In a city dotted with “Obama ’08” yard signs on many blocks, in a building
glorified by huge stained-glass windows of traditional Jewish iconography, Larry Greenfield came not to bury John McCain, but to praise him.
What he did come to bury was the preconceived notion floating around the sanctuary that people who believe in the Torah can’t be Republicans.
“We don’t think that the Torah is the platform for the Democratic Party,” said the California director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
And so began last week’s debate at Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland between Greenfield and Joel Freid, who was a John Kerry delegate at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and a Harvard Law School classmate of Barack Obama.
Sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the East Bay and two Jewish political organizations, the April 2 event was titled “Jewish Vote 2008 Forum.”
But with Greenfield painting Republicans as the new choice of young Jews and the best party for Israel — and with Freid intoning, “John McCain is seriously out of touch of where America is and where we’re going to go” — it seemed as if “forum” was too placid a word choice.
In fact, the first thing Howie Perlin, chair of the East Bay JCRC and moderator of the event, told the 65 audience members after taking the mike from Rabbi Mark Bloom was, “I hope the rabbi sticks around. We might need a couple of rounds of ‘Kumbaya’ before we finish up here.”
Freid, a lawyer for East Bay Municipal Utilities District and an official of the California Democratic Party, wasn’t quite as polished at the mike as was Greenfield, a U.C. Berkeley grad and Encino resident who is dubbed a “rising star” in the GOP by several Republican groups.
But Freid did have the “home-sanctuary” advantage, being an Oakland resident and a Beth Abraham congregant.
Freid said Sen. McCain would be a terrible choice for president, and that if he’s elected, “There’s a very strong risk of some sort of military strike in Iran.”
“We have a tradition of being resolute and realistic,” Greenfield said of the Republican Party. “And that’s what you want in foreign affairs. I think that’s consistent with Jewish ideals, too.”
On the other hand, he continued, “Sen. Obama called for Muslim summits that do not include Israel and has said that he will meet with [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad with no pre-conditions.”
Freid responded: “Larry mocks a meeting that Barack Obama might have with foreign dignitaries. Well, you don’t make peace with your friends. … If you only talk to your friends, you’re not going to have the diplomatic means to solve issues.”
Greenfield, a Wexner Heritage Fellow who received a law degree from George-town University, praised the stance of McCain and his party on every topic that came up — from Israel to Iraq, Alaskan oil drilling to education.
“With Sen. McCain,” he said, “we see world leaders [that are] very comfortable and confident that he would be a good world leader.”
On the topic of Israel, Greenfield said Republicans are the Jewish state’s true-blue friends. “Look, it’s the left-wing organizations and blogs that are critical of Israel, calling for economic and political boycotts, and for cutting off ties with Israel.”
Countered Freid: “Our policy toward Israel is strong support: financially, militarily and diplomatically. There’s not that much difference, in that respect, between the Democratic candidates and Sen. McCain.
“The difference that you’ll see is that the Democratic candidates will take the time to try to negotiate some sort of peace settlement or work through the issues. I’m not seeing that in this administration. There’s a lot of tough talk and lumping the adversaries together, lumping all Arabs together. But [Muslims] are not saying the same thing in every mosque. It’s not Islamofacism — there are a million shades of difference.”
Greenfield was quick to knock Obama on Israel. “There are many pro-Israel Democrats, and Barack Obama is not one of them,” he stated.
He said Obama is “friends with people
who want to destroy AIPAC,” that he’s against a security barrier in Israel and
that he confides in “his friends in the pro-Palestinian community, of which there are many.”
“Does he have left-wing Jews that are supporting him?” Greenfield asked rhetorically. “I think that they’re crazy.”
Freid, chair of the Assembly District 16 Democratic Committee, said much of the talk against Obama is “smear by association.” He lambasted Greenfield as being “totally ignorant” for taking anti-Obama quotes out of context.
As for Hillary Clinton, her name barely came up during the event, which was organized by Temple Beth Abraham’s Eve Gordon and the JCRC’s Myrna David.
Both Greenfield and Freid had ample support, each drawing applause at times.
Still, the night concluded with a bit of slap, albeit a funny one. Beth Abraham congregant Jody London, a current candidate for the school board in Oakland, was given a few minutes to speak, but while making a political point and standing next to Greenfield, she couldn’t remember his name.
“With all due respect you,” she said, then stammered, ” … Mr. Republican Guy.”
The audience, and even Greenfield, burst out laughing. But perhaps nobody had a bigger smile on his face than Mr. Democrat Guy.