Flordia Jews Do Their Best West Virginia Voters Impression

"They'll pick on the minister thing, they'll pick on the wife, but the major issue is color," she said, quietly fingering a coffee cup. Ms. Grossman said she was thinking of voting for Mr. Obama, who is leading in the delegate count for the nomination, as was Ms. Weitz.

Because of a dispute over moving the date of the state's primary, Mr. Obama and the other Democratic candidates did not campaign in Florida. In his absence, novel and exotic rumors about Mr. Obama have flourished. Among many older Jews, and some younger ones, as well, he has become a conduit for Jewish anxiety about Israel, Iran, anti-Semitism and race.

Mr. Obama is Arab, Jack Stern's friends told him in Aventura. (He's not.)

He is a part of Chicago's large Palestinian community, suspects Mindy Chotiner of Delray. (Wrong again.)

Mr. Wright is the godfather of Mr. Obama's children, asserted Violet Darling in Boca Raton. (No, he's not.)

Al Qaeda is backing him, said Helena Lefkowicz of Fort Lauderdale (Incorrect.)

Michelle Obama has proven so hostile and argumentative that the campaign is keeping her silent, said Joyce Rozen of Pompano Beach. (Mrs. Obama campaigns frequently, drawing crowds in her own right.)

Mr. Obama might fill his administration with followers of Louis Farrakhan, worried Sherry Ziegler. (Extremely unlikely, given his denunciation of Mr. Farrakhan.)

South Florida is "the most concentrated area in the country in terms of misinformation" about Mr. Obama, said Representative Robert Wexler, Democrat of Florida, the co-chairman of the Obama campaign in the state. His surrogates can put these fears to rest, Mr. Wexler said, by simply repeating the facts about Mr. Obama _ his correct biography, his support for Israel, his positions on other important issues.

But the resistance toward Mr. Obama appears to be rooted in something more than factual misperception; even those with an accurate understanding of Mr. Obama share the hesitations. In dozens of interviews, South Florida Jews questioned his commitment to Israel _ even some who knew he earns high marks from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which lobbies the United States government on behalf of Israel.

"You watch George Bush for a day, and you know where he stands," said Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center.

Many here suspect Mr. Obama of being too cozy with Palestinians, while others accuse him of having Muslim ties, even though they know that his father was born Muslim and became an atheist, and that Mr. Obama embraced Christianity as a young man. In Judaism, religion is a fixed identity across generations.

I think creating two Floridas out of one would make our state much more interesting. For example:

We would have twice as many election snafus. The two Floridas might even have a competition between themselves to see which can wreak the most havoc in our electoral process. South Florida, of course, has more experience in botched elections than North Florida, but I feel certain the North can catch up if given enough opportunities.

Chainlink said:

The North Lauderdale City Commission is proposing that Florida should be split in two because South Florida doesn't get it's fair share of tax revenue.

David Grimes, columnist for the Herald Tribune wrote an amusing article about it the other day.

He also goes on to make some amusing suggestions for the new Florida's name, flag and state symbol.

RudieCantFail said:

They would probably want to be called Upper and Lower Florida, because I'm sure those towards the Georgia border wouldn't want to be accused of being Yankees.

Chainlink said:
And the state flag should be an alligator with a poodle in it's mouth.

Chainlink said:
He's suggested North (or south) Foreclosure, New Bankruptcy, or Melanomia.
And the state flag should be an alligator with a poodle in it's mouth.

coyotemike said:
The only thing that can make this worse is if Hillary decides to run as an indepedent and activly splits the vote

coyotemike said:
The only thing that can make this worse is if Hillary decides to run as an indepedent and activly splits the vote

SockPuppet said:

Hillary/Lieberman ticket?

RudieCantFail said:

I really wouldn't be too worried. I think once Obama's team gets out and starts actively campaigning once the convention is over, he'll be able to win over democratic voters in Florida and elsewhere.

hk85 said:

I hope you are right. I was born in Florida, my mom,brother,and grandpa still live there. They aren't racist, they just don't like black people.

oh, and blacks don't like whites either. Or so they keep telling me.

coyotemike said:

I don't like dumbfuck racists . . . does that make me racist?

coyotemike said:

And thus, the End of Days!!

SockPuppet said:

badum ching!

(Sorry, I can't do trumpet impressions.)

RudieCantFail said:

They would probably want to be called Upper and Lower Florida, because I'm sure those towards the Georgia border wouldn't want to be accused of being Yankees.

coyotemike said:
The only thing that can make this worse is if Hillary decides to run as an indepedent and activly splits the vote

Narghile said:

The panhandle and the peninsula really are two different worlds. North Florida's capital would be Miami, and South Florida's capital would be Panama City, Pensacola, or Destin. I'm banking on Pensacola.