The JTA gives a very mixed result on Jewish voters yesterday. Obama won 61 percent of the Jews in winning Connecticut, while Hillary won over 60 percent of the Jews in New York and New Jersey. Her Jewish margin in California was much narrower, 48 to 44. And In Massachusetts, Hillary won despite losing the Jewish vote, 52-48.
What is the significance of these numbers? I wonder whether it is not indicative of the cultural changes affecting the Jewish community. Traditional Jewish communities like New Jersey and New York are the HQ for the Jewish establishment, which tends to be more conservative and older and hawkish. It’s expensive to live in these places. In the Jewish provinces, there are more young independent types, and more freethinking. In Boston and New Haven, there is an actual base of critics of Israel. Hillary draws from the conservative base, while Obama draws from the freer thinkers. Well it’s a theory. I think California is a mix of establishment and young independents…
As always, I wish the media would spend more time examining these religious numbers. The raw vote totals are of course not as important as the financial backing. But in any case it is an important current in our political life. Especially now that the religion the media talk about endlessly, the religious right, is dying as a unified cause.
P.S. Maybe events will give me the opportunity to regret that last statement–say when the evangelicals deliver the vote for McCain in the fall. Somehow I doubt it. The overarching lesson of the Republican race is that: They’re a minority party, and their base is now fractured. The party is turning against the social conservatives, their 30 year run is coming to an end. Hallelujah. Rachel Maddow said as much on MSNBC a week or so back and was roundly ridiculed and condescended to by Joe Scarborough, one of the most unpleasant personalities on television. I hope she sticks to her guns…
