Considering the attacks Sheldon Adelson funded against Mitt Romney – a candidate he reportedly likes – just imagine how he treats candidates he disagrees with:
In a bit of political chess, Mr. Adelson is ready to not only directly support the former House speaker in the Republican primary, but to use his cash to push Rick Santorum from his position atop the latest national polls, according to people who have discussed the matter with Mr. Adelson.
If Mr. Gingrich could afford to continue campaigning, one of those people said, he might be able to draw off conservative and evangelical voters from Mr. Santorum, improving the chances of Mitt Romney, who Mr. Adelson believes has a better chance to win November’s general election. …
Mr. Adelson doesn’t oppose Mr. Santorum, but he doesn’t share the former Pennsylvania senator’s socially conservative positions, including his strong anti-abortion views, associates said. Mr. Santorum was one of only two Republicans who didn’t meet with Mr. Adelson in October around the time of a candidates’ debate in Las Vegas, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Adelson reportedly hasn’t shifted allegiances to Romney, but it’s basically implied if he pursues this strategy. The last thing Romney needs at this point is for Gingrich to drop out of the race. And from Romney’s perspective, Adelson’s cash could be put to much better use by funding Gingrich ads against Santorum. After all, Romney doesn’t really need the money at this point, and Newt has more credibility on the right to pull off harsh attacks on Santorum’s social positions.
This also shows that any hopes Republicans had of capturing a greater percentage of the Jewish vote may go out the window if Santorum’s the candidate. Moderate Jews who might consider voting Republican based on Israel will probably find it hard to support a candidate with far-right views on abortion, gay marriage and contraception.
"Moderate Jews who might consider voting Republican based on Israel will probably find it hard to support a candidate with far-right views on abortion, gay marriage and contraception." Didn't stop therm for voting for Ronald Reagan.
Didn't stop them from voting for Ronald Reagan. (Damn typos!)
I did not vote for Reagan, but a third party candidate. When his terms were over, I calculated Reagan as very UN-supportive of Israel. His secretary of defense, Weinberger, for one, was known to have ill feelings for Israel. The condemnation of Israel for bombing the Iraqi nuclear reactor was hardly supportive. It was certainly extremely dumb. In fact, the one thing I got against Gingrich is his continuing to brag about his 'closeness' to Reagan.
Nevertheless, nearly 40% of the Jewish vote went to Reagan whose views are closely mirrored by Santorum. Res ipsa loquitur.
Do you have any idea what Reagan said privately about the bombing? Do you know why he made the public remarks he did? This is now out in the public domain — from his diary and elsewhere. n nBut that was then — now there is a good chance that all of Israel could wind up as dust in the upper atmosphere — do you really care about having to buy your own B/C pills in such a world? Isn't it worth paying the $220/year to have a POTUS that will keep Israel on the map? n nSantorum, like most serious Christians, is unquestionably pro-Israel. Israel as a Jewish state. nI don't think Reagan had that level of commitment, but then this also was during the Cold War and things were quite different then.
Conservative Americans, whose home has always been the Republican Party, will probably find it hard to support a center-left RINO who looks like a mortician and who adheres to a mysterious, little understood religion that requires him to wear special underwear.
Santorum would be a disaster for Jewish people. It absolutely amazes me how the Christian conservatives blatently disregard the beliefs and traditions of other faiths as they seek their support.
Religious Jews wear special underwear all the time–not under their trousers of course but under their shirts. But really, who knew that abortion, gay-rights, and contraception had moved to the center of gravity of Jewish concerns? I guess that pork thing is a vague distant half-memory. Is there now a brucha for an abortion? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
"…far-right views on abortion, gay marriage and contraception." n nWomen may have one view as to these things as relate to their own lives — they have a very different perspective as it relates to their DAUGHTERS lives… n nCase in point: Bill Cosby. No conservative or Republican, but listening to him now, you would never know that. And if he is there regarding the youth, where are the moderate parents????