents taken this week, likely before Obama landed in Israel, also found that more Israelis believe Obama would be a better president for the Jewish state, 31-27. (Forty-two percent registered other responses.)

These latest numbers contrast sharply with other recent polls, one of which gave McCain a 36-27 edge, while another showed 46 percent of Israelis believed that McCain would be a better president for Israel.

One other interesting data point from the poll: at least some of the respondents who said they hoped to see Obama elected also believe that McCain would be a "better president" for Israel. Independent analyst and Israeli political adviser Dahlia Scheindlin said that phenomenon can be chalked up to the fundamentally unsettled quality of Israeli public opinion about Obama.

"They love the Israeli-American relationship so much they're slightly afraid for things to change," she said. "So he's trying hard to let people know more about him." Noting that the same rumors about Obama's Muslim "ties" that dog the Illinois Democrat in America also persist in Israel, Scheindlin said, "in the same breath, people can say, 'maybe that's actually a good thing for us.'"

Of course, while the impact of foreign public opinion means nothing to the electoral college, the attitudes of Israel's citizens could potentially impact the way the diaspora views Obama in turn. Since recent polls of have shown Obama with less of an advantage than previous Democratic candidates have amassed among American Jews, Thursday's poll is an event his campaign can be expected to cheer, if cautiously.

Comments

[Tator]

Hello everyone,
As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to 'The War Zone'. I wanted to share with you what happened.
He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram.

As the Soldiers were lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service.

So really he was just here to make a showing for the American's back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.

It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.

In service,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch
American Soldier

[SShaw490]

Interestin­g...this exact post is showing up all over the internet. It is being posted on various blogs as if the purported writer is actually doing the posting. It is already circulating in the form of an email that is similar to those other "beware of the 'real' Obama" emails.

[RocketmanBob]

Yes, and some chose to worship Baal instead of the God of Abraham also......­.

They were wrong then too.......­......

[sf101]

Amazing. In Israel you can debate anything you want at anytime. But here in the States, if you publically mention Israel it's illegal and you're an anti-Semite. Forget that rock-star charisma stuff. AIPAC says jump and Obama says how high?

[Johnz52]

What other country on this planet does every American politican pander to in the manner they do Israel? Who cares what American presidental candidate Israel's Keneset wants. Is Obama fielding how Norwegians or Greenlanders feel about a Republican or Democrat President. The fact that Obama is dragging his rear to Israel only demonstrates the weight of AIPAC and Israel's yoke upon American politics.

[INDmind]

Anyone see the Charlie Gibson interview with BO? Obama said "everyone knows my track record on Israel." Can someone please elaborate, what exactly is Obama's track record on Israel?

[strifeknot]

He means he will be unquestioningly obeisant, like any good pandering politician.

[GoldCanyonGal]

strifeknot, your remark says it all...he looks like a 'coddler' to them, that's why they like him.

[lboucher]

Barack Obama presents himself both as Barack the Baptist and the Obamessiah. Nevertheless, Americans naturally root for for the underdog to prevail. For pride to take a fall. Don't we naturally seek to puncture the grandiose pretensions of a blowhard? It seems to me that this is the question that Obama's speech elicits.

[egal]

Too bad Obama is as far from a proud, pretentious blowhard as we could ever find in a presidential candidate.

He humbly admits to the megalomania inherent in aiming for the presidency, and is painted as the inexerienced and gaffe-ridden one with no real chance because the MSM is McCain's base and it bought into Hillary's inevitability as well. But instead of giving simple but catchy soundbytes and impossible, messianic promises, Obama chooses to give us down-to-earth, complex truths and admit that only WE can accomplish what the nation needs, not him alone.

All while refusing to let pride own him or push him into the common mistake of averring that HE is "the answer" or above needing the advice of experts and the ear of friends and enemies alike. Nor does he wallow in the aggrandizement of presuming he's in such a lofty position that he can look down on us with such derision as to call our belief that we can be a part of necessary change "the grandiose pretensions of a blowhard".

Given all of that, OBAMA's not the one whose words elicit a desire to pop a prideful bubble.

[ynot4tony2]

You'll probably take this as a compliment, but don't. Your post was every bit as informative and honest as a Barack Obama speech.

[Johnz52]

Of course Israelis are hot for Obama. He visited a home in Sderot and stated Israelis have a right to defend themselves against Palestinians firing rockets. The good Senator conspicuously bypassed visiting any Palestinian homes in Gaza or the West Bank. He was completely deaf, dumb and blind when it came to expressing that Palestinians have the right to defend themselves from Israeli missile attacks. Obama's visit only serves to demonstrate that the U.S. will continue to support Israel's apartheid policies and violations of international law. Obama is campaigning on the platform of "change." Unfortunately there will be no change for the Palestinians who have endured a decades long illegal occupation by Israel.

[leftcoastliberal]

There was no illegal occupation of Palestinian land until the entire Arab world united to try - in total violation of international law - and drive Israel into the sea back in 1948. To paint the Israelis as unprovoked sadistic bullies is nothing short of demonization.

[Dane1911]

the entire world knows McCain is the not President material..­but guess what, us Americans are so ignorant and so foolish we want to live in McBush world for another 4 years even maybe 8...How sad and scary

[INDmind]

Or as Obama puts it another 8 to 10 years!

[mom2sons]

You haters crack me up. LOL Obama 08!

[yappnmutt]

the most telling stat is the one that is virtually ignored. the "inokea" vote is the most important . why would i care who runs another country

[Viper]

We invaded a country in 2003 because we cared who ran another country ( or at least thats one of the 32 reasons given over time for said attack) at a cost of 3 trilllion and one million lives.

Regards.

[Bitsko]

Didn't we just spend the last week being told by the press that McCain was the overwhelming favorite in Israel?

[walk0nwalls]

Well they sure don't prefer Olmert

[DallasMike]

Thank god they can't vote!

[starboymikey]

It shows what happens once people listen to Obama and begin learning who he is. They stop listening to the fear mongers, who really have nothing to offer us but fear itself.

[Wood]

Sounds like another charismatic president of long ago..

[PastorAgnostic]

Just a few days ago, Stephen Hayes was crowing about a conversation he had with a GOP Jew, from which he stated with all hubris, arrogance, stupidity that your standard NeoConMan can muster, that Obama is in serious trouble with the Jewish vote.
Of course, we must consider the source, Steve being somewhat slowed and lamed because his stupidity eclipses Kristol's Jonah Goldberg's even Ann Coulter's level of stupidity by just a hair.

While I applaud the support he receives from Israel and US Jews, I also hope that he does not forget the millions of Palestinians who suffer in horrific conditions, and that his promise to bring peace to that land may actually come to pass.

[pkafin]

And by "trouble with the Jewish vote" he means 75%-80% not 85%-90% will vote for Obama..

That sure is big trouble. Heh heh.