With reports that Jewish Democrats are starting to become disenchanted with President Obama, according to Politico, a potential replacement for the president, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, weighed on the Middle East in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.
Pajamas Media reports the letter urged the Justice Department to prosecute American individuals and entities involved in a "flotilla" now being assembled by a number of anti-Israel groups to run the Israeli blockade and attempt to deliver supplies to Gaza, now ruled by the terrorist group Hamas. A Perry spokesman denied that the letter was politically motivated, but rather stemmed from the governor's deep affinity to the Jewish state.
Ordinarily a state governor, particularly a governor of Texas, would not have the Middle East as part of his or her portfolio. However, with the special session of the Texas legislature now concluded, Perry has some time on his hands. As there has been some considerable buzz about Perry becoming a presidential candidate, it would be only natural that he would begin to delve into policy issues beyond the state of Texas, including the Middle East.
The spokesman is no doubt very sincere about Perry's personal motives for intervening with Holder about the latest Gaza flotilla. But Perry is also no fool. He can read just as much as anyone else the rising discontent in the Jewish community over Obama's Middle East policy, which seems to have gotten a decidedly anti-Israel focus.
It is not that Perry would have any hopes of gaining a majority of the American Jewish vote. American Jews tend to be liberal on social and economic issues, which inform their political choices as much if not more than support for Israel. But Perry or anyone else would not have to go far to cut into Obama's Jewish support, undercutting the president's chances of reelection.
GOP candidates like Perry can note that Reagan garnered 39 percent of the Jewish vote, a modern day high for a Republican. This was mostly because President Carter, despite Camp David, was seen as anti-Israel. By contrast, John McCain got 22 percent of the Jewish vote. If Perry or anyone else were to get anywhere near the Reagan total, Obama would be contemplating a future in the private sector after January 2013.
Perry's letter to Holder suggests that a Perry administration would have a far different Middle Eastern policy than that of Obama. Certainly any Israeli prime minister who visited the White House would be treated with more courtesy than Netanyahu was by Obama. There would be no coddling of Israel's enemies in a vain attempt to curry favor. That is certainly something to consider.
Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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