James Besser

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council distances itself from Prager

Published on December 21, 2006

Leaders of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, ensnared in a raging controversy over one of its members, this week moved to distance themselves from the cause of the furor.

Ed Koch wants Prager out—will ask him to resign from Holocaust Memorial Council next week

Published on December 11, 2006

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council faces continuing questions over recent statements by one of its members, local commentator and writer Dennis Prager.

Budget Crisis Stirs Organizations’ Fears

Published on October 20, 2005

The stakes for Jewish groups in the Capitol Hill budget crisis are increasing by the day as lawmakers and the administration try to figure out where to find hundreds of billions of dollars for Iraq, Afghanistan and New Orleans, without exploding an already huge federal deficit.

Faith-Based Hurricane Relief

Published on October 6, 2005

Last week the Washington Post reported that the embattled Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is funneling money to religious groups, including churches and other houses of worship, that are providing a variety of services to displaced Gulf Coast residents.

Jewish Groups Lose on Three Judges

Published on May 26, 2005

On May 23, 14 moderate Democrats and Republicans signed an agreement to invoke cloture, thereby ending filibusters, on three controversial Bush nominees: Janice Rogers Brown, William Pryor and Priscilla Owen.

AIPAC and Sharon Get What They Need

Published on May 26, 2005

A troubled but still potent American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) got a boost this week from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who addressed its largest-ever policy conference in Washington, with a record 4,500 delegates gathered for three days of speeches, workshops, schmoozing and lobbying.

Few Surprises in Congressional Races

Published on November 4, 2004

The next Congress will look a lot like the last one, which was marked by unprecedented partisan strife and legislative gridlock.

State of the Union Aftermath

Published on January 22, 2004

President Bush signaled the start of a new battle over faith-based health and social service programs in a State of the Union address that included a firm defense of his war in Iraq, a call to make his controversial tax cuts permanent and not a single mention of the Arab-Israeli conflict or the stalled "road map" for bringing it to an end.

Jews’ Support Spans Political Spectrum

Published on January 22, 2004

Will Jewish Democrats line up behind Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), now that the veteran lawmaker's campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination has been resurrected by Monday's blowout victory in the Iowa caucuses?

Perhaps, but Kerry would be wise not to start sending out the thank-you letters. By all accounts, Jews are doing what they usually do in primary battles: covering most of the mainstream political bases and in the process making sure the community is well represented in every campaign.

Joe’s Dark Days

Published on January 22, 2004

With the startling victory of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in the Iowa caucuses and the dismal third-place finish of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, the Democratic presidential deck has been drastically reshuffled.

Crystal Ball Sees

Published on December 25, 2003

It seems like we've been on the verge of 2004 for ages --
presidential election years always seem to distort the space-time continuum --
but now it's really upon us, and a lively year it is certain to be.

A Look at Dean’s Jewish Problem

Published on December 18, 2003

Question: What's behind Howard Dean's ongoing problems in the Jewish community?

Answer: No-holds-barred partisanship, especially among the anonymous attackers who are clogging the e-mail inboxes of Jewish leaders around the country, warning -- without much evidence -- that Dean would somehow be bad for Israel.

But the bitter attacks are having an impact; a frequently heard comment, at least in Jewish activist circles, is that many Jews who have voted Democratic all their lives will vote for Bush if Dean wins his party's nomination.

Pressure on Israel Grows After Summit

Published on August 7, 2003

If you're confused about this week's developments in U.S.-Israel diplomacy, don't worry; you're not alone.

Politics on Rye

Published on December 19, 2002

Nationally, the big question is whether Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) can parlay his strong performance on the 2000 campaign trail into primary wins if he runs for the presidency in 2004. Locally, the big question is this: corned beef or pastrami?

Report from Washington D.C.

Published on July 8, 1999

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) isn't Jewish, but this week's political about-face by the Long Island lawmaker reflected a mounting problem for Jewish backers of Texas Gov. George Bush.