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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 22, 2012/ 1 Sivan, 5772

The X Factor(s)!

By Bernard Goldberg



http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | A lot of my conservative friends are convinced that Mitt Romney is going to win come November. More than a few think he's going to win big. Optimism is a good thing, and I hope it's based on something more than wishful thinking.

You can't tell much from the polls. It's too early for that. Besides, one poll may say Romney is leading, then the next day another poll comes out and that one has the president heading for re-election.

At this point, the only thing we know for sure is that we don't know very much for sure. But I've compiled a short list — only 3 items are on it — of X Factors that could affect the election, if they pop up between now and Election Day. Here they are


1. The October (or maybe September) Surprise


You may have seen the TV ad Romney is running that says if he's elected, on his first day in office, he'll green light the FX pipeline project that the president has put on hold — and that, the ad says would create thousands of jobs for American workers.

But what if President Obama pulls a September or October surprise and approves the pipeline first? What if whoever's in charge of these things, changes the route by a foot and a half in an attempt to appease the environmentalists, and the president says, "Now I'm OK with this, let's move ahead."

Sure the green crowd wouldn't like it, but by the time blue collar workers start laying pipe, the enviros will already have written checks to Mr. Obama's re-election campaign — and then where will they go? To Romney. I don't think so.

And yes, there's a risk that the raw cynicism of the move might mean that some on the Left would sit out the election. But the president would likely win over lots of independents, who at the moment can't figure out why he hasn't already approved the pipeline project.

This alone wouldn't spell victory for Barack Obama, but it could help him — a lot.


2. The Sister Souljah Moment


For those of you too young to remember Sister Souljah, she was a black hip-hop artist and author some 20 years who didn't like white people. In the spring of 1992 Sister Souljah said in an interview: "If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people." As if that wasn't bad enough, she also said this in the music video of her song "The Final Solution: Slavery's back in Effect": If there are any good white people, I haven't met them."

Bill Clinton was running for president at the time, and while giving a speech to Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition he took a shot at Sister Souljah — right there in front of a black audience. Clinton said, "If you took the words 'white' and 'black' and you reversed them, you might think David Duke was giving the speech."

Clinton looked tough. He conveyed the outrage of ordinary Americans. And so the "Sister Souljah Moment" was born.

It could happen again. Barack Obama would throw anybody under the bus in order to win re-election. So it's not hard to imagine that if some prominent liberal loudmouth — even one prominently known for his support of the president — spouted off in a way that was especially dumb, you could see President Obama jumping ugly all over his loyal fan — and in doing so, win lots of friends among independents and undecideds.

That alone wouldn't guarantee re-election, either. But I think # 3 would.


3. The Nuclear Option


President Obama dumps Joe Biden and puts Hillary on the ticket. I shudder to think that it might actually happen.

Nobody likes Biden and lots of independents and lots of women like Hillary. Would such a move late in the game look desperate? Maybe. But so what? The upside is far, far greater than the downside. This would be a real game changer.

To a large extent, it's still the economy stupid. And if it doesn't get a lot better -real soon, this clearly would be a problem for the president. But there's always the chance that an X Factor will unexpectedly pop up and cause great turmoil. This year there may even be 3 X Factors.

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.


Comment by clicking here.

JWR contributor Bernard Goldberg, the television news reporter and author of several bestselling books, among them, Bias, a New York Times number one bestseller about how the media distort the news. He is widely seen as one of the most original writers and thinkers in broadcast journalism. Mr. Goldberg covered stories all over the world for CBS News and has won 10 Emmy awards for excellence in journalism. He now reports for the widely acclaimed HBO broadcast Real Sports.

He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey and a member of the school's Hall of Distinguished Alumni and proprietor of BernardGoldberg.com.


Previously:


