Romney and Gingrich Campaign on Israel Ahead of Florida Primary

January 31, 2012 Leave a comment

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 31 – On the last day before the Florida primary, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney pushed his support for Israel.

Fight Terrorism, Support Israel

"Fight Terrorism, Support Israel" Sign in Tampa, Jan. 23

“My view is American strength is essential to the world,” the former Massachusetts governor said yesterday during a morning stop in Jacksonville.  “And it’s essential for us – and we should stand by our allies and our friends like Israel – and all the other nations that have been with us committing our futures together.”

Last night, speaking in The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida, Romney said “I will stand for Israel” twice, per a tweet by the Jewish Voice’s Jacob Kornbluh.

“I believe instead of becoming friendly with our enemies, we should become friendlier with our friends,” Romney said. “I want to make sure we stand by Israel and we stand by our allies of the world; we show them that we care for our friends and allies and that we do not in any way disrespect them. I will stand for Israel, I will stand for friends, and we will be stronger because America will stand for something, including our values.”

Meanwhile, in Pensacola, rival Newt Gingrich criticized Romney for vetoing funding for kosher food in nursing homes during his tenure as governor. The former Speaker also repeated his pledge to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In 2008, Jewish voters accounted for three percent of the electorate in the GOP primary. Yet the Jewish vote in Florida can have an impact. And before the NBC News/National Journal/Tampa Bay Times Debate in Tampa last week, a group of people held pro-Israel signs, stating their desire for the candidates to focus more on Israel. Both Romney and Gingrich may have received the message.

The last polls for the Florida primary close at 8:00 PM today.

Filed under GOP Primary, Israel, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , , , ,

Gingrich attacks Romney for cutting kosher food

January 30, 2012 1 Comment

Newt Gingrich

File: Newt Gingrich at a Townhall in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 30 - CNN’s Shawna Shepherd reports former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich attacked former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney today for vetoing funding for kosher food in nursing homes during his tenure as governor.

“Gov. Romney imposed activities on the Catholic hospitals against their opposition religious institution, refused them to allow right of conscience in Romneycare,” Gingrich said in Jacksonville, Fla. “Just as, by the way, he eliminated serving kosher food for elderly Jewish residents under Medicare. I did not know this, it just came out yesterday.”

Shepherd explains Gingrich was “referring to a report over the weekend about a bill Romney vetoed in Massachusetts in 2003 to ‘reject $600,000 in additional funds for poor Jewish nursing-home residents to get kosher meals.’ According to the New York Post story, that money was later restored in an amendment approved by the state legislature. Romney’s veto came during a fiscal crisis in Massachusetts when vetoes to spending provisions were common.”

Filed under GOP Primary, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , ,

What You May Have Missed: Courting the Jewish Vote; Natural Gas; War with Iran

January 29, 2012 Leave a comment

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 29 – With the Florida primary just two days away, the remaining Republican presidential candidates have been criss-crossing the state, speaking at political rallies, churches and various forums. President Obama also is visiting battleground states. Here are some things you may have missed:

*** Applause Lines on Israel for Gingrich: On Jan. 28, Sarah Posner of Religion Dispatches reports former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich received a standing ovation for repeating his promise to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. During the presidential forum hosted by the Christian legal group Liberty Counsel and others at the Aloma Baptist Church in Winter Park, Fla., Posner reports every time Gingrich mentioned Israel “it drew cheers and standing ovations.”

When questioned about a $10 million donation to his super PAC Winning Our Future by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Gingrich focused on Adelson’s passion for the survival of Israel. Posner reported Gingrich said he and Adelson agree “that Iran is a deep, immediate threat posing the risk of a second Holocaust,” resulting in an emotional “yes” from the audience.

*** Romney Criticizes Obama for Reducing Military: Speaking in Pensacola, Fla. on Jan. 28, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney once again attacked Obama on his policies toward Iran. Maeve Reston of the Los Angeles Times reports Romney said he preferred adding 100,000 active-duty military personnel, as opposed to Obama’s support for reducing the military budget and reducing American troops by 100,000.

