September 12, 2003
DEMOGRAPHICS IS POLITICS:
Ed Driscoll has posted a story that would seem to raise serious questions about whether Howard Dean has consciously decided to court the American-Arab vote even if it means running the risk of losing some considerable portion of the Jewish vote. Considering that older Jews in particular are likely to reflexively vote Democrat no matter what he says and that the growing Arab vote should be co-optable in toto, this could make excellent political sense when viewed narrowly. However, with your nation at war with Islamicism, don't you run the risk of being seen as on the wrong side of that war?
Posted by Orrin Judd at September 12, 2003 5:08 PMOrrin,
Obviously, Dean is trying to appeal to the p.o.'ed anti-war/anti-American/anti-Israel/anti-global/anti-everything far left wing of the Democrats right now, and will start shifting towards the center as he gets closer to the primaries. But I don't know how you shake off quotes like this.
Ed
Posted by: Ed Driscoll at September 12, 2003 5:35 PMActually, the quote is cut off. This is what he actually said via the blog Little Green Footballs:
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Asked if he would oppose the Israeli policy of selectively killing leaders of Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups, Dean said, "I think no one likes to see violence of any kind."
But he also said that "there is a war going on in the Middle East, and members of Hamas are soldiers in that war, and, therefore, it seems to me that they are going to be casualties if they are going to make war."
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In other words, Dean is saying that Hamas leaders cannot complain about being bombed because they are legitimate military targets.
Another point is that most Arab Americans are not Muslims, but Christians. Many of them are still supportive of a Palestinian state just like Irish Americans want an united Ireland. That does not necessarily make them pro-terrorists though, and I would say that Christian Arabs are particularly not in favor of Muslim terrorists.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at September 12, 2003 7:06 PMChris:
That though doesn't fit in a 30 second ad, while several pictures of Hamas explosions in Israel followed by that quote will serve Joe Lieberman quite nicely.
Posted by: oj at September 12, 2003 8:14 PMOJ,
Joe is too ethical to do that. Kerry might.
I think you are imputing far too much prudence to Mr. Dean, who is, as far as I can see, a bit of a hot head and hip-shooter.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at September 13, 2003 7:09 PM