John Kerry and Joe Biden
John Kerry and Joe BidenReuters

Politics is a strange endeavor. Far too many people choose a party affiliation much the way a fan selects a sports team, then blindly support that team throughout their lifetime. Such is the case with many in the Jewish community and their unbridled fealty to the Democrat party.

Many working class Jewish families from the 1950’s until this day were and are staunch supporters of the Democrat party. Their reasoning? Growing up learning about Truman’s recognition of Israel, Adlai Stevenson's requited love of the Jewish state, as well as, the likes of Lyndon Johnson, Henry 'Scoop' Jackson, and others, it was a no brainer to support and endorse this party. But make no mistake, the ‘Dems’ of today are longer the party of your parents and grandparents and Joe Biden is certainly no Adlai Stevenson.

Setting aside a 47 year record of unsurpassed prevarication in the Senate and as vice president in the most anti-Israel administration, Biden by his own words and deeds does not represent either the interests of the United States nor those of the state of Israel.

In a since taken down video campaign ad this past July, Biden stated: “Muslim voices matter,”….”I will include having Muslim American voices as part of my administration.” Near the conclusion of this two minute and twenty six second political ad, photos of devout anti-Semites, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Linda Sarsour are flashed across the screen to a backdrop of music blaring, “we got the power.”

Near the conclusion of this two minute and twenty six second political ad, photos of devout anti-Semites, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Linda Sarsour are flashed across the screen to a backdrop of music blaring, “we got the power.”
The web is replete with musings from far left media and pundits describing Biden as a friend of Israel. In a published article this past July entitled, “Biden Calls Sanders’ pitch to suspend military aid to Israel "bizarre.” In a speech made in rural northeastern Iowa, the former vice president is quoted saying, “The idea that I’d withdraw military aid, as others have suggested from Israel, is bizarre. However, the former vice president either has a deteriorating memory as some claim or he’s an outright liar.

On June 22 of 1982, then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. During the hearing, Senator Biden became infuriated with the Israeli prime minister over Israeli settlement policy in Judea and Samaria ('West Bank') and slammed his fist on a table, threatening to withhold American economic aid to the Jewish state over the issue. Begin angrily replied, “Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work.”

Biden, displaying the temper he is now famous for raised his voice and banged twice on the the table in front of him. Begin forcefully admonished him, “Do you think that because the U.S. lends us money it is entitled to impose on us what we must do? We are grateful for the assistance we have received, but we are not to be threatened.”

It begs the question, which Biden are we to believe, the one threatening Israel in 1982, or the current incarnation running for president?

Truth be told, as a political hack on steroids his political record indicates he is beholding only to himself and whichever Democrat faction holds sway at a particular place in time. Currently it’s composed of the far left and comprised of outspoken anti-Semites such as the following, to which Biden has had no problem accepting endorsements from.

• Ocasio-Cortez: This past August, the radical Congresswoman, from New York’s 14th district infamously gave an interview and agreed with the host, “what’s going on with Israel and Palestine” is "very, very criminal" and is very, very unjust.” She has also displayed her ignorance of history by analogizing temporary detention of illegal aliens at the U.S. Southern border with concentration camps in Nazi Germany.

None of this seems to have phased the former vice president. Once Cortez publicly offered her services to his campaign, he responded by accepting her offer and went so far as naming her one of his climate advisors should he win the election. Along with her are fellow members of the ‘Squad.’

• Ilhan Omar: Congresswoman from Minnesota's 5th congressional district. For Accusing American Jewry of possessing dual loyalty; Alleging that Jews buy their influence with money, infamously stating It’s all about the Benjamins;” accusing Israel of having hypnotized the world, and supporting the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, she barely beat out Louis Farrakhan as 2019’s biggest anti-Semite of the year in a poll taken in Israel; to most decent people, a most dubious award.

• Rashida Tlaib: representing the 13th District of Michigan also has a long history of anti-Jewish/Israel sentiments. She “launched her career in the U.S. House of Representatives by slandering colleagues who supported a resolution seeking to weaken the anti-Israel, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement when she tweeted, ‘They forgot what country they represent.’

Joining them in their disdain of the Jewish state is a veritable all-star team of prominent Muslim American politicians that have also embraced the Democrat party and endorsed Biden. Along with the aforementioned, longtime critics of Israel, Minnesota, Attorney General, Keith Ellison and Indiana Rep. Andre Carson have also signed a letter of endorsement of Biden, stating in part: “Joe Biden's presence serves not only to galvanize Muslim Americans to cast their ballots, but to usher in an era of engaging with Muslim American communities under a Biden administration.”

Impervious to the machinations of the above mentioned, he gave a speech before them at ‘The Million Muslim Votes Summit,’ Biden, forever the panderer, responded to their endorsements by stating: I wish we were taught more in our schools "about the Islamic faith.”

Speaking of faith, without any true knowledge of the events surrounding the shooting of Jacob Blake this past Summer, Biden was quick to castigate law enforcement and do a photo- op with the Blake’s family. It makes one wonder, where he was and why he didn’t make such an appearance when the lives, businesses, and Synagogues, of his most loyal supporters, people of the Jewish faith, were torn asunder during the Fairfax, California pogroms this past June?

For people unfamiliar with Biden’s 47 year sophistic history, this is just, ‘Joe being Joe.’ But With the stakes so high for America and Israel in the upcoming election, it belies comprehension why a preponderance of Jewish voters would cast their lot with a man and a party that truly does not represent their interests, given the choice of one that assiduously does.

_______________________

Jerrold L. Sobel has an M.A. in International Relations from City College of New York. and for the past 11 years has been the president of the Zionist Organization of America/Southwest Florida Chapter. He lives with his wife Deborah in Naples, Florida.