Romney talks Iran, Medicare in call with rabbis
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said “the Iranians need to understand that America and Israel will not allow Iran to pursue its nuclear course.”
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September 25, 2012
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney assured Jewish supporters he would tighten sanctions against Iran, encourage rebellion among its citizens, and seek to have Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad indicted “under the Genocide Convention for incitation to genocide.”
Romney spoke to an unspecified number of listeners Sept. 20 on a 15-minute conference call arranged by his campaign. The former Massachusetts governor said he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the need to establish a “red line” for military action over Iran’s nuclear “capability.”
“For me it is unacceptable to have Iran have the capability of building a nuclear weapon, which they could use in the Middle East or elsewhere,” he said. “For me the red line is nuclear capability.”
Analysts have pointed out that “capability” is distinct from President Barack Obama’s stated policy, which is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Several minutes later, Romney added, “I guess where those red lines are, I wouldn’t want to go into great detail.”
Romney also called for American support of “voices of dissent and freedom and democracy inside Iran. When demonstrators take to the streets in places like Tehran, Americans should be with them.”
He added: “Ahmadinejad and the diplomats in Iran should be treated like the pariah they are anywhere they go in the world. They should be treated the same way we treated South Africa during apartheid.”
Romney was subtly critical of the Obama administration’s public differences with Netanyahu’s policies on such areas as West Bank settlement-building.
“If perchance there are disagreements…we keep those disagreements to ourselves and in private,” said Romney. Airing them in public “communicates to those who don’t understand us terribly well that…we don’t have a common vision and a common purpose.”
Responding to a question about Medicare, he said his plan would not affect Americans 55 and over, and would offer “greater choices to those under that age.”
Romney said his plan “for the next generation” would ensure that “Medicare benefits are higher for lower-income and middle-income people than they are for higher-income people. In my view, higher-income people should not get as much support from Medicare as do the people who rely upon it — those of modest incomes.”
Among those invited to participate in the call were such organizations as the Orthodox Union, the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of America, the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly, and the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis.
One disappointed listener was Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg of Congregation Beth-El in Edison, who has been pressing for the formation of a Rabbis for Romney group to counter the Rabbis for Obama list announced earlier this month.
Obama conducted his own conference call with some 1,200 rabbis on Sept. 14. Grant Starrett, coalitions coordinator for Romney for President, declined to say how many participated in Romney’s call.
“I think Romney felt he had to do the same thing Obama did,” said Rosenberg. “Both of them were courtesy calls to the Jewish community around the High Holy Days. I think both of them didn’t shed any new light on any issues. They were just political in nature and left the feeling they should communicate with the Jewish community. There was no insight, and it wasn’t expected.”
The New York Region of the Republican Jewish Coalition will host phone banks each week in the area from now until the election. The first will be held Thursday, Sept. 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the North Brunswick home of David and Claire Rosenthal.
Comments
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
September 25, 2012
I started “Rabbis for Romney” as a counterweight to “Rabbis for Obama.” My message at first was not political. But the situation has evolved—or devolved—into one where the danger to Israel is more paramount than ever. Don’t kid yourselves. We are nearing the 11th hour.
Please join me in my quest to see that America and Israel stay safe from the growing danger that’s all around us.
We can no longer afford to stay silent. Let us make sure that “Never again” means “NEVER again.”
Respectfully,
Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg
Note: To join “Rabbis for Romney,” please contact Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
September 27, 2012
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND IN ISRAEL AND EUROPE.
THANKS TO THE ASSISTANCE OF A MILLIONAIRE WHO WISHES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
ANYONE WISHING TO JOIN RABBIS FOR ROMNEY PLEASE SEND A CONFIRMATION IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO.
THE NAMES FOR THE TIME BEING ARE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL NOT BE RELEASED WITHOUT THE CONSENSUS OF ALL ON THE LIST.
PAID ADS IN NEWSPAPERS WILL SOON APPEAR WITH THIS MESSAGE.
