Advertisement
- HOME
- Community Calendar
- Arts
- Calendar
- Education
- Food
- Israel
- Kids and Teens
- Los Angeles
- Obituaries
- Opinion
- Religion
- Singles
- Sports
- Special Sections
- Torah Portion
- U.S.
- World
Advertisements
Jewish Journal Tags
Tag: Election
View the most popular tags overall?
The kids are all right
As I drove across Los Angeles on election night, I saw clusters of teens and kids in their 20s celebrating on random street corners, high-fiving drivers at red lights. They may not have marched on the Pentagon to end the war in Iraq, but they have given the nation a new president who has pledged to do just that. For the first time since the springtime of the baby boomers, they have become not just consumers to be marketed to, but a political force to be reckoned with.
Hope breeds strength
The French now understand that Obama's election will set off a long overdue debate about the status of minority communities within their own nation. Why, people are asking, are there not more minority members of the national legislative bodies?
Congressional Results: Two new Jews, but no rabbi
The 111th U.S. Congress is slated to have 13 Jewish senators and 31 members of the House of Representatives, with with the two first-time victories of Democrats Jared Polis of Colorado and John Adler of New Jersey.
Voters speak—- how they voted and why
" . . . I'm glad it's over, and I hope the outlook is bright and that we have more fun than we have the past four years. Somebody said to me, 'If Obama gets in, the Jews will get bombed.' That's ridiculous. Obama wouldn't allow such a thing, and I think he is as much for Israel as other people . . . "
Race ends with GOP slamming Obama on Israel
The latest attacks come on the heels of new polls showing that Obama significantly expanded his lead among Jewish voters since August and is now poised to match the totals recorded by previous Democratic nominees.
L.A. Times protest - I was there
Israelis catch U.S. election fever
Israelis -- including the American citizens among them, as many as half of whom hail from swing states -- have been closely following the election campaign across the ocean with a mix of interest, concern, bemusement and validation
VIDEO: Wassup 2008
Its been eight long years since the boys said wassup to each other. Even with the effects of a down economy and imminent change in the White House, the boys are still able to come together and stay true to what really matters.
Calendar Girls Picks and Clicks Oct. 25-31: Jerusalem Symphony, Der Golem, Das Jazz, El Vote
Which way will we vote? The Jewish community is split as campaign tactics intensify division
"This is not an election where Jews feel they can wholeheartedly embrace either candidate. I've had this conversation numerous times, particularly with older people. But at some point you have to make a decision, and I doubt Jews will sit out this election." -- Jonathan Sarna
Return to sender
I've never understood why they call a last-minute election ploy an "October Surprise," other than the fact that it usually happens in, you know, October.
Don’t run Republican Jewish Coalition ads, pro-Israel group J Street tells Jewish newspapers
A campaign by a new dovish pro-Israel group to get Jewish newspapers not to run Republican Jewish Coalition attack ads has raised questions about what's kosher and what isn't this political season.
VIDEO: The Daily Show—Jewish voters in Florida assess debate
Comedy (?) from The Daily Show. Post-debate analysis reveals John McCain is going to die soon, and Michelle Obama has a big butt. Are these Florida swing voters hilariously out of touch, or simply telling it like it is?
The debates won’t matter
Joseph Stalin is reputed to have said, "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything." I think he had it half right.
McCain and Obama campaigns focus on sanctions as Iran threat looms
The mounting anxiety over Iran's nuclear program is sparking campaign chatter over a possible Israeli strike and prompting a bipartisan effort to revive long-stalled sanctions legislation in the U.S. Congress
ANALYSIS: Livni leads in polls, but Israel’s political map is unclear
There is a clear front-runner in the Kadima primary scheduled for Sept. 17, but it's not at all clear how Israel's political map will look once Ehud Olmert is gone
McCain accepts nomination, offers little new on Israel, Iran
John McCain closed out the Republican convention Thursday night with a speech in which he defended traditional GOP policy points, while criticizing his party's recent performance and pledging to work with lawmakers across the aisle.
Dems use speeches to hit GOP on Israel
Speaker after speaker at the Democratic convention on Wednesday night in Denver argued that GOP recklessness had emboldened Israel's enemies
The teacher
Mickey Palmer is 87 years old and living in a cozy home by Elizabeth Lake, near Palmdale. She moved there 25 years ago when she retired from teaching sixth grade.
But he’s a Muslim!
The Muslim issue is a way to talk about race without talking about race, and without having to squirm about saying that race is not an issue.
From the people who brought you the Iraq war comes . . . The ALL NEW Cold War
Who will succeed Olmert?
