Burnt Orange Report

January 12, 2004

Jewish and Muslim Voting Patterns in 2004

By Byron LaMasters

Much has been made since 9-11 about Jewish voters trending Republican. While, many Jewish Republicans are hoping for a realignment of Jews towards the Republicans party, the 2004 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion suggests otherwise:

U.S. Jews would overwhelmingly support any major Democratic candidate over President Bush if the election were held today, according to the 2004 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion.
Sen. Joe Lieberman, the only Jewish candidate, would defeat Republican Bush by the largest margin, 71 percent to 24 percent, the poll found.

In one-on-one matchups with the president, Howard Dean, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, Sen. John Kerry and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt would each receive about 60 percent of the Jewish vote, compared to about 30 percent for Bush, according to the survey conducted for the American Jewish Committee and released today.

[...]

American Jews tend to vote Democrat, and 66 percent said they backed Al Gore in the 2000 race.

[...]

Fifty-four percent of those polled disapprove of how Bush has handled the fight against terrorism and the U.S.-led war on Iraq, while a majority said the United States should not act without the support of its allies in responding to international crises.

Jews also overwhelmingly oppose government funding for social service programs operated by religious groups, the survey found. Allowing faith-based organizations to compete for such funding is a top Bush initiative.

Meanwhile, Muslim voters, many of whom supported George W. Bush in 2000 overwhelmingly oppose him today. While the Muslim Public Affairs Council endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, he only received 2% of the vote in their straw poll at this year's convention. The Dallas Morning News reports:

The result was hardly a surprise, noted Salam Al-Marayati, director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. A 2004 presidential straw poll conducted at MPAC's annual convention showed President George W. Bush trailing four Democratic contenders, led by Howard Dean, largely because of the former Vermont governor's staunch criticism of the war in Iraq.

Dr. Dean polled 67 percent, followed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich with 17 percent, retired Gen. Wesley Clark with 8 percent, and Sen. John Kerry with 4 percent. Mr. Bush garnered a meager 2 percent of the straw ballots cast by the 800 Muslims at the late December convention held in Long Beach, Calif. Not even a convention appearance by the White House's Muslim liaison, Ali Tulbah, appeared to help.

Mr. Bush's dismal showing came less than four years after MPAC joined other leading American Muslim groups in issuing their first-ever presidential endorsement: the Republican Bush. But then came the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, all of which has impacted immensely the political fortunes, and thinking, of American Muslims.

In the current climate, "90 percent of the community is now dead set against the Republican Party, not to mention Bush," said the Los Angeles-based Al-Marayati, who backed Bill Clinton before switching parties in 2000.

Even Muslim Republican activists say Mr. Bush has little hope of repeating his 2000 success among Muslims.

"I hate to say it," said Khalid Saffuri, who runs the Islamic Institute, a Republican support group in Washington, "but right now very few Muslims will vote for George Bush again, or support the Republican Party. They're that angry."

The anger stems from the prevailing Muslim perception that the Bush administration's war on terrorism has unwarrantedly cast suspicion on the entire American Muslim community, and has illegally curtailed their constitutional rights. It has also led Muslim leaders to realize that they have little real influence on White House policies. That, plus concerns over recent polls showing a marked jump in the number of Americans holding negative views of Islam, has convinced some Muslim activists that the Washington-centered, top-down political approach previously favored has gained them little.

Muslim voters may not agree with many of the core traditional values of the Democratic Party, but many of them have finally realized that the Republican Party, while sharing some of their social values, is out to destroy their civil liberties, and the Democratic Party is their only real choice. Despite their reluctance, I welcome Muslims into the Democratic Party. The DMN article concludes:

Mr. Green believes any Muslim shift to the Democrats will be a reluctant one. Democrats have a lot of Jewish and traditional African-American support, Green said. "Let's just say that Muslims have tensions with those groups. With Jews it's Israel and with blacks it's because they see Islam as a threat to Christian churches," he added.

Mr. Khan acknowledged those tensions. However, he said American Muslim dislike of Bush is so strong that he, for one, believes they must get used to working with pro-Israel Jews, and to overlooking liberal Democratic positions on abortion, gays and other social issues on which they differ.

"It upsets Muslims when I put it this way, but I say we have to get into bed with Jews and gays because liberal Democrats are the most accepting of Muslims in this country, and most critical of Bush's policies," said Mr. Khan.

I don't exactly like to see it put that way either, but the point is the same. To defeat George W. Bush, we all must unite together, despite our differences to defeat George W. Bush and the Republicans in November. The fact that 67% of the Muslim Public Affairs Council supports Howard Dean (an organization which endorsed Bush in 2000), shows Dean's ability to unite the diverse factions of the Democratic Party, and the anti-Bush sentiments in various communities across America to defeat George W. Bush this November.

Posted by Byron LaMasters at January 12, 2004 02:06 AM | TrackBack

Comments

With the muslim vote avoiding Bush, there goes his chance (if he ever had one) of trying to win Michigan.

Posted by: WhoMe? at January 12, 2004 05:31 PM

U.S. Jews would overwhelmingly support any major Democratic candidate over President Bush if the election were held today

So much for the neo-con cabal using GW as a puppet for their schemes of Zionist world domination. Or wait: the poll is part of the conspiracy! ;-)

Posted by: Mark Harden at January 12, 2004 09:07 PM

Interestingly enough, these "Jews against Bush" numbers have had quite a bit of spin applied:

Link

A fascinating poll released yesterday by the American Jewish Committee indicates just how difficult a path the Democrats have in front of them. It shows that 31 percent of American Jews intend to vote for Bush in November.