IF I would share the e mails from some Rabbis to me , you would underestand the need for being anonymous.
I do not care what they send me but I will protect those Rabbis who have concerns.
I have also taped many T.V. shows and radio spots. This election is not over by a long shot.
Steven Potamkin
September 28, 2012
I question in my opinion under current IRS rules whether you have violated certain of those rules in respect to religious houses of worship . There is no place for politics from the pulpit.
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
September 28, 2012
I HAVE NOT SPOKEN ABOUT THIS FROM THE PULPIT. AS A CITIZEN I CAN SAY WHATEVER I WANT. THIS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY SYNAGOGUE . GO INTO ANY BLACK BAPTIST CHURCH AND SEE IF THE CLERGYMAN IS NOT TELLING YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR. IT IS COMMON PRACTICE. TELL THE 613 RABBIS FOR OBAMA THEY HAVE BROKEN THE LAW. RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
September 30, 2012
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160418 MUSLIMS FOR OBAMA. VERY INTERESTING. RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
Steven Potamkin
September 30, 2012
I now understand why.both Yeshiva and Rutgers Universities both saw no further need for your services the year. Rabbi Rosenberg you insult Muslims and Black Baptists- have you no shame?
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
October 03, 2012
STEVEN POTAMKIN IS ANOTHER ALIAS. PLEASE SHARE YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS.HAVE YOU NOT GUTS
I am extremely pleased at the support I have receieved for Rabbis for Romney. The press coverage as well as the response of the media has been a souce of great chizuk. Thouands of new lettters are going out this week. RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
rabbi dr. bernhard rosenberg
October 03, 2012
I know Rabbis for Romney has made a significant dent in the Obama campaign by the fact they I have received numerous e mails of support as well as vicious e mails of attack. I can take it. That is why I REFUSE to list the Rabbis which now number 80 plus. I have told the truth the black chuches support and endorse him and there exists Muslims for Obama. People just can not handle the truth.DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
October 04, 2012
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
RABBIS FOR ROMNEY
MISSION STATEMENT
To communicate the concerns and interests of the Jewish community during the electoral process by providing information about the position of the candidates towards Israel’s security and the views of Jewish leaders about America’s mission in the world. The purpose is not to endorse or recommend any particular social or economic policy but rather to address the concerns of the Jewish voters concerning the State of Israel and the preservation of authentic Biblical values. We clearly deny the impression created by the Rabbis for Obama that American Jews want “daylight” between America and Israel, as Obama declared, or that the social views espoused by these Rabbis are rooted in our authentic tradition.
Steven Potamkin
October 04, 2012
Tradition where you bad mouth Yeshiva University after they say your services are no longer needed or Tradition when Rutgers no longer found need for your services you called them your favorite word. Your Tradition and language is of a person who acts not like any Rabbi I know of.
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
October 07, 2012
POTAMKIN OR WHOEVER YOU ARE. YOU ARE A COWARD. SHARE YOUR PHONE NO. AND ADDRESS . I WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITIES CONTACT YOU FOR HARASSMENT.
Steven Potamkin
October 07, 2012
Rabbi Rosenberg, you may have knowledge in matters of Judaism but your knowlege of law is lacking for responding to a letter to a newspaper with a response either factual or an opinion is allowed in The United States. Rabbi Rosenberg the fact of matter you are no longer teaching at Yeshiva and Rutgers . Rabbi Rosenbeg upon your notification of no longer being on the Yeshiva and Rutgers faculty you said some very strong not complimentary words in letters which I can print n this site jog your memory.
Michael Poppers
October 10, 2012
Rabbi Dr. Rosenberg, aren’t you really trying to create a “Rabbis Against ‘Rabbis for Obama’” (more succinctly, a “Rabbis for Jews”) group? Perhaps you could summarize your Election 2012 political position in one sentence: are you for any breathing human being rather than Obama, are you really for Romney as opposed to against Obama, are you undecided as to whom to vote for, or…? Thanks.