As a Jewish American who strongly supports Israeli security, and has for my entire life, I can categorically say that "Joe the Plumber" doesn't know what the f*** he's talking about. I am 100% confident that Barack Obama will be a great friend of Israel, in the same way that Bill Clinton was a great friend of Israel. I am also 100% confident that under George W. Bush, there has essentially been ZERO progress towards an Arab-Israeli peace settlement. In addition, thanks to people like Bush and McCain, Israel's security has arguably been WEAKENED as its #1 archenemy, Iran, has been greatly strengthened. My advice to "Joe the Plumber?" Stick to plumbing, ditch the idiotic comments on and analysis of the Middle East.
P.S. While we're on the subject of Israel, I've just gotta say, go Tzipi Livni!!! (Benjamin Netanyahu - no thank you)
Comments
When you find yourself in a hole (Pain - 10/28/2008 7:22:21 PM)
Joe. Stop digging pal. Your first mistake was making a stupid comment about something you know abso-fricken-lutely nothing about, and then you call into a news program to defend yourself?
Joe, you're dumber than Sarah Palin my friend. Stop proving it.
Joe the Plumber on... Middle East politics?! (Grenadier - 10/28/2008 7:34:47 PM)
This goes beyond ridiculous, to think that someone without brains, much less a nuanced knowledge about life and politics in the Middle East, should even be asked about it. Typical Faux News. Well, I have to say Andrea the Jew (same as Andrea the Writer) here favors a two-state solution, and appreciates Obama's understanding of the progress that must be made, and the noise that needs to stop before any coherent plan can be created, assessed, and adopted. He's strong enough to tune out malicious, ignorant AIPAC, as well as the RJC, the latter which has been notoriously ugly during this campaign season. His visit to Israel showed his statesman-like capabilities, and I really feel that if anything is ever going to happen in my lifetime, it must happen in the next eight years.
Gobama!
was exactly what one would expect, since they appear to be so gingerly about publicizing Joe's comments about the death of Israel among Jewish voters. At the same time they recognize that Joe, like Palin, is not controllable. He might get seriously out of hand. They therefore are using Joe at this time to build their case that you cannot trust Obama (about many things, including Israel). The Joe-comment will be scrubbed up and reworked for distribution where they think it will do McCain the most good, say in key states with large numbers of Jewish voters, like Florida. Even Fox felt compelled to repeat Obama's comments about supporting Israel, while still flogging the McC campaign's use of Joe's comments on Israel to sow doubts about Obama.
I trust that when Obama puts up his next personal 2-minute ad he will clear the air about the many recent lies, misquotes, and distortions in which the McCain campaign has indulged lately, and the question about Israel will be included.
Too bad about the Livni Government (Josh - 10/28/2008 11:45:20 PM)
If I read affairs there correctly, she promised to work with the Palestinians towards peace, which angered some key conservatives in the Knesset. From there she wasn't able to build a governing majority and now has to hold early elections.
That parliamentary system is pretty confusing, but you know, if we had it here, Bush would have been gone in November of 2005.
It will be a dark day when an American President doesn't stand by Israel. (Tiderion - 10/29/2008 1:20:52 AM)
Now that can never be a blank check to allow Israel to do whatever it wants in the same way that we allow anyone to do whatever they feel like. Regardless, Israel is a close friend and ally and no sitting president will ever be able to change that.
Also, Netanyahu should never be PM. If peace is to happen, and I do believe that Israelis as a whole are quite committed to that, they cannot have the more hawkish and conservative elements ruling. Livni will do a great job and maybe forgoing a coalition will work best.