Not bloody likely. I don't think we need a Jewish president with all the anti-Jewishness going on in the world. We already do way too much for Israel as is. I'm sorry...if this is who the Democrats are going to push for their candidate, then GWB is a lock for president in 2004. I don't think Lieberman should even waste our time running for president. I don't have a problem with the Jewish people. But, the way things are going in the Middle East and how we are right in the middle of it...I don't think a Jewish American president is EVEN close to the answer. As if Arabs don't despise us enough as is... Your thoughts?
Before the Jewish angle becomes a factor, voters will have to overcome the following: 1. he has no charisma 2. he is quite homely (see 1 for related details) 3. his application for the Republican party was rejected due to #s 1 and 2
Nothing against him personally or the Jewish faith, but this would be a disaster for relations around the world. Could you even imagine trying to assisting in the peace process in the Middle East with a Jewish President (or even Vice President). We are already accused (and in some cases rightfully) of only listening or acting on behalf of one side while trying to help relations. If we had a person in a position of power that was of one faith or the other, we would get NOTHING done in the time that person is serving and more than likely would experience actions against our country or Americans around the world that could possibly dwarf what took place on Sept. 11th.
You mean, if you were you, but for some reason voted Democrat, you would vote for the one who was basically a Republican. I get it.
No thanks, and it has nothing to do with his being Jewish. I might be more inclined towards the pre-2000 election Lieberman, but it seems like he got an over-inflated sense of self during and after the election. He was a decent (not great) VP candidate but I think he'll be a really bad Pres. candidate. Right now, I'm leaning towards Dean of Vermont but it is only because I know so little about the guy.
I probably wouldn't vote for him, but I also am not a huge fan of Bush. I hope there is gonna be a Libertarian candidate. I also wish his ethnicity/religion wouldn't ****ing matter with some people. Sadly enough, it apparently does. He's an American.
Since when does worrying about appeasing the arab world affect who is the best candidate for the job? C'mon, I'm jewish, and I find this a little offensive. If he is the best candidate and wins the primary, then he deserves it.
You can find it a little offensive. No problem there. I'm looking out for the best interests of my country and I don't think a Jewish president is the best choice at this time. Resolve the ME conflict and win the war on terror...and then I'll change my mind. I believe a Jewish president in America would incite more terrorism on our country and we have enough problems as it is. I think when were trying to say we are at war with terror and not Islam...then we elect a Jewish president....this is not the best way to make your point. Given that, I also don't think he will win the popular vote. With our dependence on foreign oil and Arab governments, there would be big problems in the Arab world in dealing with a Jewish president. And, yes, I do think it matters what the Arab world thinks. Sorry if you don't.
It's nice your honest, surfguy, but honesty certainly isn't everything. So, forget any American ideals about treating people fairly, judging them individually, not stereotyping, etc etc. You say your conecern is how our elected President is viewed by others, with their analysis based solely on his ethinicity/religion alone. Well, I'm d*mn impressed with your backbone there, pard. (I know, let's elect an idiot instead, that'd be better...oops, we did already ) How many countries that elected a woman as Prime Minister for President gave a d*mn about other country's cultures that belittle women? (Guess the answer is none) Should we worry about other people's stereotypes when we elect an asian, hispanic, or black? 'No no no! Some other country might have a problem with our black female President, don't elect her!' That's just brilliant. Sorry, Japanese-Americans or Taiwanese-Americans, surfguy's excluded you because of what China might think. Korean-Americans, not sure if the Japanese would like that. Pakistani-American or Indian-American, well we know how that would go over in that region. Amazing that English descendants have been elected over the protestations of the Irish and Scottish. Any Presidents of French descent? Probably not, all of the other countrys had a problem with that. I think we'd be left with one candidate of Tibetan descent. Now, if your concern is based on the fact that he appears biased on ME issues, that's a different matter, but thats not what you said. You also, blindly, miss one important possibility. The Israeli's often act out of insecurity (understandably). If there was a Jewish President acting as intermediary, maybe they would be willing to make more concessions to the Palestinians. Maybe the Jewish-American lobby would let him pressure Israel more to get rid of settlements. Actions will speak loudly in the ME. A Jewish President could not act as one-sided as Bush without major criticism and pressure from the public and media. It would be expected that a Jewish-American or Arab-Americam President would focus on the ME and help resolve it, but it they would have to act with equity or there would be no solution. Also, if it were a Jewish President who helped resolve the Palestinian crisis, would that possibly speed the healing process between those 2 peoples? Nothing has worked so far to solve the ME crises, we will need to try a new approach, and we will probably have to look in seemingly unlikely places. I am not convinced Lieberman would be a capable leader in the ME. I think that he may be too biased, but I cannot say since I don't have enough information about what he thinks the solution is. You shouldn't dismiss someone outright based on racist beliefs, whether your own, or soemone else's. And finally, FWIW, the impression that our foreign policy is predicated on aggressive, self-serving goals should be addressed over the ethnicity/religion of who we elect to lead us.
I'm dismissing him because I think our foreign policy would suffer and terrorism would be fueled by a Jewish president in our highest office. Yes, his religious beliefs play into that. I'm not as optimistic as you about him being able to help the ME situation. On the contrary, I am pessimistic about a Jewish president being able to do anything to help and actually inflaming an already tense situation. I think he is definitely biased(and seen as biased) and cannot fairly deal with that situation. And, I am not dismissing him based on other's racist beliefs. I am dismissing him because I don't think he can do the job adequately based on the realities brought forth from the ME...fair or not. He can still have his chance to convince me why I should elect him, however. Your play that I'm concerned about stereotypes is utter nonsense and thanks for twisting everything I said into your own little fabrication.
True -- you are using your own racist beliefs. Folks, if we don't want to discuss the guy's actual views, his record, his statements, and his ugliness, then we are like unto the fanatics we are trying to separate from one another's throats in the middle east.
Lieberman carries a HUGE amount of baggage with him from the accounting scandals. He, Chris Dodd, and Phil Gramm were the three main Senators that pushed to override President Clinton's veto of the bill that loosened accounting standards. Lieberman and Dodd are from Connecticut, where many big accounting firms reside. Both Connecticut Senators received large donations in exchange for their help in passing the legislation that helped create the Enron/WorldComm/Etc. mess. I don't think Lieberman will be able to run away from this scandal should he choose to run for President.
Huh? How do my views constitute racism? You may not agree with my views...but I am in no way a racist of any sort. That's crap, man.
If true, they you are really poor at communicating your feelings. 'I don't think we need a Jewish president with all the anti-Jewishness going on in the world. ' That means, at a minimum, that you condone racism and are not just unwilling to fight it, but intent on perpetuating it. I twisted nothing, I took your statements quite literally. ..I don't think a Jewish American president is EVEN close to the answer. As if Arabs don't despise us enough as is... Again, same thing. I will try to re-word for you: To consider someone's worthiness based not on their acts, but on their ethnicity or religion, is racist. Were you concerned when Albright's Jewish heritage was reported? She was disliked more by the Israeli-right than by the Palestinians, but you would have dismissed her outright based on her heritage, not her actions. Since the appearnce of a self-serving attitude and heavy-handedness around the world often is what gets us into trouble, why haven't you considered how Leiberman would do managing that? Much easier just to consider his ethnicity or religion.
B-Bob's hidden, 3-word analysis of American voting. (Hey...aren't you advocating discriminating against ugly people? )
