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July 16, 2004/Tamuz 27 5764, Vol. 56, No. 43
Democrats focus on Israel
RON KAMPEAS
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - This year's Democratic Party convention will play to the down-home strengths of the presumptive nominees, but Jews attending the pro-ceedings will be emphasizing foreign policy.
Jewish events planned for the week, from a mass reading of the names of Israeli victims of terrorism to intimate chats with top foreign-policy makers, emphasize Israel's role in the party's policy.
U.S. Jews traditionally have been second only to blacks among ethnic groups in their overwhelming support for Democrats, but the party is concerned that President Bush's perceived strong support for Israel could cut into Jewish support for Democrats.
That explains the emphasis on Israel at the convention's Jewish events, which start in Boston the evening of July 25 and run the whole week.
The importance the party attaches to the Jewish vote was reflected in the confirmed guest list for a July 25 reception co-hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the United Jewish Communities: Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), the presumptive vice-presidential nominee, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Among other highlights of the week, celebrities will read the names of the Israeli terrorism victims, and there will be invitation-only AIPAC meetings with top party foreign-policy drafters and strategists.
"The Democratic con-vention will focus on their support for Israel," said Jess Hordes, Washington director for the Anti-Defamation League, which will host several Jewish events at the convention. "They want to attempt to neutralize the credit the Bush ad-ministration has built up with the Jewish community in its support for Israel and combating anti-Semitism internationally."
By contrast, other parts of the convention will play equally to domestic and foreign policy strengths of the candidates and the party platform, a balance reflected in the theme of the con-vention, as enumerated July 13 by chairman and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: "Stronger at home, respected in the world."
Party literature suggests that if there were to be an emphasis, it would be on the domestic side: Speeches on July 26 focus on job creation and expanding health care. Highlights also will include the life stories of Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Ed-wards, emphasizing down-home attributes: Kerry the war hero, and Edwards the poor boy who helped the disenfranchised fight cor-porations.
Domestic policy is a hard sell to Jewish voters, Jewish Democrats said.
Still, some Jewish events are planned to address domestic issues, including an ADL commemoration of Jewish-black cooperation during the civil rights era and an encounter with "Blue Dogs," congressional Democrats who lean conservative on fiscal and social policies.
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