After repeated efforts to stop the Durban Conference from affirming the blantatly Anti-Semitic findings of the first Durban Conference. While Obama's initial refusal to participate in the actual conference resulted in the removal of much of the offensive language, it did not result in the removal of language affirming the first conference, which had quickly descended into an unfair singling out Israel and making false accusations of Apartheid while ignoring actual racist and genocidal actions in Darfur.

DFI-LA lauds Obama's decision to withdraw from Durban II on account of the unbridled Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic bent of the conference.

Obama tried in good faith to steer the conference on the right course, but the E.U and U.S. alone could not pull Durban from the obsessive path set by proponents more interested in scoring political points than bringing the world together.

(reprinted from the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent)

Ahead With Research
March 12, 2009

President Barack Obama acted not a moment too soon in lifting the Bush-era restrictions on human embryonic stem-cell research. His executive order gives new hope to those who suffer from Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and other chronic conditions that scientists believe could benefit from such research.

In addition to the 38 Democrats and 3 Republicans currently in the Congress, this year's election brought several new Jewish Democratic Congressmembers including:

Alan Grayson (FL)
Jon Adler (NJ)
Jared Polis (CO)

No new Republican Jews were elected.

Democrats for Israel bought ads in the Orlando area in support of Alan Grayson.

Despite the tense rift between Republican and Democratic Jews over the course of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, Gallup exit polls on Tuesday showed that Barack Obama received about 77 percent of the Jewish vote. CNN exit polls showed 78% support.

These numbers were higher even than the 2004 election, when Democratic candidate John Kerry received 74 percent of the Jewish vote. Al Gore received the highest percentage of Jewish votes in 2000, with 79 percent.

The Presidential debates drew clear contrasts between Obama's new course and McCain's extension of Bush's economic, domestic and foreign policy disasters.

Obama showed his policies were consisent with his voting record of supporting alternative energy and demanding greater accountability from Wall Street and the mortgage industry. McCain talked relief, but could not explain why his campaign chairman served as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac, taking $15,000 a month to lobby to oppose regulations, or why he voted to oppose every alternative energy bill in the last 20 years.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have sunk anti-Iran sanctions for the second time in less than a month, drawing allegations that they are putting politics ahead of the need to confront Tehran's nuclear program.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have sunk anti-Iran sanctions for the second time in less than a month, drawing allegations that they are putting politics ahead of the need to confront Tehran?s nuclear program, confirming that the GOP was playing politics by obstructing legislation championed by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

George W. Bush did it twice, so did Reagan and Clinton. However, McCain neglected to mention Israel at all in his acceptance speech, breaking from acceptance speeches by conservatives who "support" Israel.
In addition to asking Rabbi David Saperstein to do the invocation before his speech, Obama mentioned the need to support Israel with action, rather that just "tough words."
It would have been helpful for McCain to explain his 2006 comments suggesting that James Baker should be his Middle East envoy.

President Jimmy Carter, who has been roundly criticized by DNC Chairman Howard Dean and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for his anti-Israel writings and views was not allowed to speak at the Democratic National Convention.

Palin's policy positions on women's issues out of step with most women:
➢ Palin opposes a woman's right to reproductive choice in ALL circumstances except to save the mother's life (no exceptions for incest, rape)
➢ Palin opposes equal pay for equal work.
➢ Palin opposes increasing protections against gender discrimination in the workplace
➢ Palin opposes the expansion of the SCHIP program to offer health insurance to more poor children

Palin's policy positions are out of step with the Jewish community:
➢ Palin opposes embryonic stem cell research