McCain probably might be slightly better for Israel, at least in the sense that he would be less likely to pressure Israel into being more proactive about dealing with the settlers and other social problems related to its hostile neighbors. I suppose telling us to vote for McCain would thus be a valid strategy if that’s the approach we want to the issue.

I haven’t read the letter, but I don’t imagine that the GOP thinks that the Arab-Israeli conflict is the only thing on the minds of Jewish voters. It’s probably just more of a ‘Oh, look, this issue interests your community, and our candidate is better about it!’

Of course, the problem with that reasoning is the GOP is assuming that all American Jews are zealots for the State of Israel, which we are not. There are plenty of American Jews who oppose the State’s existence completely, and far more than either extreme just in the middle wondering why Israel and its neighbors can’t just learn to play nice and get along. (I personally fall into the middle-ground category.)

Frankly, the Jews who would be swayed by the letter are already probably voting for McCain anyway for reasons unrelated to candidates’ approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict, so it doesn’t make much difference either way.

I was, however, aware that Sarah Palin sat in her home Church not too long ago while a Preacher gave a rousing testimony from the pulpit in which he claimed that all the troubles of Israel were a result of the Jews not accepting Jesus. He went into some shocking detail. There is video of this event on YouTube.

Sarah Palin has yet to answer what her take on that sermon was, and how, if anything, she supports it.

In contrast, Obama has been dragged over hot coals for comments his former Rev. made while he was not even in attendance. To this day people bring it up, despite the fact that he had the integrity to confront and denounce those comments.

It’s a strange, strange world.