June 20th, 2008 11:25 AM Eastern

Mayor Bloomberg Has Obama’s Back
by Bonney Kapp
Mayor Mike Bloomberg spoke to Jewish voters today in Boca Raton, Florida, to assure the community that both presidential candidates have expressed a commitment to Israel, and believe that Iran poses a threat to the nation.

Bloomberg, the Independent mayor of New York City who has yet to endorse a candidate (and has appeared at events alongside both candidates), had another reason for addressing Jewish voters. “Let’s make sure that we, as Jews and as voters, keep the conversation focused on the facts and not let it descend into false rumor and innuendo.”

Barack Obama has been fighting rumors that he is Muslim since he announced his candidacy. Occasionally voters would ask Obama on the trail if the allegation was true, forcing Obama to try to dispel them, which only amplified the story in the mainstream press. Just a few days ago, the campaign announced a new website dedicated to “fight the smears,” including snuffing out the Muslim myth.

Mayor Bloomberg today lashed out against emails circulating that push that message. “There are plenty of emails floating around the Internet targeting Jewish voters and saying that Senator Obama is secretly a Muslim, and a radical one at that. Let’s call those rumors what they are: lies. They are cloaked in concern for Israel, but the real concern is about partisan politics. Israel is just being used as a pawn,” he said, adding the religion question is “wedge politics at its worst,” and asked the Jewish voters to “reject it – loudly, clearly, and unequivocally.”

Moreover, he said, such tactics will only exacerbate relations between the Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as with African Americans. “It threatens to undo the enormous strides that Jews and Muslims have made together in this country – and the enormous strides that Jews and African-Americans have made together,” he concluded.

Read his full remarks as prepared for delivery below the jump.


“Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama have clearly expressed their commitment to Israel’s military security, political sovereignty, and economic success. And that’s how it should be. That’s how it must be. The two senators also understand the threat Iran poses to Israel, and both are determined to ensure Iran never gains access to nuclear weapons.

“Of course, in any election, one candidate’s supporters will look to pick holes in the other candidate’s statements – on Israel and everything else. And that’s fine. One thing Judaism always welcomes is a debate. It’s one of the great tenets of our faith: to not accept things as told – but to question; to seek answers; to explore. But as we do that, let’s make sure that we, as Jews and as voters, keep the conversation focused on the facts and not let it descend into false rumor and innuendo.

“Unfortunately, we’ve already seen that happen. As I’m sure many of you know, there are plenty of emails floating around the Internet targeting Jewish voters and saying that Senator Obama is secretly a Muslim, and a radical one at that. Let’s call those rumors what they are: lies. They are cloaked in concern for Israel, but the real concern is about partisan politics. Israel is just being used as a pawn, which is not that surprising, since some people are willing to stoop to any level to win an election.

“These demagogues are hoping to exploit the political differences between the Jewish and Muslim people to spread fear and mistrust. This is wedge politics at its worst, and we’ve got to reject it – loudly, clearly, and unequivocally. And how can we as a people not speak out against demagoguery and stereotype and whisper campaigns!? Of all people, we know how hurtful these forces can be. We know the evils they can stir up and the violence they can inflame.

“Senator McCain has done the right thing in denouncing this whisper campaign, which speaks to his character as a standup guy and an honest leader. After all, he knows what it’s like to be the target of a whisper campaign. He faced the same slimy, low-ball tactics during the 2000 South Carolina primary.

“And in this election, we must all stand up to this whisper campaign against Senator Obama. That’s because it threatens to undo the enormous strides that Jews and Muslims have made together in this country – and the enormous strides that Jews and African-Americans have made together.

I think it would have showm more class to comment that even if Obama was Muslim what's the problem. Many Christians, Jews, and Mulsims co-exist very well.

John R...