05/15/12: Obama Has a Halo; Newsweek Has No Shame
05/10/12: Authoritarians on Campus
05/08/12: Obama's Path to Victory: Divide and Conquer
05/01/12: President Cool Meets Reality
04/25/12: Why Media Bias Matters
04/17/12: NYT: At It Again
04/13/12: Kissing up to the Rev. Al
04/10/12: This Just In: War Breaks Out --- Thank You, Lord
04/03/12: In Cold Blood?
03/27/12: Trayvon Martin and Media Hypocrisy
03/26/12: Time to Go, Rick
03/22/12: Obama's Mantra: Don't Blame Me
03/19/12: The U.N. Human Rights Council --- and other Jokes
03/13/12: Bias in the News: Blame it on Their Zip Code
03/06/12: Thank Heaven for Rich People --- a Second Look
02/29/12: Some Free Advice for the Republican Field
02/28/12: Do We Have a Right to Lie?
02/16/12: Can Obama Win Re-Election by Promising Free Stuff?
02/06/12: The 5 Stages of Mitt
02/02/12: Florida Has Spoken; Cue the Fat Lady
01/30/12: The Other Global Warming Story
01/26/12: They See Racists Everywhere . . .
01/24/12: The Arrogant and Clueless Mainstream Media
01/23/12: Gingrich Wins SC --- Media Help Big Time
01/18/12: A New Entry for 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America
01/12/12: The Dream Ticket Could Be a Conservative Nightmare
01/11/12: Now 'Anybody But Romney' Has a Name
12/30/11: I Have a Confession to Make . . .
12/27/11: Know When to Hold 'em and Know When to Fold 'em
12/20/11: NBC News, the KKK and the State of Journalism
12/19/11: Mitt and Newt: Two Rich Guys Arguing Over Money
12/13/11: Donald Trump Is the Greatest; Just Ask Him
12/12/11: Rob Peter to Pay Paul: Bad Economics! Good Politics?
12/07/11: Yeah . . . and Fish Don't Know They're Wet, Either
12/06/11: Did the Media Play Fair with Herman Cain?
12/05/11: Obama to Blue-Collar America: Adios!
11/29/11: We Can Stop the Crazy Train Before It Gets to Greece
11/22/11: Who Can Beat Obama?
11/15/11: The Dumbest Media Question I've Ever Heard
11/09/11: What If Herman Cain Did It?
11/08/11: What If Herman Cain Were a Lib?
11/02/11: Who Can Beat Obama?
11/01/11: We're Approaching the Tipping Point
10/25/11: A Response to the Angry Purists
10/18/11: They're Waiting for Reagan to Hit the Campaign Trail
10/12/11: Read This!!! --- But Only If You Have Nothing Better To Do
10/04/11: Can Obama Win Re-Election?
09/27/11: It's NOT the Economy Stupid, It's Theology
09/20/11: Bad News on the Doorstep
09/09/11: Hypocrisy!
09/06/11: Back to the Future
08/24/11: Hillary vs. Obama in 2012? It'll Never Happen --- I Don't Think
08/22/11: Warning: Conservatives May Be Harmful to Your Mental Health
08/17/11: Warren Buffett, Coddled Billionaire
08/11/11: Too Much Balance in the Media?
08/04/11: All Aboard the Crazy Train
08/01/11: Liberal Hate Speech
07/25/11: With All Due Respect, Go Fly a Kite
07/20/11: Who Is A ‘Natural Born Citizen’?
07/18/11: Guess Who's Not Paying Their Fair Share
07/12/11: Against More Taxes? You May Be a Terrorist!
07/11/11: Casey Anthony: The TV Show
07/06/11: Standards and Double Standards at MSNBC
06/29/11: Is Jon Stewart A Racist?
06/21/11: Let's Play the Race Card --- Just for Fun Of Course
06/20/11: Sarah Palin and Weiner's Weiner
06/03/11: Memo to GOP: Turn Mr. Obama into Mr. Yesterday
05/20/11: I Get Letters From People Who Should Be Locked Up
05/09/11: Is ‘Torture’ Ever Justified?
05/02/11: The Promiscuous Use of the R Word
04/19/11: The Man Behind the Million Dollar Smile
04/12/11: What's the Difference Between Libs in Politics and Libs in the Media?
04/08/11: An Idea Whose Time Has Come — and Gone
03/28/11: The Pundits Are Driving Me Crazy --- And You Thought Qadaffi Is Nuts
03/14/11: No Liberal Bias at NPR — Just Ask NPR
03/10/11: The media's frustration
03/01/11: Progressives Lost in Time . . .
02/23/11: The Lamestreams Strike Again --- This Time in Madison
02/03/11: You MUST Own a Gun --- Or Else!
01/20/11: It Was Horrible, I tell you … HORRIBLE!
01/11/11: Here We Go Again . . .
01/06/11: You Go, Oprah
12/28/10: A Year-Ender --- The MSM and Obama's Fall from Grace 12/14/10: Thank Heaven for Rich People

12/02/10: The Phony Nobility of Wikileaks

© 2011, Bernard Goldberg

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