JPost.com Candidate blog

AZZenny · May 24th, 2007, 08:12 AM

Jerusalem Post has started a twice-monthly column where they pose a question to the candidates and give them the opportunity to respond in their own words.

The first question is not surprisingly the broad general 'What will your administration's relationship with/attitude towards Israel be?' They say they'll try to touch on a wide variety of issues, increasingly specific, as the months go along. Obviously this is going to emphasize things of interest to their particular English-speaking, well-educated Israeli and global Jewish readership.

What's interesting is -- after you scrape off the gushing hyperbolic treacle, the tiny differences that may actually reveal a sporadic thought.

McCain has apparently proposed a League of Democracies (to counter the UN?) which is an idea I like. Otherwise all common-enemy empty military-industrial huff-n-puff.

Hillary is the first person I've seen refer to Islamism and Jihad as Nihilism, which is absolutely on target, and more accurate than islamofascism -- not as catchy -- but she sounds smart, although she says nothing at all.

Barack Obama is the only one who notes the positive scientific and academic ties with Israel as well as the defense issues, which is very smart for that audience. He assures Israel a respectful, not bossy US policy -- if you really want to negotiate with Syria, who are we to tell you no? I love Obama.

Bill Richardson sounds really good! He discusses trade and financial connections he has already developed, and lays out a similarly respectful administration style, as well as actual useful goals for the ME region like making our Arab 'allies' reform their educational process.

Mitt Romney is all Iran and anti-terrorism, in vague terms.

Sam Brownback can't resist the religion card, and he focuses on shared cultural roots and territorial rights and that's about it -- some of which will appeal to the specific audience there, some of which will make the majority uneasy.