September 20, 2012 | 8:49 am

Does Iran help Romney with Jewish voters?

Posted by Shmuel Rosner

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Jerusalem, July 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

The short answer is no.

For a longer answer, read the paragraph below.

For an even longer one, read the full excerpt from my new book that the Jewish Journal has posted.

And for the full answer, you’d have to get the book. The Jewish Vote, Obama vs. Romney / A Jewish Voter’s Guide is just a click away.

So here’s the paragraph (three, to be exact):

But can Iran really be the key with which Romney can take support away from Obama? Some additional information needs to be considered before such a conclusion can be reached. The first piece: Only a meager 4 percent of American Jews listed Iran as their most important voting issue, with 15 percent listing it as first, second or third priority. This means that only about one quarter of those proclaiming to be very concerned about Iran would be willing to put their ballot where their mouth is, and vote for the man — be it Obama or Romney — they deem more suitable to deal with Iran.

 

But even for those convinced at the time the poll was taken that Iran should be a top voting issue, or who have been becoming more convinced since, the debate over Iran is probably baffling. Assuming they support an Israeli attack — do they support it happening now? Assuming they don’t believe in sanctions — would they scrap that even before Election Day? Assuming they would like to cast their vote for the American candidate that is more likely to make the right decision on Iran — what is the right decision? Even from Israel, the message is far from clear. The government seems to be saying one thing, while Israeli President Shimon Peres is saying something else entirely.

This leaves all interpretations of policy viable. If one wants to be reassured that voting for Obama is voting for the right policy on Iran — one can easily find an American or an Israeli expert who is making this exact argument. If one wants to be persuaded that only a Romney presidency and policy can stop Iran’s nuclear race — one can also easily find the experts to support this completely opposite view.

The excerpt.

And the book.

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