The acid test

IF THE 2024 ELECTION IS BETWEEN MICHELLE OBAMA AND DONALD TRUMP, PRO-ISRAEL AMERICANS HAVE AN EASY CHOICE

On a Mother’s Day past, fearing the worst from Boko Haram’s rampage in Nigeria, Michelle Obama cried out “… my husband and I are outraged and heartbroken over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from their school dormitory in the middle of the night.” Her hash tag “#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS” parallels the Israeli hostage family plea to “Bring Them Home Now.” Michelle Obama’s prolonged silence over an eerily similar and unspeakable fate to Jewish girls at the hands of Hamas savages speaks volumes about her self-righteous prejudices. Jewish American voters should be wary of the Obamas’ double-standards.

This November, it is possible when Americans walk into an election booth, they will choose between Michelle Obama and Donald Trump. Just recently she has upped her profile opining about the upcoming election, “…I am terrified about what could possibly happen.” It’s an acid test for Jewish voters and for all voters who care about Israel.

With all due respect to the very public Michelle Obama, the competition between her and President Donald Trump will, in effect, be a contest between two previous presidents. Yes, while Ms. Obama’s resume includes a law degree, Ivy League education, and successful authorship, it is reasonable to think that she would be a surrogate for her husband, President Barack Hussein Obama.

A choice between Michelle Obama and Donald Trump would be a starker contrast than any other of the possible candidates seeking the high office in 2024. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Governor Gavin Newsom are but understudies to the Democrat’s President Obama. For the Republicans, Ambassador Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis have shown themselves to be worthy campaigners with style points exceeding Trump but they suggest few policy differences.

Voters, in this theoretical match, would have a remarkably clear choice to make before pulling the proverbial lever. They will have the unusual opportunity to compare the in-office performance of two ex-presidents.

President Obama has a history that should deeply trouble any pro-Israel voter. Without relitigating the mystery of his early years, we can recall his interactions with the antisemitic Reverends Wright and Sharpton, and the Head of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan. While in office Obama pressed relentlessly and successfully for the Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). The result was Iran funding of over $150 billion, an unenforceable set of nuclear development controls, elimination of crippling economic sanctions, no restrictions on missile development, and no restrictions of funding malign proxies. He vociferously fought Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the dangers and ultimately strong armed the Congress into supporting his plan.

As a parting demonstration of his animus towards Israel, just before the end of his term, President Obama directed an abstention vote that ensured passage of disastrous UN Resolution 2334. The essence of the Resolution was to lend credence to claims made by the Palestinians to key portions of Israeli territory relative to the 1967 boundaries. It was a clear stab to Israel’s back that he had declared to protect. Lastly, he loaded his Administration with players with records antithetical to Israel.  Today, many of them work in the Joe Biden Administration.

Michelle Obama’s candidacy might well benefit from progressive, woke dogma that historically appealed to Jews. It dovetailed neatly with their traditional loyalty to the Democratic Party and was a derivation of the Jewish Tikkun Olam. The Obama Administration held lavish Chanukkah parties in the White House, but attendees often overlooked what was really going on in the Oval Office.

President Donald Trump, in his four years, abandoned the JCPOA and applied a myriad of painful sanctions that almost bankrupted Iran. Trump innovated an effective, broad reaching peace initiative with the Abraham Accords that opened relations with Israel’s Muslim neighbors. America’s Israel Embassy, that had been in Tel Aviv since 1948, was finally, at Trump’s direction, moved to Israel’s Capital, Jerusalem. Military, intelligence, and innovation cooperation between the two countries was raised to a new level.

The candidacy of conservative Donald Trump may be unappealing to some because of his unrefined, bombastic manners. However, pro-Israel voters ought to get beyond their “Trump Derangement Syndrome” that prevents fair evaluation of his policies and first term accomplishments. President Trump is careless in communications, but the voter will have to decide if his intuitions are insightful, and his actions are effective.

It is a clear contrast. It is an acid test for what is important to you.

Post October 7, Jews and many Jewish organizations have seen that their progressive, woke oriented agendas are suspect. The intersectional, binary of “oppressed and oppressor” have revealed that many of the constituencies thought to be friends are in fact enemies. Their outpouring of antisemitism and the poisonous street marches are proof positive that Jews and Jewish organizations chose poorly courting friendships.

We will all watch the twists and turns of the primaries and the conventions, and maybe the judicial system’s decisions. Carefully designed campaign strategies will promote the candidate’s virtues and their likelihood to better your life and ensure America’s safety. Other policy issues framed by each party’s platform, such as abortion, climate, borders, energy, and DEI/CRT, will be in the mix of consideration for the voters. Voters need to prioritize and consider what are the life and death issues.

For many Jews and for the leaders of major Jewish organizations the “truth” is much clearer now. The existentially important choice between the surrogate Michelle Obama and former president Donald Trump will smoke out the delusional and self-destructive. It will bring into high relief what are the organization’s real motivators. Are they tethered to a political party’s historic positioning, or can they accept the cold, hard truth about the two candidates? Are they trapped by what the media has sold them or what has been a lifetime choice?

Aldous Huxley said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.” Many voters will be very angry that they are faced with the facts and must make this tough decision