Florida GOP Mailer: Obama "No Friend Of Israel"

The Republican Party of Florida is sending out a new mailer that accuses Barack Obama of being "dangerously unprepared" and "no friend of Israel."

The direct mail piece, which was passed on to the Huffington Post by a reader, pairs two noxious quotes from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad along with some (very brief) quotes from Obama on Hamas, Hezbollah and his willingness to hold talks with the leaders of rogue nations. (The mailer's graphic layout also seems to place Obama's head as literally springing from the region of the troubled Middle East.) In a section slugged "The World On Obama," the mailer quotes four different op-eds from conservative outlets that are critical of Obama -- including the Wall Street Journal, a FoxNews.com blog, The Jerusalem Post and the New York Post.

But one of the editorials, in particular, is selectively quoted to the point of distortion in the mailer -- specifically the line that Obama believes Hamas and Hezbollah have "legitimate claims." Those two words come from a David Brooks New York Times op-ed from May 2008. With respect to the violent tactics employed by Hezbollah and Hamas, Obama told Brooks that "they're going down a blind alley with violence that weakens their legitimate claims." Only the last two words of that line are quoted in the Florida GOP's mailer. Elsewhere in the same piece, Brooks wrote: "Right off the bat he [Obama] reaffirmed that Hezbollah is 'not a legitimate political party.'"

Of course, one doesn't have to perform a close-read of a David Brooks column in order to discover Obama's position on Israel and its security. The Democratic nominee has repeatedly made clear that his support for Israel is "nonnegotiable," winning raves from pro-Israeli attendees of this year's AIPAC conference.

Comments

[Ipanemagirl]

If Obama s campaign has a weakness is that they failed to play the retaliation game against McCain, who if he wins will be due to all the smears he trashed out against Obama, all lies too!
I hope the jewish community is smart enoough to see through this and vote sensibly! They should know how bad propaganda works and not fall for it!

[hirut]

I hope to see Howard Dean become the Secretary of State. We will see peace in the middle east. Howard
Dean is brilliant , you have seen what he is doing with this Dem. election.

[marthlois]

You talk about out of control? I am so disgusted! This mailer, coupled with Joe the Plumber's remarks AND THE REMARKS FOLLOWED BY THE MC CAIN CAMPAIGN is just about too much for any of us to take anymore.
If we don't elect Obama - our country simply does not stand a chance of righting itself. In my 60 years, I've never seen a more disgusting campaign - ever! I'm ashamed of the GOP, I'm ashamed by the hatred in the country I love so much, I'm ashamed that so many people are so damned busy trying to keep their families and their budgets in tact - that they simply do not have the time to see through this unpatriotic
B.u.ll S.HIT! But please find the time to see through it all so that we have a country to be proud of!

[milessierra]

Does anyone really think that Joe the so call plumber is worrying about Israel, that fool doesn't even known where it is on the map! The GOP is lower in dirt, to use this tactic, if McCain really believe what he said at Rick Warren church the good wins over evil, than that should be explanation enough for him as to known why he is losing! This is pure evil.....

[jeanrenoir]

The truth, of course, is that Obama is Israel's only hope. If McCain is elected and "bomb, bomb, bombs" Iran, the resulting economic catastrophe from $300 oil, when Iran retaliates by sinking plenty of oil tankers, will make the current financial crisis look like nothing. And Israel, of course, will be BLAMED by the masses of the world, including the masses of Americans, who will go berserk if they have to pay $10 for gas, and comparable prices for heating oil, not to mention watching any savings they have left in the stock market wiped out. Turning the American masses against Israel is a greater long-term threat to Israel's survival than a nuclear Iran, since without popular support in America, Israel would truly be dead. So this is incredibly serious business, and Obama's the candidate in tune with Olmert's parting words about making peace with the Palestinians, as opposed to hard-line Likudnics, and their neocon supporters in America, who've already brought us the disaster of the war in iraq, and would give us a far worse disaster if McCain, Liberman's ventriloquist's dummy, actually did what the neocons would want and bombed Iran for Likud.

[starznstripez]

Do they come with an autographed headshot of Joe the Plumber?

[BethStuart]

The McCain campaign relies on fear. Even Joe the Pumber has gotten into the act.

[mamala4]

This sh*t must stop...

[mamala4]

This is just disgraceful....78% of Jews are voting for Obama...and McCain thinks that people like Palin and Joe the Plumber are foreign policy experts....another reason not to vote for him...

[newpotusplease]

fascinating that Joe the Plumber is suddenly soooo concerned for Israel

On the same day that Gov Crist extends voting hours in Florida..

[prdbldngheart]

I've heard this garbage about Al Gore and John Kerry as well. Nothing in their voting records or public statements backed it up then and nothing backs up the innuendo against Obama..

McCain has no substance to he's relying on fear.

[in4success]

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03072008/watch.html

[obamasandiego]

75% of Jewish Americans are voting for Obama.

[jeffepops]

I think the vast majority of Jews have demonstrated we are immune to these scare tactics. Although I must say I, personally, was almost swayed by Joe the Plumber's statement today that electing Obama would mean the death of Israel. After all, who knows more about the Middle East than Joe the Plumber?

[in4success]

surreal, isn't it?

[STILJON]

Part 1
This is one further reason we need to offer the specifics on who would make a stronger commander-in-chief since this is really what these smears are getting at. We need a leader with a steel spine and a brain attached. Who has shown a solid backbone and an able mind? Both of these candidates are being tested right now during the current international incident facing the world economy. Senator Obama continues to display intelligent judgment and sound temperament producing a comprehensive and effective response to strengthen our economy. National security depends on a strong economy. Senator McCain consistently displays an erratic sense of judgment and an agitated temperament. Senator McCain in the first hours of the crisis went from everything is sound to the end is here. In 24 hours he was both against and for the AIG bailout. He did and didn’t suspend his campaign. There is no way to reverse a decision to use military force.