No matter who emerges as the successor to Ehud Olmert, new general elections for prime minister -- and, by extension, the entire Knesset -- may not be far away
Obama sounds both hawkish and dovish themes in Israel, Jordan
During his stops in Jordan and Israel, presidential contender Barack Obama has stressed both his backing for tough Israeli security measures and his commitment to advancing the peace process
Obama’s support lags previous Dems, poll finds
But the surveys had bad news for Obama: If the U.S. presidential election were held today, American Jews would support the Illinois senator at a significantly lower level than they did his most recent Democratic predecessors.
The Jewish Vote: Bush, Israel and Iran
Leaks from Vice President Dick Cheney's office indicate that the veep does not favor an Israeli attack, only because Israel lacks sufficient force to eliminate the nuclear facilities. So Cheney is allegedly pushing within the administration for a U.S. attack.
VIDEO: Mayor Bloomberg urges Florida Jews to fight Obama rumors
The torch has been passed
2008: The contest for the Jews
In a society that has become less and less informed about politics and government, Jews remain a deeply attentive political community. Intensely concerned about Israel and the protection of the Jewish community, but alert to so much more, Jews offer a candidate a tough audience on policy
Hillary withdraws—the end of the beginning
Hillary Clinton’s address to AIPAC, June 4, 2008
In the eye of a racial storm
Feuding community leaders smooch and make up
Scene & Heard
Scene & Heard
City Voice: Yaroslavsky takes on developers in push for affordable housing
In defending middle-class neighborhoods, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is taking on an issue that reaches to the heart of Los Angeles' ethnic, political and class divide
Why I support Hillary
Representative Brad Sherman (D - Calif.) explains his preference for Hillary Clinton.
So Cal Jews’ primary colors are red and blue
Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein had barely slept in days. A senior at Beverly Hills High School, he'd spent long hours rallying support for Barack Obama, and as the results from the Iowa caucuses poured in, as fellow Obama supporters packed the presidential candidate's California campaign office in Koreatown, Spitzer-Rubenstein turned jubilant, his enthusiasm mashing together with exhaustion into euphoria.<
And now the ‘Jewish primary’ begins . . .
When California moved its presidential primary to Feb. 5, and other big states followed suit, the strategic role of Jewish voters in the nominating process was greatly enhanced.
Why we back Hillary Clinton
In February 2002, after 9/11 and during the worst of the second intifada, very few visitors were coming to Israel. One who did was Hillary Clinton.
Visiting Magen David Adom, she met an Israeli soldier in his early 20s named Natan, an Ethiopian Jew who had jumped on a terrorist carrying a bag full of explosives. Natan had miraculously survived the explosion that but for his extraordinary heroism would have killed many Israelis.
Election 101—who is your choice?
This time of year, we know that you are seeing signs everywhere about the upcoming presidential election. So many people, so many numbers; we think you should know what it all means.
Playing a frayed and faded ‘race card’
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is making a truly impressive run for the White House, and in doing so is being considered by many as America's first mainstream "black" candidate -- in other words a "black" candidate not running on a near-exclusive agenda of identity politics.
Bush’s Arab world tour significant for Israel
With its focus on strengthening the moderate Arab coalition against Iran, President Bush's tour of the Persian Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and Egypt could prove extremely significant for Israel.
Israelis keep a close eye on U.S. elections
With a mix of concern for their future and amusement at the marching bands and baby-kissing style of U.S. electoral politics, Israelis are tuning in to see who might be the next U.S. president.
Iran, Israel and the 2008 election
The Republican Party has a two-sided albatross around its neck, an unpopular president who is trying desperately to keep an unpopular war going past Election Day so that its disastrous ending can be on the next president's watch.
Briefs: Peres elected President of Israel; Oprah criticized for pro-Israel stance
Briefs
It’s official: Jimmy Delshad elected new mayor of Beverly Hills
"I feel blessed to have been chosen by the people of Beverly Hills," Delshad said in a phone interview. "As a Jewish youngster in Iran, I was a second-class citizen and kept running into closed doors."
California Jewish voters maintain liberal reputation
California's Jewish voters upheld their liberal reputation in the Nov. 7 election, despite a strong effort by the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) to focus on the Bush administration's pro-Israel record.
California Jewish voters maintain liberal reputation
Political scientist and Jewish Journal columnist Raphael Sonnenshein of Cal State Fullerton termed the national election results "the most colossal wave of change going back to 1980."
L.A. Times violates journalistic ethics in Anaheim City Council election coverage
Bill Dalati, a Syrian-born insurance agent, is running for a spot on Anaheim's City Council. His candidacy has come under scrutiny because of his association with a controversial organization with known links to the Hamas terror group and his participation at a virulently anti-Israel rally this past summer.
