Obama is driving AIPAC into hysteria because he's the first winning candidate of either party since Israel's bete noire, Carter, whom AIPAC can't control, since he's the first one, including both Hillary and McCain, not bought and paid for by rich Jewish donors. Obama easily trumped such donors with the Net, raising more money there from small unaffiliated donors than rich Jewish donors could contribute to both of his opponents put together. Since Jews are only 3% of the electorate--about the same as Indian-Americans from South Asia--their only electoral leverage, outside of Florida and NYC--is money. When that fails, all they have to fall back on is ruthless Atwater-Rove-style smears. Since AIPAC sincerely (but wrongly) thinks the future of Israel is at stake in stopping Obama, the apocalyptic end justifies any means they can, and will, hurl at Obama, including using the neo-cons' ventriloquist dummy, Bush, to compare him to Nazi appeasers in, where else?, the Knesset. However much family vengeance, and Texas oil interests, may have helped hook the hapless Bush into being Israel's stooge in launching the Iraq War out of Wolfowitz's office, this greatest disaster in the history of American foreign policy was nothing more than a proxy war for Israel, and just as stupidly disastrous for them as for us. Unfortunately for Israel, Bush and this war are much more poisonous politically for 97% of Americans, at least, than Ahmadinejad, who most Americans have barely heard of.

on the subject matter there seems to be something to bits and pieces of this. The problem is separating facts from conspiracy theories.

The other problem is the tendency of fanatical supporters to accuse the other side of bigotry or racism whenever someone expresses an interest in actually exploring the subject matter in greater detail.

It's somewhat along the lines of suggesting that there is significant racism within minority groups and that this can be powerful enough to actually cause them to vote in a block. Gasp! This can never be! Only White males can be, ever are, or ever will be racists!

If supporters or deniers refuse to discuss a subject without hurling hateful accusations at one another whenever one ventures out of the PC comfort zone of the other then such things cannot be discussed. All that one can do is argue them.

There is a huge difference between discussion and argument, but few people seem aware of this.

Only white MALES can be recist????? White females cannot????? Reverend Wright, the Black Panthers, Farrakahn and many many others are clearly racist. The Japanese have always considered us barbaric dogs. If that isn't racist, I don't know what is. Every race on earth considers itsealf to be superior to every other race. You must be very young, very immature, not well traveled or living in a coccoon to make such an ignorant statement.

mind-set of liberals in the United States.

It is their set-in-stone mantra that only White males can be ,or are, racist in any significant numbers.

The same refusal to think, to reason past slogans and dogma that besets the average far Left liberal, also infects the far Right conservative.

It's not that the people in the center, the Centrists or Moderates, are always correct or always see the truth, but they generally have a clearer vision and a better accuracy rate.

@ jeanrenoir:

"Since AIPAC sincerely (but wrongly) thinks the future of Israel is at stake in stopping Obama, the apocalyptic end justifies any means they can, and will, hurl at Obama, including using the neo-cons' ventriloquist dummy, Bush, to compare him to Nazi appeasers in, where else?, the Knesset."

Yes, Bush's swipe at Barack Obama in the Knesset was despicable, but sadly in character. But where did AIPAC get the absurd idea that Obama is anti-Israel? His own position paper on Israel is entirely mainstream: <link>

AIPAC is inviting a backlash if they are seen as undermining the person most likely to be the next President of the United States. Obama isn't their stooge, but in the long run that could make him the best friend Israel ever had. Like the saying goes: Friends don't let friends drive drunk.

Obama 08!

Call me a bigot, a racist and an isolationist if you must but I call myself an American. I don't feel American policy should be based on what's best for Israel, Florida Cubans or/and Mexico. For our leaders to pledge undying support for any nation while endandering ours is traitorous.

The only way for Israel to survive is for the United States to survive as one of the world's leading nations and the one with a big big stick. If, at any time , Russia teams with China, North Korea and nations of the middle east, both the U.S. and Israel are toast. If China calls our loans we are broke, if the middle east and Ven. stop selling us oil our econony is frozent, if China nationalizes American companies and start charging us "the going rate for goods" we will be sitting at home with our cars parked listening to our radios.

We have a president preening like a new rooster and at the same time his citizens are paying $4.00 a gal for gas. Gas that it seems we can't do without and do not have a replacement. It's about time our leaders start making decisions based on whats best us and not whats best for Israel to get the Jewish vote, against Castro to get the Florida Cuban vote and to not find a solution to the mass of undocumented in the country.

It's hard to argue with any of that.