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May 24, 2013

Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb: When I didn't so 'humbly disagree'

Caroline B. Glick: Thank you, Hafez al-Assad

Diana West: From the Brooklyn Bridge to London
Morgan Housel: Why spotting bubbles is so much harder than you think

Environmental Nutrition editors: NuVal labeling to the rescue?

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Memorial Day: Jews Serving and KIA in War on Terror; Liberace Bio-Pic; Jew Wins "Survivor"; Shalom, Dr. Brothers; More

The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen: HIDE THESE FROZEN TREATS FROM THE KIDDIES!: Sangria pops; Irish cream pudding pops; mango Lassi pops

May 22, 2013

John Thorne: They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman

John Rosemond: 'Disciplinary math' adds up to parental successl

Warren Richey: Are prayers before public meetings OK? Supreme Court to decide
Rick Montgomery: Use of ADHD drugs as study aid raises concern on campuses

Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.: 6 convincing reasons you should keep carbs in your diet

Eoin O'Carroll: Scientists examine nothing, find something

The Kosher Gourmet by Carole Kotkin: This soup is made from one of the great pleasures of spring: A wonderful pairing of rosy color and earthy tang

May 20, 2013

Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?

Hannan Adely: Town raises Palestinian flag at City Hall

Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Morgan Housel: When smart investors do stupid things

Sharon Saloman, M.S., R.D.: Hunger games: Eat more, weigh less, without starving

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star

The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting

May 13, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation

David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church

Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women
Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership

Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer?

Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

May 10, 2013

Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be

Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs

Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces
Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told

Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon

May 8, 2013

Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas

Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate

Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges

Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial

The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility

May 6, 2013

Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again

Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense

Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage
Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say

Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy

Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal

May 3, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text

Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public

Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study
Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert

May 1, 2013

Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy

Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push

Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Halena M. Gazelka, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: What you need to know about implanted pain relief devices

Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine

Jessica Shugart: When it comes to math, MRIs may be better than IQs

The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The celebrated chef on how high-maintenance ASPARAGUS RISOTTO need not be

April 29, 2013

Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust

Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Morgan Housel: He's rich, smart and old: Listen to him

Thomas Salinas, D.D.S.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: The safety of amalgam fillings

Harvard Health Letters: Tomatoes and stroke protection

Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Swing into spring with lemon cream pie

April 26, 2013

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The world is a mirror

Caroline B. Glick: Time to confront Obama

Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Kimberly Lankford: New strategies ease pain of paying for long-term care insurance

Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Too much ibuprofen?

Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Jewish Major Leaguers, 2013; New Movies and Comedy Show; Shalom, 'Lumpy' (Leave it to Beaver)

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : A bright and cheerful salad to herald the warmer months ahead

April 24, 2013

Steven Emerson: Boston Bomber Exposes Islamist Secret

Morgan Housel Admit it: No one has any idea what's going on
Harvard Health Letters: Can you get headaches from headache medication?

Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.: How to easily get more Omega-3s in your diet

Melissa Healy: Pot in a pill: All the pain relief without the smoke

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is bold, zesty, hot

April 22, 2013

Ken Dilanian: Counterterrorism's future is unclear

US man departing country arrested on terror charges
Barbara Williams: An unorthodox but growing treatment in a 9-year-old's battle against cancer

P.J. Skerrett, M.D.: How to recognize a good whole grain product

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Teen actor Jonah Bobo in New Flick: Hunky James Wolk on Mad Men; Erich Segal's Daughter Writes Prize-Winning Jewish Novel


Jewish World Review May 21, 2008 / 16 Iyar 5768

The perfect veep who'd never be president

By Jack Kelly

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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Imagine the election this fall as a gigantic Democratic primary in which independents and Republicans can cross over. I suspect this is how John McCain is looking at it.


Sen. McCain is running for president de facto as an independent. This gives conservatives heartburn, but considering the parlous state of the Republican brand these days, it's probably wise.


The three biggest obstacles between Sen. McCain and the White House are: (1) President Bush. He's the most unpopular president in the history of polling, a drag on GOP candidates everywhere.


(2) The Republican label. In a poll taken for NBC and the Wall Street Journal in March, voters preferred a generic Democrat over a generic Republican by 13 percentage points.


(3) His age. Sen. McCain will be 72 in August. If elected, he'd be the oldest first term president in history (Ronald Reagan was 69).


The more swing voters view Sen. McCain as independent, the more likely they are to choose between him and Sen. Obama on the basis of the major differences between them on issues, or on their characters, or on their experience, all of which work to Sen. McCain's advantage.


And by stressing his independence, Sen. McCain undermines one of Sen. Obama's campaign themes. Sen. Obama has presented himself as a reformer who would reach across party lines. But he's never actually done it. Sen. McCain has. In a "where's the beef?" contest, Sen. Obama is tofu.


The downside is that conservatives unhappy with Sen. McCain will grow more disenchanted. He could lose on the right as many votes as he gains in the center. To walk this tightrope successfully will require a diplomacy Sen. McCain has yet to exhibit, and a wisdom and maturity conservatives have yet to display.


Sen. McCain needs to recognize that he cannot win the election without the support of conservatives, so he ought not gratuitously to insult them.


Conservatives need to recognize Sen. McCain is greatly preferable to Sen. Obama on most of the issues dear to our hearts, and worse on none of them.


Conservatives also should understand that to win in the poisonous atmosphere this year, Sen. McCain needs the votes of many people who are not fond of Republicans. We must give him a little latitude in seeking them.


Since I think man-made global warming is a hoax, I'm not pleased that Sen. McCain has embraced it. But according to a focus group conducted by HCD Research and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, the ad that Sen. McCain made to explain his position has a profound effect on Democrats. Before being shown the ad, 47 percent of Democrats thought Barack Obama had the best plan on global warming. After viewing the ad, only 37 percent thought so.


Sen. McCain's "cap and trade" plan would be unnecessarily burdensome to our economy. But it would be less harmful than what Sen. Obama plans to do. And if it's what it takes to win the war on terror, keep activist judges from subverting democracy, and prevent a massive income tax hike, it's a price I'm willing to pay.


Running as an independent doesn't help Sen. McCain with his age, but what he can do about his age problem can reinforce his independent credentials.


There are down sides to stating explicitly he intends only to serve a single term. But Sen. McCain should make this strongly implicit.


Imagine you're a Hillary Clinton supporter (or Hillary herself). You'd still like to see Hillary in the White House. You know that isn't going to happen this year, and that it isn't going to happen in 2016. Hillary's only chance to win is in 2012, and that's only if Sen. Obama loses this year. If Sen. McCain signals he only plans to serve one term, that could be a reason for Hillary supporters to stay home, or to cross over, on election day.


Sen. McCain could burnish his independent credentials by selecting Sen. Joe Lieberman as his running mate.


If he were to select either former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney or former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, he'd annoy supporters of the other, because they see each others as rivals should Sen. McCain lose this year, or choose not to seek re-election, and they don't want their rival to have the leg up the vice presidential nomination would provide.


Sen. Lieberman poses no such problem, because as a Democrat, he knows the GOP wouldn't ever nominate him for president. The field would be clear for both parties in 2012. Making that clear could provide Sen. McCain the boost he needs to be elected president in 2008.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Jack Kelly, a former Marine and Green Beret, was a deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan administration. Comment by clicking here.

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