The Evil of Two Lessers

[Carl Remick]

>From: christian11 at mindspring.com
>Reply-To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
>
>I've come to think this is an incredibly shrewd choice--and I mean shrewd 
>in the best and worst possible ways. He mobilizes a kind of ethnicity (I 
>use this term in the broadest sense) that Americans find unassailable (ie 
>religious difference with strong moral overtones). Whereas Barbara Boxer or 
>Dianne Feinstein _couldn't_ take offense if someone gaffed and said 
>something mildly misogynist without risking being called a shrill feminist, 
>even the least hint of anti-Semitism will look like a catastrophe for the 
>Repugs. (I think if the vp choice were black, it could work either way . . 
>.)

This strikes me as simplistic.  As the campaign wears on, I believe there is 
a good chance Reform or secular Jews will resent Lieberman's new prominence 
as de facto spokesman for "the Jews" on such subjects as aid to parochial 
schools and support for Israel. Politics in Israel itself seem to get ever 
more religious, divisive and nasty, and I could see some of this dynamic 
taking hold in the U.S., too, thanks to Joe Lieberman's moral posturing.

Carl
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