“He is going to reduce our military capability … and as part of that he’s reducing our troops by 100,000,” Romney said to a large crowd at the Fish House in Pensacola. “This is a doomsday scenario. This is a very dangerous course in my view.”

Read more of this post

Filed under Barack Obama, GOP Primary, Iran, Israel, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Florida – The Jewish Vote

January 28, 2012 2 Comments

By Nathan Klein, Polling Director

Washington, Jan. 28 – As all (political) eyes are focused on Florida’s Republican Presidential Primary vote on Tuesday, new polling from Quinnipiac shows former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leading the field by nine percentage points heading into the weekend. But, regardless of the nominee, Florida will once again be a key swing state in the electoral math for the general election. It is also one of the few states in which the Jewish vote can be a decisive factor in deciding elections.

As reported by the Florida Department of State, in 2004, the presidential election was decided by half a percentage point in favor of former President George W. Bush; and, in 2008, President Obama won the state by under three percentage points. In those two elections, according to CNN exit polling, Jews represented six percent and four percent of the electorate respectively.

National polling among the Jewish community, undertaken by the American Jewish Committee in September 2011, shows Obama taking only 50 percent of the vote in a match-up against Romney. But, in a Public Policy Polling poll (albeit with a small Jewish sample) taken the same month in Florida, Obama is seen taking the Jewish vote by wide margins, leading Romney by 78-11 (although his standing on Israel was at a lower 61 approve – 31 disapprove level).

It is unquestionable that Florida will be a hotly contested state in the general election; small changes among the Jewish population have the potential for a big national impact.

Also, see: Florida voters want more focus on Israel

Filed under Barack Obama, GOP Primary, Mitt Romney Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Fact Checks on Romney and Gingrich Re: Palestinians and Israel

January 28, 2012 2 Comments

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 28 – While TIP on the Trail does not have a fact checking unit for candidates’ statements, we wanted to point out two important fact checks of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich from Thursday night’s debate.

During the CNN Debate in Jacksonville, Fla., an audience member who identified himself as a Palestinian-American Republican asked the republican candidates how they would “bring peace to Palestine and Israel when most candidates barely recognize the existence of Palestine or its people.”

“As a Palestinian-American Republican, I’m here to tell you we do exist,” the questioner continued, directing the statement toward Gingrich.

The former Speaker defended his previous statements that the Palestinians are an invented people, repeating his claim that the Palestinian people were “technically an invention of the late 1970s” and saying the Palestinians are originally from Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, or Jordan.

Yet Ron Kampeas of the JTA says there are a few inaccuracies in Gingrich’s statement. Read his analysis: Last Palestinian Republican standing, and fact-checking Romney and Gingrich

During his answer, Romney attacked President Obama on the president’s policies toward Israel. However, Sara Sorcher of the National Journal says many of his assertions were inaccurate. Read her analysis: Debate Fact Check: Israel, Health, Romney Money, Colombia Trade

Read the Full Transcript of Romney and Gingrich’s Responses

TIP on the Trail is not affiliated with any government, is nonpartisan and neither rates nor endorses candidates.

Filed under GOP Primary, Israel, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Romney and Gingrich on Peace Between Palestinians and Israel

January 27, 2012 8 Comments

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 27 – In last night’s CNN Debate, an audience member who identified himself as a Palestinian-American Republican asked how the republican candidates would bring peace to Palestine and Israel. Both former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich blamed the Hamas leadership for the lack of peace in the region. Below is the transcript. Also, read Fact Checks on Romney and Gingrich’s Statements

BLITZER: Let’s take another question from the audience. Please give us your name and tell us where you are from.

(UNKNOWN): Abraham Hassel (ph) from Jacksonville, Florida. How would a Republican administration help bring peace to Palestine and Israel when most candidates barely recognize the existence of Palestine or its people? As a Palestinian-American Republican, I’m here to tell you we do exist.

BLITZER: All right. Let’s ask Governor Romney, first of all. What would you say to Abraham?