Prop. 87 fuels high octane fight on oil production tax
Next month, California voters will take sides in what has been an epic battle over Proposition 87, called the Clean Energy Alternative Act.
Democrats have no beitzim
The most engaging, hard-hitting liberals in this country right now are Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher. But they're not leaders, they're jesters. They tell funny bedtime stories so that about 2 million New York Times readers can fall asleep believing the world hasn't really gone to hell.
GOP pro-Israel propaganda: trick to disguise Republican failures
GOP Sees Israel as Way to Woo Democratic Jews
"It's going to be harder and harder to be on the left and be pro-Israel," Kotkin said. "I think many Jews are going to have to choose between their leftism and their Judaism."
Are Democrats Ready to Return to Power?
The American political system is on the verge of a major change. The Republicans are in danger of losing to the Democrats in the November congressional elections. Foreign affairs will be central to the outcome. Are the Democrats ready for their big curtain call?
Abbas-Hamas Showdown Looms
Fighting between small groups of Hamas and Fatah members on the streets of Gaza shows signs of intensifying. Both sides have mobilized large forces in Gaza and the West Bank, and some Palestinian observers are predicting civil war.
Jewish Voters to Play Key Primary Role
Democratic districts on Los Angeles' Westside and in the Valley, next week's primary will not only determine the Democratic winner but also the person who will almost certainly win in the fall's general election. And Jewish voters, who are overwhelmingly Democratic, will play a key role in the outcome.
Spectator - Spin-Doctors of the Revolution
While a student at Columbia School of Journalism, Rachel Boynton saw a film about the history of 20th century nonviolent conflict that included a segment on how American consultants had gone to Chile in 1990 to produce TV ads for a successful campaign to end Gen. Augusto Pinochet's long autocratic presidency.
Olmert Receives U.S. Thumbs-Up
Olmert's attention to the fine print and his less-than-mythic status in Israel have become subjects of parody at home.
But it's just those qualities that have made him a favorite among Jewish officials and politicians in Washington.
Good for the Jews
In the last two decades, most Israelis have arrived at two conclusions: 1) territory and security are separate issues, and 2) the Palestinians are politically dysfunctional; not only can't they be trusted to keep a peace agreement, they can't be coerced into keeping one, either.
Olmert Moves Israel to Center
The elections, the first since Ariel Sharon's abrupt departure from the Israeli political scene, were seen in large part as a referendum on the withdrawal proposal.
As is often the case in Israeli politics, there were surprises.
Israeli Candidates Battle Voter Apathy
Shimon Peres joins a young couple having lunch at a seaside restaurant and asks them who they are voting for in Israel's upcoming election. They smile nervously, glance up at the swarm of photographers and TV cameras that surround the former prime minister and admit the truth: They don't know.
Opportunities Exist in Hamas Victory
The Palestinian people spoke their mind and many around the world were shocked. Now, after we have all had a chance to take a deep breath, it is time to evaluate the new reality.
U.S. Must Refocus Democracy Building
The past few weeks have seen massive voter turnouts at two free, fair and largely peaceful elections. Yet neither election led to an inspiring outcome. Only muted hopefulness greeted Haiti's election, while the results of the Palestinian elections were outright alarming.
Mideast’s New Reality
It's not often that Mel Weiss is heard complimenting President Bush. But after hearing the President's response to the victory of Hamas in last week's Palestinian elections, that's just what Weiss did.
Uncertain Time for Likud in America
The official American Friends of Likud organization, in the midst of a California and national expansion drive, has come down solidly in support of Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, the new head of the Likud Party.
Clear Ideological Focus Marks Olmert
Olmert was one of the chief architects of Sharon's main foreign policy achievement -- last summer's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank. When Sharon broke away last November from his ruling Likud Party to form a new centrist party, Kadima, Olmert was one of the first to follow him.
Israeli Government Gets on With It
As the prime minister lay in a post-operative coma Sunday, his temporary replacement, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting.
"We hope that the prime minister will recover, gain strength and with God's help will return to run the government of Israel and lead the State of Israel," Olmert said.
Will Violence Again Flare Up in 2006?
According to last week's Shin Bet report, arms smuggling into Gaza has skyrocketed sixfold since Israel left during the summer. In the West Bank, terrorists have already test fired a rocket in a bid to emulate the tactics of their Gazan comrades.
Bibi Up, Sharon Down —for Now
Former prime minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is back in control of Israel's Conservative Likud Party as his onetime ally and current rival, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, recovers from a mild stroke.
