New York – In “a shot across President Obama’s bow,” Democratic former Mayor Ed Koch urged voters in Queens and Brooklyn to make “history” by voting for the Republican candidate to replace randy ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner in the Sept. 13 special election — as a protest against the White House’s policy on Israel.
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Koch — a staunch ally of Israel — said he would “vote for Bob Turner” if the Republican-Conservative candidate backs Israel and opposes cutbacks to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
“If Jewish New Yorkers and others who support Israel were to turn away from the Democratic Party in that congressional election and elect the Republican candidate to Congress in 2011, it might very well cause President Obama to change his hostile position on the state of Israel and to re-establish the special relationship presidents before him had supported,” Koch said in his weekly commentary.
He is furious with Obama over the president’s public push to get Israel to use its 1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations over a Palestinian state.
Koch also said he’s upset with Obama for considering trimming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to get a deficit/debt reduction agreement with the GOP.
Koch’s comments are an early headache for Assemblyman David Weprin, the Democratic candidate handpicked to replace Weiner, who resigned in disgrace amid a sexting scandal.
Got to love Koch!
People in the district, stop looking at your Democratic Registration Card. Send Hussein Obama and all Democrats a message that they can’t take the jewish vote for granted. Punish them for their anti-Israel stance and vote for Bob Turner. For once in your lives, your vote is essential. DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE FOR BOB TURNER.
This has nothing to do with Obama or Turner, and everything to do with the grudge Koch holds from Weprin’s father supporting Mario Cuomo over Koch in the 1982 Gubernatorial primary, which Cuomo won. Koch has never forgiven the Weprin family. It is time for Koch to get over it.
Has there ever been a shomer Shabat member of the US House of Representatives? I think Weprin will be the first ever. And on the City Council he stood up for the interests of Jewish social service organizations, getting them lots of funding for their necessary missions. With the massive amount of budget cutting going on in Washington, we need that kind of dedication now more than ever. I will be sending Weprin a campaign contribution.
Orthodox or not, Weprin is a party hack. I will happily vote for Turner.
Charlie Hall wake up open your closed eyes, even Koch a liberal guy said to vote against Obama. Its about Obama nothing to do with Weprin. Even liberals are realizing Obama a failure. Charlie get over it your liberal dream is shattering its over thanks to your radical liberal views we have 9.2% unemployment.
Is Weprin anti-Israel? Is Weprin calling for cuts in social security and medicare? If not then everything Koch is saying here is sheer nonsense. All of you cheering Koch on, you better believe he’d have pushed for gay marriage if he was still in office, why do his words have any more power than Weprin’s?
We are not supporting Koch the point we won’t support any liberal. Period
Emanuel Rahm, a former congressman, is also Orthodox.
Being in the closet is nothing new for Ed Koch. He’s been a closet Republican for a decade. This is news?