With Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary race approaching the white-hot stage, state Representative and Deputy Speaker of the House Josh Shapiro has emerged as the local public face of Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign. One of his biggest challenges: convincing the Jewish community that Obama isn’t a pro-Palestinian Israel-hater. Philly Grill interviewed Shapiro by e-mail this morning, following a town-hall meeting he organized for undecided Jewish voters in Huntingdon Valley last night.

You’re one of Pennsylvania’s highest-profile Jewish politicians, and I hear you’ve had quite a few discussions with constituents who are uncomfortable with your vocal support of Barack Obama. What kinds of objections are you hearing to his candidacy, and how do you respond?
As Democrats, we are fortunate to have two great candidates for president. For that reason, there are some who do not support Sen. Obama in the primary. Those who are “uncomfortable” with my support for the senator tend to not have all of the facts about his record of service, so I take the time to give them the background they need to make an informed decision. Once given information on Obama’s record, most — even Hillary backers — tend to understand my support. Overall, I have not experienced a lot of anti-Obama sentiment from my constituents or supporters. Most Democrats are just excited to have a say in this historic election.

You’re the first signatory on a March 31st open letter to Pennsylvania’s Jewish community in support of Obama. Was the letter your idea?
The letter was the creation of a small group of Pennsylvania Jewish Democrats who support Sen. Obama. We wrote it for two reasons. First, we thought it was necessary to let Democratic Jewish voters throughout Pennsylvania know they are not alone in their support of Sen. Obama. Second, we wanted to educate voters that Barack shares our commitment to a strong relationship with Israel and to the social principles that bind us as American Jews.

Was it difficult finding co-signatories?
It was not difficult. In fact, we’ve had dozens of people approach us after the letter was sent to ask if they could add their name to the list.

What’s the feedback been?
The feedback has been positive. Some have had questions about Obama’s position on Israel, but as we get the information out about his 100 percent voting record and that he has stood up for our values, their concerns are assuaged, and I believe many Pennsylvania Jews will support him on April 22nd.

As you note, Obama has a 100 percent voting record from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — easily located evidence of his support for Israel. Why is the Jewish community glossing over this?
A lack of information. One reason we wrote the letter was to get his record out there for the public to see. It is our political burden to connect with enough Jewish voters between now and April 22nd to make sure they have all the facts before they make their decision. Armed with the facts, I am confident that Jews will support Sen. Obama.

Is this situation ongoing evidence of the rift that developed between African-Americans and Jews during the civil rights era? Are there generational issues going on here?
The unique thing about Sen. Obama’s candidacy is that he is in a unique position to repair whatever breach may exist between the two communities. He said in his memorable speech on race at the Constitution Center that that was one of his priorities.

Are there a large number of American Jews who simply can’t accept the idea of a black president?
No. American Jews, I believe, want to support a candidate who represents the values of the Jewish people and will stand strong with Israel — Barack has and Barack will as president.

What was your gut reaction when the Wright sermons broke?
I was appalled by the unpatriotic, bigoted, and anti-Semitic rhetoric of Pastor Wright. But his words are only relevant to the election and Sen. Obama’s candidacy insofar as whether they’ve had an impact on the actions of Sen. Obama. Obama’s record is clear — he has not just denounced the words of Wright, but his record of being strong on Israel and Jewish issues demonstrates that he has rejected those views of Wright and charted his own course. As Jews we are taught to judge a person on his actions — not on those of others. We should judge Barack on what he has done — not what his former pastor said.

Did you ever consider supporting Hillary Clinton in this race?
I endorsed Sen. Obama more than six months ago because I think he has the best judgment to lead our nation during this important transitional period. I have great respect and admiration for Sen. Clinton, but I believe it is Barack’s time and we need him to be our next president. However, should Hillary be the Democratic nominee, I will do everything I can to support her candidacy.

How did your event go last night?
We had over 300 Jewish voters, many of whom were undecided, and came to hear about the policies and positions of Senator Obama. Many left convinced that Sen. Obama is the right choice on April 22nd.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 1:28 pm and is filed under Philly Grill. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted by Tim Haas on 4/10/08 in Philly Grill