Political Centrism Stirring Up Interest
Centrism seems to have its moment in the sun when there is a problem to be solved that the main parties cannot address and when one or more of the leading parties is rife with extremism.
A Different Brand of Texas Governor
The Kinkster is nothing if not irreverent. But this Texas cowboy, who has morphed from recording artist to postmodern mystery writer, may have redefined chutzpah with his current campaign to become governor of Texas.
What’s So Special About the Special Election?
On Nov. 8, the voters of California will have the chance to vote in a special election most of them did not want. That's no reason to stay home. After all, whether we like it or not, the election will take place, and all of California residents will have to live with the consequences.
Dueling Ukranian Rabbis
O.C. Election Set for Rosh Hashanah
Jewish groups are expressing anger that government officials, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have scheduled a special election in Orange County to fall on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year for Jews.
U.S. Mistakes Worsen Iran Situation
The recent runoff election in Iran catapulted the ultra-conservative mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, onto the international stage and set off a blaze of speculation. But while the face of the presidency may have changed, the soul of the regime has not.
From the vantage point of the United States and Israel, the Iranian government remains a repressive autocracy at home and a sponsor of terrorism abroad. It's also a regime they view as close to developing nuclear weapons. With Ahmadinejad as president, Iran's government is now dominated by hard-liners, with the reformists marginalized. This development certainly does not augur well for the future of relations between Iran and the United States and Iran and Israel, or for the cause of freedom within Iran. However, the added problem is that the regime now asserts that the election (with its high turnout) affirms the regime's legitimacy and validates its system of government.
Hezbollah Faces Identity Crisis
On the eve of elections, scheduled to begin May 29, Hezbollah is trying to retain its pose as the ultimate guardian of Lebanese interests vis-รก-vis Israel, stoking a flare-up along the border with Israel last week.
Schoolyard Brawl
Hahn characterized his predecessor, Mayor Richard Riordan, as someone who "spent a lot of time and effort raising money to rearrange the members of the school board."
Villaraigosa Gets Hertzberg Boost
The final act of Hertzberg-for-Mayor played out last week, with Bob Hertzberg endorsing challenger Antonio Villaraigosa. And although there was some unexpected drama, the endorsement itself proved anticlimactic: Villaraigosa already had surged to a comfortable double-digit lead in two polls.
Jews Welcome Choice of Pope
As it turns out, Jewish observers of the Vatican say, world Jewry can breathe easy knowing that German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was chosen as the 265th pope.
Vote Confirms Westside, Valley Split
The gap between Westside and Valley Jewish voters goes back at least to the busing controversy of the late 1970s.
When Jews Lose
The narrow defeat of mayoral candidate Robert Hertzberg marked a signal defeat not only for Los Angeles but for the future of Jewish influence in Los Angeles.
New Allegations of Forged Hahn Support
A growing number of Jewish community members are saying that Hahn's re-election campaign falsely claimed them as endorsers in that ad.
And Then There Were Two
Just about everything went wrong and ugly for Jim Hahn leading into this week's city primary -- except the outcome. The result itself wasn't exactly a winner either, but it was close enough. The incumbent mayor barely scraped past energetic third-place finisher Bob Hertzberg, making it into a May runoff to keep his job.
First place went to Eastside City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa --just as pre-election polls predicted. Without a Villaraigosa collapse, the drama centered on the joust between Hahn and Hertzberg, the former state Assembly speaker who'd risen in recent weeks to a virtual tie with Hahn in some polls. Hahn's second-place finish means that he and Villaraigosa will face off just as they did when Hahn bested Villaraigosa in 2001.
Q & A With L.A.‘s Next Mayor
Four major contenders are vying to unseat 54-year-old incumbent Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn in next week's primary election. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, then the top two finishers will meet in a May runoff.
The Arnold Factor
With the candidates for Los Angeles mayor increasingly invoking the name of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on the campaign trail, a buzz is breaking out over whether Schwarzenegger will endorse any of the challengers to Mayor James Hahn.
Peace Possibility
After Mahmoud Abbas' convincing victory this week in the election for Palestinian Authority president
U.S. Hedges Stand on Abbas Victory
It was an invitation without an R.S.V.P. Come on over, President Bush told his newly elected Palestinian Authority counterpart -- but let's wait to set a date. The check is in the mail, I'm just not sure how much.
One People, One Vote
Anyone hungry for good news in the world could have sat down to a full meal this week on word of the Palestinian election.
Taking Note of 2004
Last week, I pulled out a big, unsorted folder from my desk filled with material I had used for my Jewish Journal columns.
