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Who They Are: RepublicanJewish Coalition PAC
Purpose: Toadvocate for issues relevant to Jewish Republicans. In this election, theyoppose Barack Obama.
Executive Director: Matthew Brooks, who also directs the Jewish Policy Center .
Funding: Individualdonations.
Cost of the Ad: Morethan $1 million.
Where It Ran: Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvaniathrough Election Day.
Claims: Obamawould meet with leaders of unfriendly countries during the first year of hisadministration. Hillary Clinton said she would not. She also said Obama’s stancewas irresponsible and naïve.
Accuracy: Obamaand Clinton’s responses are taken from the July 2007 CNN/Youtube DemocraticPrimary debate in South Carolina.(Watch their complete responses here .) As some have pointedout , Obama never explicitly said he would meet with Ahmadinejad-only thathe would consider sitting down with unnamed leaders. (The questioner did notspecifically name the leaders, but a picture of Ahmadinejad was shown.) Clinton, in an interviewwith the Quad City Times , calledObama’s comments “naïve and frankly irresponsible .”
Background: Formerlythe National Jewish Coalition, the RJC lobbies on behalf of Jewish interests. ThePAC has contributedheavily to state candidates in the past. They were responsiblefor some pretty nasty attacks on Howard Dean in 2005. Last month, the group receivedsharp criticism for a poll that asked Jewish voters to respond to negativestatements about Obama. One polled voter happened to be a writer for the New Republic and bloggedabout his experience .
Swift Boat Rating:
Obama has reiterated his intention to meet with leaders ofanti-American countries. The ad leaves interpretation up to the viewer.
