Obama & Hagel!: Jewish Reps & Dems Agree (UPDATE)

Barack Obama doesn’t have a Republican backing him near the stature of Democrat Joseph Lieberman’s support of John McCain. So, Obama turns to the only Republican senator he can find who might, maybe, back him, Chuck Hagel. Obama is taking Hagel along with him on his trip to Israel, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan, Hagel being a kindred spirit in rigid opposition to our war efforts.

Obama calls Hagel one of the “good guys.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition just put out a press release:

"If Barack Obama is getting advice from Chuck Hagel about Israel, then the American Jewish community has a lot to worry about. Of all the senators with whom Obama could have traveled with, Hagel's record on Israel is one of the worst. Senator Obama should disinvite Senator Hagel from this trip," said Brooks. "The message to the Jewish community is heard loud and clear. Where Barack Obama has chosen to visit Israel with one of the most anti-Israel senators, by contrast, on John McCain's most recent trip to Israel, he chose to visit with Joseph Lieberman."

The evidence? The Republican Jews quote from a March 2007 statement from the Democrat Jews, the National Jewish Democratic Council. What are the Democrat Jewish supporters saying now? Nothing at their blog. Hmmm. What they said in March 2007:

[H]e [Hagel] has a lot of questions to answer about his commitment to Israel. Consider this:
- In August 2006, Hagel was one of only 12 Senators who refused to write the EU asking them to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
- In October 2000, Hagel was one of only 4 Senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel.
- In November 2001, Hagel was one of only 11 Senators who refsued to sign a letter urging President Bush not to meet with the late Yassir Arafat until his forces ended the violence against Israel.
- In December 2005, Hagel was one of only 27 who refused to sign a letter to President Bush to pressure the Palestinian Authroity to ban terrorist groups from participating in Palestinian legislative elections.
- In June 2004, Hagel refused to sign a letter urging President Bush to highlight Iran's nuclear program at the G-8 summit.

Are Jews concerned about Obama’s clear record of mentors and advisors with anti-Israel and even anti-semitic positions? This analysis of recent Gallup poll data indicates that McCain may be on his way to garnering a better than Bush percentage of the Jewish vote, critical in some states.

UPDATE: The Republican Jewish Coalition just emailed (7/15/08) that Hagel won't accompany Obama to Israel, but will to Iraq and Afghanistan. Hagel, however, still does have Obama's ear, including on Israel, has been as wrong as Obama about the calling the "surge" futile, and is typical of Obama's advisors. He should still be shucked.