August 21, 2008 Today in Biblical History by Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Popularization of Kabbalah: 20 Menachem-Av 1558 CE Jonathan Rosenblum: Lessons from the Beyond JWisdom: : The Olympian within is rooting for you -- yes, you! –- to go for the gold August 20, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Misleading Platform Platitudes The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: America's Defense of the Jews --- Until WWII by Rabbi Nosson Scherman August 19, 2008 Dennis Prager: If the Almighty doesn't exist Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Obama's Islamist problem has nothing to do with his upbringing JWisdom: Think your life is messed up? by Rabbi David Aaron August 18, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Business with Friends Diana West: Roars About Russia, Bare Whispers About Islam JWisdom: Relationship agony: The real cause by Malka Schulman August 15, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: To love the Divine Caroline B. Glick: Georgia, Israel, and the nature of man JWisdom: The Truly Righteous Don't Demand Entitlements by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 14, 2008 Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Confessions of broken spirit Libby Lazewnik: The Numbers Game JWisdom: Six Questions You'll Be Asked in Heaven? - Uh - Let's Just Take One for Now! by Gavriel Aryeh Sanders August 13, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Georgia should be on their minds The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Go Greek: Pair flavorful lamb kebabs with a hearty salad JWisdom: Human hybrids aren't science fiction by Rabbi David Aaron August 12, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bless us Daniel Pipes: The West's Islamist Infiltrators JWisdom: From Sadness to Gladness: The Route from Tisha b'Av to Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Mordechai Becher August 11, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: A Jewish view on fair pricing Caroline B. Glick: Ignoring failure in Gaza JWisdom: 'Communication' Is Not The Answer! by Malka Schulman August 7, 2008 Rabbi David Gutterman: A Continuing Story With a Sustaining Goal Rabbi Berel Wein: Mourning and morning JWisdom: Yes, we are still in exile by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 6, 2008 David Ashenfelter: Government made military engineer's life a living hell because of his faith, Defense Department report documents Jonathan Tobin: Speak the Truth; Defeat the Lies JWisdom: Jewish Spirituality: Fusion or Confusion? by Rabbi David Aaron August 5, 2008 Chris Leppek: Church/state wall beginning to crumble? Paul Greenberg: Exit Olmert (no encore, please) JWisdom: Serenity: Make the commitment by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (Read by Gavriel Sanders) August 4, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Am I taking advantage of another's psychological quirk? Andrew Silow-Carroll: A black and a Jew walk into the White House… JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Edward R. Morrow visits the ‘living dead’ by Rabbi Nosson Scherman August 1, 2008 Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: We have the power to alter another's destiny — use it well Caroline B. Glick: Why Olmert — finally — did it JWisdom: Life By The (Book of) Numbers by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky July 31, 2008 This Week in Biblical History by Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Ezra the Scribe returns from exile Joan Verdon: Demure is in demand: More brides seek 'modest' gowns JWisdom: You don't have to be ‘compatible’ to have a stable, happy relationship by Malka Shulman July 30, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Does Israel need 'tough love'? The Kosher Gourmet by Gail Borelli: Pickling captures the fleeting tastes of summer's fruits and vegetables JWisdom: Serenity: It's Really Up to YOU! by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (Read by Gavriel Sanders) July 29, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Good things happen Dick Morris: How Israel's race could shift ours JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Equal but Not Jewish or Jewish but Not Human? July 28, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: How and when to lie Steven Emerson: More Perils of Interfaith Dialogue JWisdom:: A TripTik for Your Spiritual Journey by Rabbi Dovid Gross July 24, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: On the road again --- and again and again Richard Z. Chesnoff: Mideast Refugees --- Failure vs. Success JWisdom:: Word power is about more than vocabulary by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky July 23, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: The Mufti of Jerusalem's Nazi ideology lives on among contemporary Islamists The Kosher Gourmet by Joe Gray: Smoked paprika turkey meatballs simmered in red wine and tomato sauce JWisdom:: 'Routine' doesn't need to mean ‘rote’ By Rabbi David Aaron July 22, 2008 Yossi Klein Halevi: Dear Barack Obama Elliot B. Gertel: Eli Stone: Self-indulgent, arrogant corporate attorney as modern-day prophet JWisdom:: Three Weeks - Nine Days - One Purpose by Rabbi Mordechai Becher July 21, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Spending your kids' money Mitch Albom: A grim exchange illustrates a key difference JWisdom:: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Hammered on the Anvil --- Severed by the Sickle by Rabbi Nosson Scherman July 18, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The Sanctification and Importance of Time Caroline B. Glick: US wants it absolutely clear it has no intention of attacking Iran's nuclear installations Mona Charen: What can you say about a people who welcome a child murderer as a hero? JWisdom:: Living a dog's life, dawg? by Rabbi Dovid Gross July 17, 2008 Steven Emerson: Deals with devils Libby Lazewnik: One Step at a Time JWisdom:: Leader the follower? