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July 8, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Duty to save gullible from themselves?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Islamists have the West just where they want us

JWisdom:: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 3: The Fully Loaded Human Being by Rabbi Dovid Gross

July 3, 2008

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)

Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron

JWisdom:: The Moses Method by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 2, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots

The Kosher Gourmet By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!

JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life

July 1, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?

Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism

June 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world

Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?

JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child

June 26, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil

Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy

June 25, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies

JWisdom: Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 25, 2008

Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?

JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III

June 24, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence

June 23, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma

Jeff Jacoby: A world without children

JWisdom: Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction

June 20, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week

JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 19, 2008

Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in

Chris Christoff: Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub

June 18, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups

JWisdom: Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 17, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein

Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron

June 16, 2008

Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?

Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire

June 13, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: Trading manna for whine

Caroline B. Glick: Peace with friends

JWisdom: From the mouths of … by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 12, 2008

Michael Feldberg: Meet Paul Revere's pal, the Orthodox Jew who played a key role in laying Boston's cultural and business infrastructure

The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: No need to be tempted by Wendy's mandarin chicken salad

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron

June 11, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: What would Hillel say?

Jonathan Tobin: UNRWA and NGOs: The Real U.N. 'Insult'

JWisdom: Sara Yoheved Rigler: Greatness Made Simple: How a momentary decision shifted life's course and destination

June 6, 2008

Rabbi Pinchas Stolper: Revelation: The basis of faith

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: Mere hours after becoming Israel's new 'best friend' Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem

Caroline B. Glick: UN choosing to protect rogue nuclear programs

JWisdom: Sameness in difference by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 5, 2008

David Lightman: Now Obama wants to be Israel's newest 'best friend'

Obama's remarks to AIPAC policy conference

The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Lokshen Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread

JWisdom: Why a Jewish Jerusalem makes so many nervous by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 4, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A different sort of 'religious broadcaster'

Jonathan Tobin: Misgivings on the Road to Damascus

JWisdom: 44 Years Without An Argument? by Sara Yoheved Rigler

June 3, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama vs. McCain on the Middle East

Everything's Relative: There is a crisis growing in Orthodox synagogues worldwide, reveals Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel

JWisdom: White Facades; Black Secrets by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 2, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: Lie to outsmart discriminator?

He writes the songs that make our souls sing:Gavriel Aryeh Sanders interviews Jewish music legend Ben Zion Shenker; includes stirring, uplifting song

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Of laws and lives

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Dec 14, 2007 / 5 Teves 5768

Who endorses the endorsers?

By Lloyd Garver


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that Oprah Winfrey campaigned for Barack Obama last week. Because of her, tens of thousands of people heard the candidate speak. This whole celebrity endorsement thing got me thinking. I don't believe many people are going to vote for somebody just because someone who is on television or in the movies says they should. But as with Oprah, voters may come to see the celebrity, but they also end up hearing the candidate. Obviously, this can backfire if they don't like what they hear. Also many people resent celebrity endorsers and have the attitude, "Just because they're famous doesn't mean they know anything about politics." So, there is considerable debate about whether celebrities actually help. However, I think I have a sure-fire way for celebrity endorsements to help get a candidate elected.


Because of the season, the competition for celebrities reminds me of the competition among neighbors for the most ostentatious Christmas and other holiday decorations. When it was announced that Oprah was supporting Obama, Hillary Clinton's people quickly announced that Barbra Streisand was supporting her. It's just like that neighbor of yours who puts up a hundred lights and a ten-foot Santa Claus in front of his house, and then another neighbor quickly decorates his house with 200 lights and an even bigger Santa. Now that wrestler Ric Flair (aka "The Nature Boy") is supporting Mike Huckabee, does that mean there will be a scramble to get the endorsement of "Undertaker" or "Rey Mysterio?"


Nobody knows which celebrities will be helpful to them. So we have Rudy Giuliani endorsed by Robert Duvall, Sean Penn rooting for Dennis Kucinich, and Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling campaigning for John McCain. Martin Sheen, who played the president on television, endorses Bill Richardson, and acclaimed actor Harry Belafonte, who also gained fame singing "The Banana Boat Song," is for John Edwards. Sometime actor Fred Thompson is being endorsed by sometime actor Fred Thompson.


In a way, candidates even try to get certain dead people to endorse them. All of the Republican candidates have evoked Ronald Reagan's name, and of course, many of those running quote Abraham Lincoln or the Founding Fathers. I wouldn't be surprised if digital technology were used to put a candidate in a television commercial with somebody from the past. It would be like those macabre commercials that put famous dead actors in a modern home using some new appliance. I'm sure there's a way that we could end up seeing and hearing, "This is Alexander Hamilton for Ron Paul."


But again, nobody seems to know how much an endorsement really helps a candidate. So I have a way to take all of the doubt out of the celebrity endorsement sweepstakes. Instead of candidates and political parties seeking endorsements of famous people, I think they should secretly get inappropriately famous people to represent their opponents. It would work like this: Let's say Mike Huckabee ends up being the Republican nominee. The next day, Madonna comes out for him. The day after that, people like Democrat activist/actor Tim Robbins endorses Huckabee. If they really want to play hardball, the Democrats can always try to get atheist Dr. Michael Newdow to say he's for former minister Huckabee. Suddenly, the nominee's base will start asking themselves if Huckabee really represents their point of view.


Similarly, think what an endorsement from jailed polygamist Warren Jeffs would do to Mitt Romney's campaign. I believe we could say "bye-bye to Biden" if Rush Limbaugh came out for him. And could Rudy Giuliani get elected if disgraced athlete Michael Vick endorsed him?


If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, the Republicans could get John C. Sigler, the president of the NRA, to say wonderful things about Obama while Trent Lott applauds the gun guy's speech. It would be interesting to watch anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly campaign for Hillary Clinton. And if the Republicans really want to destroy John Edwards' campaign, the person they should get to endorse him is George W. Bush.


Maybe I shouldn't be suggesting all this, because some political operatives might be tempted to take my suggestion seriously. Actually, considering how dirty politics always becomes, I'm surprised that they haven't already used this technique. Wait a minute! How do we know that they haven't? I mean, will we ever know the true political philosophy of Ric "The Nature Boy" Flair?

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

JWR contributor Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. Comment by clicking here. Visit his website by clicking here.

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© 2007, Lloyd Garver

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