Idea of Dumb Bush Voters Lacks Reality
As the furor over the election dies down, with unseemly whining from sore losers and unseemly gloating from sore winners, certain stereotypes of Bush voters continue to command currency among disgruntled liberals. One of them is that Bush supporters, and conservatives in general, are dumb, ignorant and out of touch with reality.
Sharon Wins Key Likud Party Vote
After a string of embarrassing defeats in his own party, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's victory in the election of key Likud officers raises the chances that he will be able to broaden his government and push through a promised withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip -- though it's still not certain.
Blocking Moderates
Political analysts agree on one thing: The Nov. 2, 2004, California congressional and state legislative elections were the most anti-demo-cratic and frightening results yet of the so-called "safe seats" scheme, in which the winners are known long before Election Day.
A Question of Morality
We have been bombarded with the phrase "moral values" ever since it was announced that 22 percent of voters cited it as the single most important consideration in the 2004 election. Not Iraq, not terrorism, not the economy.
Why the Left-Wing Hand-Wringing?
I should have known better than to forward an e-mail recommending a boycott of French products for France's anti-Israel stance and willingness to tend to Yasser Arafat on his deathbed.
Bipartisan Victory in Proposition Wins
"If a cure helps one disease like diabetes, it will be a burden off our health-care system. Even if one treatment comes out of this, then we will have made a difference," said Temple Beth Am member Carol Eisner, whose 13-year-old daughter Emma Klatman has type-one diabetes.
When We Elected Lindbergh
Philip Roth was born to a generation that believed in America, and although some of them were like the undertaker in the first scene of "The Godfather," who also believed in America, but went outside the courts for justice -- Roth's parents love their country, or what they remember of it.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor
Prediction Misses
Once again, despite predictions to the contrary, Jewish voters stuck with the Democrats. By a 3-1 margin, Jews backed Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) against President Bush.
L.A. Jewish GOP Parties, Dems Despair
Stress and disappointment gave way to jubilation at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) of Los Angeles' election night party as President George W. Bush piled up the electoral votes and turned the map of the United States Republican red.
Mixed News for GOP Jews
Republican hopes for a big Jewish surge in this year's presidential contest were dashed on Tuesday when President George W. Bush, in his successful bid for a second term, claimed only about 24 percent of the Jewish vote nationally, according to exit polls published by major news outlets.
Few Surprises in Congressional Races
The next Congress will look a lot like the last one, which was marked by unprecedented partisan strife and legislative gridlock.
Election Education
Community Briefs.
Jewish Switch to GOP? Not This Year
"Because of the strong support of the Republican candidate for president and doubts about the commitment of the Democrat, this is the year that large numbers of Democrats will finally move into the Republican camp and stay there, because the Republicans really do better represent the status and interests of the Jews."
ELECTION 2004
In some ways, it's political business as usual in the Jewish community as a critical national election approaches.
U.S. Jews Laud Withdrawal Vote
American Jewish organizations rushed Tuesday afternoon to express support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan.
71: A Vote We Can All Agree On
We Jews aren't exactly famous for agreeing with one another. Of our community, it is frequently said, "Five Jews, eight opinions."
An Endorsement on Rye for Antonio
If you were aching for a sandwich on Fairfax Avenue last Monday, you might remember pushing through a crowd of reporters. That day, three prominent Jewish politicians, often yelling over passing traffic noise, gathered in front of Canter's Deli to publicly endorse City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa's bid to become the mayor of Los Angeles.
Why Bush: Kerry Could Harm Israel
Debates are a chance for the candidates to speak without scripts and show what they truly believe. And in the first presidential debate, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) made a revealing comment.
In Campaign, It’s All Israel All the Time
Like two surly dinner guests who won't let an argument go, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry won't get off topic when they take their case to U.S. Jews: It's all Israel all the time.
Political Bedfellows
My friend Dan recently complained about his move from Washington, D.C. to Manhattan. He wasn't annoyed by the tiny apartments or smelly subways. Instead, he said that when he switched his JDate location to New York, all the women he corresponded with were voting for Bush.
Sharon’s Knesset Win Could Be a Loss
Tuesday, Oct. 26 may well go down as one of the more important, and bizarre, dates in the annals of Israeli politics.
Condi vs. Holbrooke on Foreign Policy
Just days before the U.S. elections, the presidential candidates are sending the same broad messages about their approaches to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the greater Middle East, but they differ sharply on the details.
Continental Divide
With just a few minutes to go before we are to take the stage Stan Kritzer, the elder statesman of the Temple Ner Tamid brotherhood, gathers us speakers into a small side room off the main sanctuary for a last minute talking to.
