I know I've been blogging a lot about the election. This is not my usual fare. And once the election is over, so too will be my writing about it. But this is an important election. We are about to embark on a radical course of change in the way things work in this country. This is a virtual promise by Barrack Obama if he is elected. And if things turn out the way they are expected to, he will get his way. He may even actualy get a veto proof congress. Is America ready for this? Are those who plan to vote for him even aware of this?
It’s less than 24 hours before the polls open. If I read the pre-election opinion polls correctly, it looks like it’s going to be a landslide for Barack Obama. Of course polls have been wrong before. And they may be wrong here. It may not be a landslide.
But it will very likely be a win. That said, ‘it ain’t over til it’s over’. You never know until all the votes are cast and counted.
My hope is that supporters of McCain will not be scared off by the polls – thinking that voting will be an exercise in futility. I am going to vote. And I am voting for McCain for all the reasons I have stated in the past. My hope is that he will somehow win. My belief that he will - has something to do with snowballs existing in hell. But… you never know. The important thing to realize is that every vote counts and not to be discouraged by the polls.
As I stated in my last post on this subject I am worried about an Obama Presidency for a number of reasons. Most importantly I worry about his policy towards Israel. I am not convinced at all that his policy of change will not be change for the worse as it applies to the Jewish State.
That said, I read an interview with Dennis Ross over the weekend. He is an Obama supporter. And although I don’t agree with him overall, I am somewhat less apprehensive than before about Obama’s foreign policy after reading that interview.
Ross has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Secretary of State in an Obama administration. If that happens, it will be somewhat of a relief for me. That will mean that his chief foreign policy advisor will be a man who will not abandon Israel on the alter of ‘change’ or expediency.
Ross is of the Bill Clinton school of thought. He was intimately involved in 2000 with the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. That produced the infamous deal that was rejected by Arafat. No one liked that deal. But Israel’s bottom line hand was exposed. Like it or not, that deal will probably end up a reality if Hamas and other Islamists can ever be defeated. As of right now that is about as likely as Ralph Nader getting elected President.
But though Clinton failed and though many hated that peace plan, he was a true friend of Israel. Though his peace plan was not popular in pro-Israel circles he truly believed that it would provide peace and security for everyone in that region. He was L’Shma. One may not agree with Bill Clinton’s approach but there is not shred of doubt in my mind that he was our friend. Can anyone forget his moving eulogy for Itzhak Rabin?
Ross is of that same mindset. I will be somewhat more at ease with Dennis Ross as Secretary of State.
If on the other hand Obama chooses Chuck Hagel or Dick Lugar for that position - or for Secretary of Defense - that is a horse of an entirely different color. These people are not friends of Israel. They will not hesitate to abandon Israel if they think it expedient. They are of the view that we ought to repair relations with the Arab world. What better way to do that than to give up the Jews. (Of course - they won’t put it that way.)
As I’ve consistently said - we’ll have to wait and see what happens. The purpose of this post is not to lament McCain’s loss. That hasn’t happened. Yet. It is to encourage everyone to vote for McCain. And it's not too late for you Obama supporters to see the light, change your minds, and vote for McCain too. After tomorrow - it will be.