Doesn't sound like much? It's a huge swing in Bush's favor: He only got 19 percent of the Jewish vote in 2000. The president has increased his support in this critical Democratic constituency by 50 percent in three years' time.

Posted by: Mark Harden at January 13, 2004 04:43 PM

Actually, maybe its part of Bush's secret Middle East Peace policy - get Jews and Arabs (at least in the USA) to agree on something - that they dislike Bush. :)

Posted by: WhoMe? at January 13, 2004 06:50 PM

"With the muslim vote avoiding Bush, there goes his chance (if he ever had one) of trying to win Michigan."

Actually, WhoMe?, we have a lot of Iraqi-American Arabs in Michigan. They were dancing in the street for Joy when Saddam was captured. Don't be so sure they won't vote for Bush.

James

Posted by: Sherk at January 14, 2004 12:12 PM

I am sure they will be praising the joys of Bush, Inc. when Ashcroft comes knocking on their door, just "wanting to ask a few questions."

Michigan and Pennsylvania are not going to vote for Bush, which means there are far few "Gore" states that Bush could swing then "Bush" states than Dean (if I may be presumptious) can swing.

Posted by: WhoMe? at January 14, 2004 04:58 PM

As I read Bush will not get any vote this year,, No more Bush said the World, so do we.

future polls forcast

...... 75% of the vote= Winner the next president of the United States of America (wow)

George W. Bush 25% of the vote= loser (former President of the United States of America.

then shall we see America raising and raising, being the America it was 4 years ago,

this will happen as I wrote keep it on your file and go with... thank you all

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman (muslim) at January 23, 2004 12:08 PM

Fucking sand niggers. Bush oughta round 'em all up in concentration camps and force them to eat pork. Then we'll have the pleasure of watching them die horrible deaths.

September 11th.
Never forget.

Posted by: Hater of Moslems at February 11, 2004 11:37 PM

Ahahahahahahaahahahahahahahah what did he said hater of muslims?? hate us or not you can do nothing to us, if you even thing of hurting muslims you will pay the price from another side,, remember this is muslim world wheither you hate them or not, I am sure you are the one who will die a horribe death a muslim person will never have to face a hard death becuase he/she know where they will endup, remember never try to thing of hating muslims because they own you after god,,, you weak ass Jewish,,

let me add this since you are acting damb,,, you dajjal is coming soon which means the end of the time is nearing, and no more world for the Jewish u guys had enough time but the time had come to end as I speak the time is running go find yourself a spot,,, u know you will end up in the hot spot don't look that hard and don't be depressed now,, its ok to think but you guys (unbelievers) ya think soo hard , no matter what kind of life style ya life rich or poor because you are simply a unbeliever, go discharge the nuclous on your head,, wanna know how? come visit the muslim world and how humans suppost live @ islamic-world.net or simply search the way of life and you will get helpful results

Posted by: abdifatah at February 15, 2004 09:16 PM

TIME HAS COME TO AN END FOR BUSH DYNASTY.

Posted by: DR.J.E.ALI at March 14, 2004 12:38 AM

FELLOW MUSLIMS IN THE U.S.,THE MESSAGE TO YOU FROM THE PEACEFUL AND GREAT LAND OF CANADA.DO NOT VOTE FOR GEORGE W.BUSH AND PROVE ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT YOUR VOTE MATTERS.OF THE CHOICES YOU HAVE JOHN KERRY IS YOUR BEST BET. GOD BE WITH YOU.

Posted by: DR.J.E.ALI at March 14, 2004 12:43 AM

I just changed my mine and I will like to upgrade my comments on this web I am simply a one person so let the americans decide who they gonna choose and nobody can forcast the future polls axcept allah and I believe everyone makes mistake sometimes but its important to catch up and correct their mistakes, I can only control my own not anyone else ,,, thanks all

beside that you jewish allah planed hell for you all and ya all know that so don't be shock on what is happening on the earth today go search a place to hide your lifes , and I will pray that everyone can see what I see as a person that you guys are the treat to the peace and you are evil and you don't care anyone but yourselves bloodsuckers come find me and do what you can I pray you guys try to harm me I am ready for it and I ask allah a protection not anyone on this earth,,,

allah take the darkness from every human being on this earth so they can see the cancer in the world and my allah ends the problems on this earth ammin ya allah allah accept my pray if I am a true muslim insha allah Allah will I hope,,, ammin ya allah

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman at May 11, 2004 04:07 PM

I am ready to risk my life for everyone accept the evil the jewish, I hope we all open our eyes clear and see the truthful words from the false and everyone controls his own, amiin amiin ya allah, I don't want to be a star for jewish on hollwood star but I want to be a person who risks his own life for allah's people, I hope ya all understand

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman at May 11, 2004 04:19 PM

I can't imagine any mother rocking her newborn baby thinking, "I hope my child will grow up to hate an entire group of people". To those of you with hateful posts against one side or the other (Jewish or Islamic), honor your mother, hold your tongue, and be a bigger person. Better yet, honor the ancestors before you who created a faith they hoped would bring peace to the world, not more hatred.

Posted by: NoBush2004 at July 4, 2004 03:44 PM

definetly agreed with NBUSH2004.......Advised received! thank you

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman at September 13, 2004 11:39 PM

definetly agreed with NBUSH2004.......Advised received! thank you

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman at September 13, 2004 11:39 PM

definetly agreed with NBUSH2004.......Advised received! thank you

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman at September 13, 2004 11:39 PM

definetly agreed with NBUSH2004.......Advised received! thank you

Posted by: abdifatah suleiman(muslim) at September 13, 2004 11:40 PM

News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas

January 12, 2004

Jewish and Muslim Voting Patterns in 2004

By Byron LaMasters