ROMNEY: Well, the reason that there’s not peace between the Palestinians and Israel is because there is — in the leadership of the Palestinian people are Hamas and others who think like Hamas, who have as their intent the elimination of Israel. And whether it’s in school books that teach how to kill Jews, or whether it’s in the political discourse that is spoken either from Fatah or from Hamas, there is a belief that the Jewish people do not have a right to have a Jewish state.

There are some people who say, should we have a two-state solution? And the Israelis would be happy to have a two-state solution. It’s the Palestinians who don’t want a two-state solution. They want to eliminate the state of Israel.

Read more of this post

Filed under GOP Primary, Israel, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Iran Again at Center of Republican Debate

January 24, 2012 1 Comment

Strait of Hormuz

Strait of Hormuz

By Lauren Appelbaum and Melissa Weiss

Tampa, Fla., Jan. 24 – Iran again took center stage at Monday night’s Republican candidates’ debate in Florida, with Tehran’s threat to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the spotlight.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said if Iran were to actually close the Strait, “of course it’s an act of war.” Some 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows through the waterway.

“We want to show Iran, any action of that nature will be considered an act of war,” Romney said. “America is going to be keep those sea lanes open.”

Rep. Ron Paul thought the United States already started a war with Iran. “We’re blockading them. Can you imagine what we would do if somebody blockaded the Gulf of Mexico? That would be an act of war. So the act of war has already been committed and this is a retaliation.”

Both former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Sen. Rick Santorum attacked President Obama for his handling of the situation.

Read more of this post

Filed under GOP Primary, Iran, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Ron Paul Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Florida voters want more focus on Israel

January 23, 2012 7 Comments

Fight Terrorism, Support Israel

"Fight Terrorism, Support Israel" Sign

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Tampa, Fla., Jan. 23 – It is not unusual to see people holding signs for their preferred candidate standing outside the location of a presidential debate. The crowd gathered at the University of South Florida, site of Monday night’s NBC News/National Journal/Tampa Bay Times Debate, was no exception.

Dozens of supporters gathered outside an entrance to the university to support the remaining candidates. Among the crowd was a small group of people holding U.S.-Israel signs that featured a variety of pro-Israel slogans: “Protect and Defend Israel and America,” “Support Israel to Destroy Hamas,” “Fight Terrorism, Support Israel,” and “Democrats for Newt / Jews for Newt.”

Rally Organizer Robert Kunst Holding “Democrats for Newt / Jews for Newt” Sign

Rally Organizer Robert Kunst Holding “Democrats for Newt / Jews for Newt” Sign

“I want to put Israel on the front-burner,” said Robert Kunst, the president of Shalom International, who organized the “Rally for America, Israel and No Nukes for Iran.”

Kunst is a self-described Democrat who has decided to support Speaker Newt Gingrich. While Israel is not usually cited as the first issue a voter uses to determine which candidate to back, Kunst says it’s the opposite for him. “Israel is my first issue. If we don’t have Israel, we have nothing. Because then America is next.”

Filed under GOP Primary, Iran, Israel, Newt Gingrich Tagged with , , , , , ,

Romney Repeats Pledge to Stand with Israel

January 13, 2012 Leave a comment

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, Jan. 13 – Speaking to a largely Jewish crowd, presidential candidate Mitt Romney pledged to support allies such as Israel and went after President Obama’s stance on Israel on Thursday.

“This president has found it pretty sensible to be critical of our friends,” Romney said during a rally at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“It is unacceptable to be critical of our friends,” Romney continued. “He went to the United Nations and criticized Israel for building settlements. He had nothing to say about Hamas’ 20,000 rockets into Israel.”

Romney reiterated  that if he were president of the United States, “we will stand with our friends,” repeating a line that also received applause during his victory speech in New Hampshire.

Romney also promised to confront Iran, calling the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapon “the greatest threat that we face globally over the next decade.”

Also yesterday, Obama spoke on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when he reiterated his “unshakable commitment to Israel’s security” and discussed issues of concern regarding Iran.

The Florida primary is scheduled for Jan. 31, ten days after the South Carolina primary on Jan. 21.

Filed under Barack Obama, GOP Primary, Iran, Israel, Mitt Romney Tagged with , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 30 other followers