Brooklyn, NY – Councilman Simcha Felder, a Brooklyn Democrat and likely 2009 comptroller candidate, was asked last night by Orthodox Jewish radio personality Nachum Segal who he will be voting for on Feb. 5 and his answer raised the eyebrows of at least one listener/DP reader.
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Felder said he’s planning to vote for Barack Obama in “protest” to the racially-tinged tactics employed by Hillary Clinton’s campaign in South Carolina.
Felder spokesman Eric Kuo confirmed that his boss will be voting for Obama, but stressed that he is neither campaigning for nor endorsing the Illinois senator.
“(Felder) was very uncomfortable with Obama was treated by Clinton’s campaign in South Carolina,” Kuo confirmed. “He was keeping abreast of the race, and was undecided. But South Carolina upset him, and this is essentially a protest.”
Brooklyn is a hotbed of Obama support, with the bulk of the elected official detractors from the Clinton camp hailing from the borough.
The news about Felder dovetails neatly into Ben’s post earlier today on how the Clinton campaign is scrambling to reach voters in Orthodox communities – particularly in Brooklyn – in an effort not to get, as he put it, “drowned in a demographic wave” in the city’s predominantly African-American congressional districts on primary day.
The fear is that Orthodox Democrats, who often trend Republican in general elections (strong support there for Rudy Giuliani, for example), will simply stay home on Feb. 5, adding further weight to the black vote, which is already expected to be higher than usual, turnout-wise. [nydailynewsblog]
you are all getting excited for no reason. bloomberg will be running and all these chochomim who have already spent millions of dollars will have wasted the money.
bloomberg will come in as late as legally allowed …dont forget, hes the shrewd businessman who is worth billions…now there is a true chochom.
Hey Simcha, I am with you all the way! Don’t ever let this “fardorbene mechashaifa” run (or ruin) our country and don’t let this paskudneh couple ever habitate the White House again.
McCain is a mentch, and that is a fact. The man served his country with honor and courage, a person who reaches out to others, a man of principle not afraid to step outside his party lines for what he feels is right. Who cares if that drug addict, rush Limbaugh wont support him? Oh, you like Romney? That fake, phony, fraud, a man who doesn’t have one lock of hair out of place, and whose hometown newspaper the globe and the Boston Herald, (which is a conservative newspaper) indorsed McCain.
Amazing that any frum person can be so shallow as to equate yiddishkeit and torah with the political positions of either party. If you think Republicans represent torah values you fail to appreciate either torah values, the conservative agenda (remember what Ann Coulter said about us recently) or both.
I will vote for Hillary because, just like Romney, she is the lesser of two evils. Also, whatever she does is NOT Lishmah, so she’ll always be open to advice from the highest bidder. Ma Sheh Ain Kain Obama, who is an idealist, and is potentially much more dangerous, especially regarding the Jews and Israel.
If he’s registered as a Democrat (and he must be, because he runs as one) then his only choices are Clinton or Obama. Why are these nudniks going on about Romney or McCain? Felder can’t vote for them, because they’re on the other ballot. So what’s your beef with his choice?
I’m not sure what I would do if I were registered a Democrat, which one I’d count as the lesser evil. Hillary’s a crook, but maybe that’s a mayla, because it means that she doesn’t really mean the policies she speaks about, and maybe once in a while she’ll do something right. Obama, on the other hand, meint dos mit an emes, so maybe he’s the greater evil.
In any case, since my choice is down to Romney, McCain, Paul, and Huckabee, that’s almost as painful, but of the four Romney is clearly the lesser evil. At least I can hope that he’ll be no worse than Bush.
you guys are so nieve. do you think they are becoming the president of bp or flatbush. they will have no influence of “your torah values” its simply whats best for america. and that has nothing to do with you or your snaggy ideas
I will probably be oneof those Jews staying home on Februray 5. Cant stand either HIllary or Obama, wont be voting…
the truth is in this bad market let hillery get iton her head she a good two face….like ,bill but the real reason raboisay is realy way Simcha Felder is voting for obamma is because he cut a better deal with him …vehamaivin yuvin and Simcha Felder has also maany personal expenses to pay like evreone else in b.p so bottom line this is the simplest reason ,,,,,so dont be so jealos they have made the deal its ready to go sooner then later he willput out a big kol koira beshem the rabunim that all boro park ppl should vote for obama because hes betther for isral good luck
Dear Mr. Novak:
I understand American politics better than you, and I have no doubt that my knowledge and intelligence (and arrogance!) far exceed yours, despite your very important title of “Esq.”
When I said “we,” I MEANT those of us who are registered Democrats. I am not a lawyer–I mean, an idiot. (Same thing.)
Maybe you do not understand politics and primaries. Did you attend the American Government class? On Feb. 5 that will be a primary and REGISTERED Dems can ONLY vote for another Dem and Republicans for Reps GET IT!!!!
Alexander Novak, Esq.
Yidden in New York, ner zich ein!
We must vote for Obama in this primary for one simple reason:
Hillary is TERRIBLE!
G-d forbid she should become president.
A woman president is one thing–but if you’re going to have a woman president, at least let it be someone with class, charm and character, like Laura Bush. Hillary is a shrike.
We must vote Obama NOT because we love Obama–but to simply dispose of Hillary.
Then, in the general election, we vote Republican. (Hopefully Romney. Now there’s a mench–and good for the upcoming MAJOR economy problem too.)
Yasher koach Simcha Felder! I support you. May the rest of the community follow you. Thank you for your brave stand.
what a sham:
I’ve known simcha Felder for many years and always knew him as the guy that wont put his interests in front of what’s right or wrong.”MORALLY”
shame on you simcha felder.
ladies and gentleman:
as religious people we have a moral obligation to vote for the one person that will be closest to the values of our Torah.
no its not a Obama or Hilary
folks not Mc Cain either he’s been voting like liberals since the day that he was elected.
the only one left in the race that’s somewhat of a conservative is
Mitt Romney
now don’t get ahead of yourself, I said somewhat he’s not perfect and would of not voted for him otherwise but if Mc Cain wins the primary’s then we should abstain from voting, cause any of the democrats are the same as voting for Liberal Mc Cain.
Voting al pi daas torah would be voting for someone that believes in morality like what our holy Torah teaches us.
VOTE Mitt Romney
Why is that so upsetting? I’m not sure myself who’s worse, Obama or Clinton.
Nobody cares about your opinion, Pigeon Man.
I always liked simcha felder as a matter of fact all the years that ive known him he came across as someone that wont fall for the political game:
guess I was dead wrong
for an orthodox jew to endorse a liberal like Obama. my my hashem should give us the insight and knowledge we need.
folks now that rudy is out. make every effort to vote for mitt romney whos more of a conservative then anyone left ( not 100%) but McCain hell no hes as liberal as it gets