Pat Buchanan for Obama?
No, the conservative commentator and former presidential candidate is not endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as the headline of this post or a new ad by the Republican Jewish Coalition might suggest.
But the latest ad from RJC could lead some people to conclude that Obama has or wants Buchanan’s backing.
The ad [shown below], borrows from recent quotes from Buchanan praising what he and the ad say are Obama’s positions on Israel and Palestinians.
Buchanan recently told MSNBC: “Let me say about Israel here. My position on Israel is frankly awful. It is like Mika [Brzezinski]’s father’s, it’s a lot closer to Barack Obama’s than it is John McCain. I think Barack is right, we ought to talk to the Iranians, he’s right to oppose the war and, frankly, he’s right to say the Palestinian people have got a terrible deal over there and their suffering ought to be recognized. That’s Obama’s position. It’s my position. I don’t think it is a Nazi position.”
RJC was quick to point out that it wasn’t suggesting that Obama supports Buchanan’s views. “Rather, we are highlighting the fact that Buchanan believes that his views are in line with Obama’s on the critical issues of Israel and Iran,” said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in an accompanying press statement. “Because Pat Buchanan shares Obama’s views on Iran and Israel, how comfortable can the Jewish community be with those positions?” Brooks added.
Brooks stood by the ads when we caught up with him. Democrats accused RJC of engaging in a campaign trying to frighten Jewish voters by insinuating Buchanan’s support.
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