Stem Cell Success a Prop. 71 Boost?
Researchers at the Technion Institute of Technology and Rambam Medical Center in Israel have transformed embryonic stem cells into heart cells.
Russian Jews Favor Bush
While American-born Jews and Russian-speaking Jews in New York have been building stronger intercommunal ties in recent years, they remain far apart when it comes to presidential politics.
Voting With an Open Mind
With a couple of weeks left before we choose our next president, I've been reflecting on how the process has affected me, both as a Jew and as an American.
Key Congress Races Hold Great Import
Perhaps it makes sense that Allyson Schwartz's campaign headquarters sits above a Russian Jewish market on a small strip mall -- after all, Schwartz is considered to have the best chance of any candidate to join the Jewish caucus in Congress.
Examining the Jewish Vote
Like many Jews, Paul Kujawsky is a vociferous supporter of Sen. John Kerry. But at Shaarey Zedek Congregation in the Valley, he stands out as such an anomaly that his rabbi refers to him as "the one Democrat in the shul."
Letters to the Editor
Rabbi David Rue, the head of an Orthodox beit din, admits that of the 1,500 people who contacted the beit din last year because they were interested in becoming Jewish, he or the beit din managed to discourage more than 95 percent.
Has the State Got a Proposition for You!
The wind grows colder, the days shorter and a 165-page, gray book of propositions arrives in everybody's mailbox. Welcome to the election season -- for Californians.
No Boxer Rebellion
The latest Field Poll shows U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer coasting toward re-election to a third term. She leads her Republican challenger, former California Secretary of State Bill Jones 48 to 32 percent.
Other People’s Problems
If it wasn't for the fact that America can't chew gum and hold an election at the same time, politicians and the media would have been buzzing about what happened this week in Israel.
Kerry Offers Hope for Israel
Many American Jews and Israeli Americans seem impressed by George W. Bush's putative support for Israel.
Florida’s Jews at Eye of Political Storm
A cold fear is blowing through south Florida's strip malls, wilted palms and retirement homes -- fear of another agonizingly close election fraught with charges and countercharges of vote theft.
Final Phase
There are three phases to every election, Los Angeles City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa recently told me: there's the primary, there's the runoff and then there's the home stretch.
Krom Sets Sights on Irvine Mayor Post
For Beth Krom, politics is personal. After Krom testified, one city council member loudly criticized her, which she said felt was disrespectful of public opinion.
The Dangers of Apathy
Carla Tanchum is busy. At 20, she studies at USC, has family obligations and works in the entertainment industry. What she doesn't have time to do is vote.
Look Beyond Israel
As election day gets closer, I'm beginning to wonder how many of us will vote on a single issue-our perception of how President Bush and Sen. John Kerry will stand up for Israel.
5764: A Year of Pain and ‘Passion’
It seems there was nothing American Jewish communal officials wanted more than for 5764 to be a year of Jewish passion.
Your Letters
Letters
Love-Bombing of Jews Hitting Mark
After kvelling about how thrilled he was to have been introduced before Republican Sen. Arlen Specter -- his Jewish colleague from the Keystone state -- Rick Santorum commanded the crowd to go back home and sing the gospel of President Bush.
Bush Says Magic Word: Israel
President Bush one-upped John Kerry by uttering the word "Israel" in his speech Sept. 2 accepting the Republican presidential nomination, but it's unclear whether the simple mention of the Jewish state will have any effect on Jewish voters.
Political Activism Inspires Iranians
Iran's growing nuclear threat has activated members of Los Angeles' Iranian Jewish community to participate in this year's presidential campaigns and make their voices heard.
Kerry Needs Clarity
The "swift boat " attack on Sen. John Kerry, supporting the Republican effort to portray him as a weak liberal, has special resonance among those Jews who will base their vote on whether they think a candidate will be tough enough in standing up for Israel.
Mel Levine Takes Kerry Mideast Post
When Washington goes its own way and disrespects its allies, it hurts not only the United States, but Israel as well, says Mel Levine.
Racist Repeats Election Stratagem
The leadership of our mainstream political parties meanwhile vowed that in the future, they would prevent the hijacking of their congressional nominations by extremists. For a quarter of a century, they were mostly able to keep that vow -- up until now.
Kerry Must Walk Mideast Tightrope
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass), who claimed the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in Boston last week, is almost certain to win a substantial majority of Jewish votes on Nov. 2. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have Jewish problems.
