by Robert Wiener
NJJN Staff Writer

April 10, 2008

Jewish Democrats gathered in New Brunswick Sunday, presenting a show of unity despite a bitterly fought New Jersey presidential primary and a fresh challenge to Senate incumbent Frank Lautenberg.

The event was held by the National Jewish Democratic Council’s NJ chapter to honor both Lautenberg, who announced last month that he is running for reelection, and one of the party’s major financial backers, West Orange builder David Steiner.

Steiner and his wife, Sylvia, are longtime supporters of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and in remarks to a reporter spoke of the debate roiling Jewish Democratic ranks.

If Sen. Barack Obama prevails over Clinton, Steiner said, he is “concerned” about the fallout from Obama’s relationship with his one-time pastor, Jeremiah Wright, who made headlines with remarks damning America and who is perceived as hostile to Israel.

Steiner said he was disturbed that “Obama didn’t take a more positive stand. This is going to come to haunt him. But I want to make sure the Jewish community comes out and we get Democratic candidates elected, no matter who is running. I can’t take any more of the Bush years, and McCain has so many similar characteristics to the Bush administration. I’m terrified.”

No one mentioned Obama or Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Dist. 1), Lautenberg’s declared opponent, from the podium at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

But both men were on the minds of many in attendance.

“Should Obama get the nomination,” said Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Dist. 36), from Passaic, “there is a tremendous amount of work that is going to have to be done to educate the Jewish community about the reality of Obama as a person versus the numerous myths we’ve been hearing about.”

He did say that Obama’s long-term relationship with Wright “is problematic. There is no issue about that. But in everybody’s closet there are lots of skeletons, and I think we need to be careful. The Jewish community has concerns. But we found Obama to be extraordinarily receptive and understanding when issues were brought out to him, and he has stepped up to the plate.”

Dennis Shulman, a rabbi from Demarest who is running to unseat Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Dist. 5) said that for him, Obama’s relationship with Wright “is not a big issue.”

Shulman has yet to declare a preference in the race for president, and finds much to like about both Obama and Clinton.

“As a matter of fact, people I trust very much who are highly respected people in the Jewish community have tremendous faith in both candidates,” said Shulman. “They are both going to be good on Israel and good on Jewish questions.”

But Lionel Kaplan is not so sure.

The Trenton attorney and former president of AIPAC, who said he is “proud to be a Democrat,” is a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton, but he is not ready to support Obama.

“There are a lot of questions out there to be answered between now and November,” said Kaplan.

Kaplan, who crossed party lines in 2006 to support Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in his failed reelection bid, said he plans to attend both parties’ nominating conventions.

“I will listen carefully to what everyone has to say, and I won’t not support someone because he is a Republican. If the Democrats are not serving the interests I care about, then they have left me, not the other way around.”

Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Dist. 20) thought the Jewish vote for Obama would be solid.

“I don’t think Obama is going to lose Jewish votes,” Cohen said. “He has always been a strong defender of Israel. His platform on Israel is exactly the same as Sen. Clinton’s.”

Asked to reflect on Obama’s relationship with Wright, Cohen said, “I’ve heard rabbis say bizarre things. No one has ever blamed a candidate for what a member of the clergy said. I didn’t see a whole lot of Republican presidential candidates walking out of their places of worship when there was clergy abusing children.”

Elihu Davison, a longtime Jewish community activist from Morristown, said he detects a clear split in Democratic ranks.

“Too many Hillary supporters won’t pull the lever for Obama and too many Obama supporters won’t pull the lever for Hillary,” said Davison. “I think Jewish Democrats are moderately split between the two. It’s a gut feeling.”

Lautenberg’s pitch

While many in attendance were prepared to back Lautenberg in his primary battle — both parties will hold senatorial primaries June 3 — Ira Forman, executive director of the NJDC, was not taking sides, at least officially.

“The NJDC doesn’t endorse in primaries,” he told NJJN. But, he added, he “fully expects Lautenberg will be reelected.”

In a strong show of support from the podium, Gov. Jon Corzine called the senator “a man who defends the values Democrats stand for, day in and day out, in every possible way. I hope all of us understand how important it is to stand up for our friend when it is time to do what needs to be done for New Jersey.”

Without making mention of the primary fight he faces, Lautenberg reminded his audience of his positions and priorities. He said the war in Iraq must be ended, and “stem cell research must be at the top of our list.”

He decried the lack of education for “young people who can’t pay and whose future is mortgaged. We ought to take some of the $3 billion we spend each and every week on this war, end the war, bring the people home, and we’ll have that money available to building the next ‘greatest generation.’”

He called global warming “a threat that will be an epidemic for all of our children.”

Lautenberg spoke of his commitment to stricter gun control and denying weapon permits to people convicted of domestic abuse, and of rebuilding Amtrak “to get traffic out of the skies.”

He said he continues to wage a fight to increase homeland security funding for the state while the administration “wants to give our money to Wyoming or other places where there is no risk at all foreseen.”

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