The Trail

COURTING JEWISH VOTERS

Biden Cites Obama's Support of Israel

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. -- Joseph Biden called himself a "zadie" (grandfather) and emphasized the importance of "mishpuchah" (family) as he touted himself and the Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, as strong allies of Israel and the American Jewish community in a speech Tuesday.

Although polls show more than 60 percent of Jewish voters backing Obama, the campaign has worried that viral e-mails falsely asserting Obama is a Muslim and some sermons by Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, could dampen enthusiasm for the senator from Illinois.

Biden was introduced by a child of Holocaust survivors. The running mate emphasized his personal links to the late Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor who became a congressman from California. Lantos, who died this year, had served as a foreign policy aide to Biden before running for office.

Biden noted that his son's mother-in-law is Jewish and that the stepfather of one of his top foreign policy advisers was a Holocaust survivor. Biden talked about his first trip abroad as a senator, on which he met Golda Meir when she was prime minister of Israel. And he invoked several Yiddish terms to connect with an audience that included many older Jewish voters.

"I want to remind those of you who don't know me -- and those of you who do know me -- what my record has been. It has been unstinting in the defense and support of Israel," Biden told a crowd of several hundred at the Century Village retirement community.

Referring to the "scurrilous stuff going on in the Internet" about Obama, Biden said, "I promise you, the stuff you're getting on the Internet is simply not true."

"Not enough people know about Barack," Biden continued. "I promise you, Barack Obama, this man understands what is the driving energy in our community."

He went on to say, "Israel today is less secure than it was eight years ago."

"I promise you, we will make it more secure," Biden said to loud applause.

-- Perry Bacon Jr.