Bang the Press Slowly
"I will concede that conservative Jewish Republicans like myself are in the minority, especially out here on the Left Coast," reader Gillee Sherman e-mailed me. "But we are growing in numbers every day, and this election should see a huge improvement for Bush in the Jewish community."
Faith and Folly
The Democrats have had all week to prove that this election is for John Kerry, not against George Bush, but nobody I know is buying it. I've come across a lot of anti-Bush sentiments among Jews of all sorts, but very little Kerry enthusiasm.
DNC, ‘Daily Show’ and Davening
So an Orthodox Jew is not the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year, like in 2000. And the wife of the vice presidential nominee is not named Hadassah.
Grass-Roots Level Campaign Coverage
The election analysis is all the same. For days, the political press was almost totally occupied with Sen. John Kerry's choice for the vice presidential candidate. When Sen. John Edwards was selected, everyone I saw or read had the same take: Terrific speaker; inexperienced; shady trial lawyer; fighter for the forgotten.
It was as if the journalists were afraid to stray off the beaten track or leave the reporting pack to have an original thought. Today's political reporting is a compendium of conventional wisdom. The motto of the press corps is: "On one hand.... And on the other...."
Community Briefs
Los Angeles' first Jewish debate on the presidential election offered a taste of the partisan enmity awaiting voters in the coming months.
More Jews May Hop on Bush Bandwagon
Chaim Mentz is a registered Democrat who has voted Democratic in the past five elections.
Mayoral Evolution
With former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg's entry into the 2005 mayoral race, the odds of a competitive battle for the city's top political job have increased.
Hertzberg Eagerly Enters Mayoral Race
If elections were won by sheer enthusiasm alone, Bob Hertzberg might be unbeatable.
Bush or Kerry?
America's Jews face a difficult choice in this year's election. For many, the Bush administration symbolizes the kind of yahoo Republicanism -- shaped by evangelical Christianity and the South -- that grates on the sensibilities of a highly urbanized and socially liberal community.
Math Problem
It's spring in Sacramento, and that means the Capitol steps are jammed again with protesters against government cuts -- the first protesters to show up in mid-March were thousands of community college students demanding that California taxpayers continue paying the nation's steepest college subsidies per student.
Candidates Eye the Jewish Vote
"Anything that moves a few hundred or a few thousand voters one way or another in any state can cause a seismic shift," said John Zogby, a pollster who says the closeness of this election is leading opinion-gatherers to focus more than ever on small groups like Jews.
First Election Round Goes to Jews
While most Jewish politicians easily won Tuesday's primary election, four out of six Jewish candidates in Los Angeles County Superior Court judge races survived the primaries, with two Jewish women competing this fall in a tough judge's race.
The Need for Reality
I set out to write about the presidential election, but I changed my mind when I ran into Eric Gordon, the director of Workmen's Circle.
Jewish Candidates Vie for Court Posts
Jewish district attorneys and subordinate judicial officers are among the 36 candidates seeking to fill nine Los Angeles County Superior Court judge vacancies in Tuesday's primary election.
Of Kerry and King
The 2000 presidential election was a referendum on the future -- who did Americans believe could lead them forward. 2004 is a referendum on the past --who do Americans believe can prevent Sept. 11, 2001 from happening again.
Jewish Candidates Fill County Ballot
Jewish candidates will be well represented in the March 2 election, with incumbents in Los Angeles County expected to sail through with no -- or token -- opposition in the Democratic and Republican primaries.
Joe: What Went Wrong?
Sen. Joe Lieberman's visions of the presidency collided with an unpredictable New Hampshire electorate on Tuesday. Lieberman did better than some polls predicted, but probably not enough to salvage a candidacy that was out of synch with the changing political perspectives of the party's core activists.
Crystal Ball Sees
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.
Republican Redux: Jews Going Right?
In a town famous for hot air, the Washington Post made a major contribution over the weekend with an oft-repeated tale of how Jewish voters, concerned about terrorism and Israel, are about to migrate to the greener pastures of the GOP.
Out of Sight, Out of Power?
The forced retirement of Gov. Gray Davis, and the shattering of the Democratic one-party government in California, marks a major turning point in the political evolution of the state's Jews.
Q & A with Al Franken
A l Franken, "Saturday Night Live" alumnus, political commentator and satirist made headlines recently when the Fox News Channel sued him for using the term "Fair and Balanced" in the title of his new book, "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them, A Fair and Balanced Look at The Right" (Dutton, 2003).
Against the Tide—Again
Can California's new Republican governor make inroads among traditionally Democratic Jews?
Davis Loyalists Give Cruz Cold Shoulder
As the Oct. 7 recall election enters its frantic home stretch, the evening of Sept. 26 found Gov. Gray Davis sitting on the bimah at Stephen S. Wise Temple in Bel Air, participating in Rosh Hashanah services.