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky July 16, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Poaching humans The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Meaty pasta salad with summer berries perfect for warm evenings JWisdom:: Keeping A Secret by Rabbi Mordechai Becher July 15, 2008 Dennis Prager: False Equation: Opposing Same-Sex Marriage and Opposing Interracial Marriage Joel Greenberg: Researchers look to Israeli circumcision program to help combat AIDS 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part V: Why Judaism ISN'T Spiritual by Rabbi David Aaron July 14, 2008 Jonathan Rosenblum: A warning from Canada to those who value life Jonathan Tobin: 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism, Part II 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 June 21, 2007 / 5 Tamuz, 5767 After Bush: Gingrich and others worry that his shortcomings could have a far-reaching effect on the GOP By Jonathan V. Last http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | The worm may have finally turned for Republicans and President Bush. Recently, Newt Gingrich wondered in the New Yorker whether Bush might be the GOP's Jimmy Carter: a party wrecker whose failures hobble his political allies for a generation. In a less civilized time, that sort of talk would have been settled with pistols at dawn. Will Gingrich's concern be borne out? It will be a long while before we can say with any certainty. Bush's approval rating has sat in the low 30s for an uncommonly long time, and he will likely be a drag on the Republican nominee in 2008. The larger question, however, depends on the nature of Bush's failures. Two of the most common criticisms of Bush have traditionally been that he is a rigid conservative ideologue and/or that he is a shameless partisan player. Certainly, the president has been more conservative than liberal, and his administration has at times been cravenly political. But neither of these criticisms adequately account for the character of Bush's tenure. Start with his supposed arch-conservatism. Bush was never the conservative his supporters hoped for and his opponents feared. To pick just three large initiatives, consider No Child Left Behind, the Medicare prescription-drug plan, and his splitting the difference on embryonic stem cell research. Each was at odds with traditional conservatism. As smaller examples, recall the Supreme Court nomination of Bush crony Harriet Miers and the approval of the "emergency contraceptive" Plan B in exchange for the confirmation of David Hager, Bush's nominee at the time to head the Food and Drug Administration. Both of these were deliberate thumbs in the eyes of conservatives. Then there's the Bush reputation for partisan opportunism. John DiIulio, former head of Bush's faith-based initiative, once lamented that "what you've got is everything - and I mean everything - being run by the political arm." DiIulio may well have been accurate. Yet that can hardly explain a number of important stances the president has taken that are clearly against his political self-interest: his stillborn, but noble, attempt at Social Security reform; his Middle Eastern freedom agenda; and his continuing commitment to the war in Iraq. The president's immigration proposal is particularly striking because it runs counter to conservative ideology, is broadly unpopular among the general electorate, and is supremely unpopular among base Republican voters. The only way to explain Bush's commitment to immigration is that he must believe it is objectively the best policy for America. (Well, there is one other theoretical possibility: If Bush were determined that John McCain not succeed him in office, he could hardly have done better than pushing immigration to center stage right now.) None of which is to say that there is neither rhyme nor reason to Bush. The thread running through the nearly complete tapestry of his presidency is incompetence. From the bungling after Hurricane Katrina to the appointment of political hacks to the mismanagement of the war (and peace) in Iraq, Bush's problems hail back not to failures of ideology or partisanship, but to simple incompetence from the chief executive and his administration. As Joseph Bottum puts it: "Again and again, [Bush] has done the right thing in the wrong way, until, at last, his wrongness has overwhelmed his rightness." This is not to say that everything Bush touches turns to dross; that is clearly not the case. The appointments of Supreme Court Justices John G. Roberts Jr. and Samuel A. Alito Jr., for example, appear to be smashing successes, a true marriage of principled conservatism and good government. And certainly Bush's administration has often been criticized unfairly. For instance, it is a common trope that the president has badly damaged America's relationship with our European allies. Yet recent elections in Germany and France swept clearly pro-American leaders to power. That said, the overall impression of haplessness has the potential to inflict long-term damage on the Republican Party. One of the golden rules of politics is to never let an issue problem become a character problem. The failure of any given Bush policy, or basket of policies, is one thing. It might cost Republicans an election and set the party back a bit. But if the sum of Bush's mistakes comes to represent the party's character, even after he's gone, that's another matter entirely. Just ask the post-Carter Democrats. The obvious way out for Republicans is to run against both the Democratic nominee and Bush in 2008. Easier said than done. Gingrich, however, has sketched out a rough blueprint for this strategy based on the success of Nicolas Sarkozy. As Gingrich explained to the New Yorker: "What's fascinating about Sarkozy is that you have an incumbent cabinet member of a very unpopular 12-year presidency, who over the last three years became the clear advocate of fundamental change, running against an attractive woman who is the head of the opposition. In a country that wanted to say, 'Not them,' he managed to switch the identity of the 'them.' He said, 'I'm different from [former French president Jacques] Chirac, and she's not. If you want more of the same, you should vote for her.' " Understand that the specter of Bush will be one of a few important dynamics influencing the 2008 race. The next election presents a rare combination of electoral uncertainty: a nation at war, split roughly 50-50 between the parties, with massive demographic shifts in motion (both of new immigrants and a rapidly aging population), and no incumbent leader running. It is an election with few precedents and an enormous capacity for volatility. If the worst is true and Bush's failures pose a serious threat to the party, the Republicans will have to distance themselves from him, as Gingrich suggests. The question is whether they will do it before the election, or afterward, when the Democrats could conceivably control the House, the White House, and 62 seats in the Senate. The sooner the better. 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. Jonathan V. Last is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Comment by clicking here. Previously: 03/09/07 Why the British outclass us in acting 01/23/07 Romney: Seriously great, but with baggage 12/23/06 When truth is transpicuous 12/05/06 A realistic plan: Split the country in two 11/08/06 We could easily pull out of Korea and let China have regional hegemony. But would it be the right thing? 10/24/06 The decline of revolution 10/18/06 Why the free market is king 08/07/06 Democracy, of itself, not solution to all problems 08/01/06 We get the movies we deserve 07/27/06 How long will U.S. empire last? © 2006, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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