This was no last-ditch campaign ploy -- Davis has attended High Holiday services at the synagogue for years and, according to election experts, most Jews seem likely to vote "no" on the recall to keep the beleaguered governor in power. Despite Davis' lack of charisma and reputation as a fundraising machine beholden to monied interests, many consider him a trusted supporter of Jewish causes who deserves to keep his job.
A Few Jews Focus on Props, Too
With a few notable exceptions, Jewish politicians, activists and community leaders are getting into the controversies over Propositions 53 and 54 late and lackadaisically, having focused most of their attention and fundraising efforts on the recall election.
Proposition 54, The Racial Privacy Initiative (RPI), backed by University of California regent Ward Connerly, bans the state from classifying people according to race, ethnicity, color, or national origin.
Washington Watch
Washington Watch
Immigrants and the Recall
The immigration issue burst into state politics in 1994 when unpopular Republican Gov. Pete Wilson used Proposition 187, a measure to deny public services to undocumented residents, to save his reelection.
Fervent Political
How does a Jewish community journalist cover such a non-Jewish election?
Arnold’s Challenge
With his bulging biceps, $20 million megawatt smile and charisma, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has injected some real star power into the circus that is California's gubernatorial recall campaign.
Recall Tarnishes Golden State’s Shine
California has always been a land of hope and opportunity.
No Major Names for Jerusalem Mayor
Next week's vote for mayor of Jerusalem will be unprecedented: For the first time since the reunification of the city in 1967, no major national figure is running.
‘Map’ Won’t Play Key Election Role
Opponents of the recently released Mideast "road map" are reassuring themselves that presidential politics will keep the Bush administration from pressuring Israel too hard to accept the plan, which proposes a diplomatic sprint to the creation of a Palestinian state by
2005.
Clash Over Council, School Board Seats
In the hotly contested battle, each has accused the other of, among other things, lying, playing dirty and being beholden to special interests. Smith says Korenstein is tied to the unions, while Korenstein says Smith is hand-in-hand with developers.
The Aftermath
As I write these words, with our nation just over the brink of war, it is clear that once again the country is color-coded.
Prager Mulls Run for Senate in 2004
"I'm still only in the thinking and talking stage," said the outspoken Republican. "No exploratory committee has been formed. I won't announce that until I am close to being certain. I don't want to disappoint people who have invested hopes."
To Elected Love
Once in a while, when you lose in politics, you can still win.
Sharon’s Election Brings Full Agenda
In the wake of the tragic death of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon on the Space Shuttle Columbia, there was Ariel Sharon, the prime minister and prime healer, providing solace on national television.
Sharon Faces Tough Fight Over Coalition
Ariel Sharon is one of the savviest politicians Israel has produced. It was Sharon who brought disparate right-wing parties together to form the Likud Party in 1973.
Voters Say Election Will Change Little
Voter apathy apparently was uppermost on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's mind when he lumbered into a Jerusalem polling booth Tuesday at 8 a.m. sharp.
Brushing aside a barrage of questions from reporters, a bleary-eyed Sharon -- waking Tuesday to what many pundits and Israelis called the most useless election in Israel's history -- called "on all Israelis to exercise their right to vote."
As it turned out, he was echoing the title of the lead editorial in the mass circulation daily Yediot Achronot: "Go to the Polls."
The Party Line
Nearly 30 political parties are vying in Israel's Jan. 28 general elections. According to the latest polls, about 15 parties stand a chance of getting at least 1.5 percent of the vote, the threshold for getting at least one of the Knesset's 120 seats.
Voter Apathy High Among Israeli Arabs
Omar Baransi, a 71-year-old retired building contractor with a lined, leathery face, brags that he won't be voting in Israel's general election on Jan. 28. "We don't trust anyone these days," he said, "not even the Arab candidates. We've been citizens for 55 years and nothing has changed."
The Shinui Stance
Tommy Lapid, who has made a second career hammering the ultra-Orthodox, says he didn't go into Israeli politics in order to become a government minister. But the outspoken, 71-year-old veteran journalist is suddenly warming to the prospect.
Israeli Elections: What Comes After?
The election campaign winding to a close this week should have been about which party has the best plan to extricate Israel from the current cycle of Palestinian terror and economic decline.
Politics on Rye
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?
Vote Scandal Could Cost Likud Election
Until now, the Israeli election campaign has seemed like a formality: The only question seemed to be how large a majority Likud Party leader Ariel Sharon would win when the ballots were counted.
