With this weeks Iowa caucus results in, we are finally getting a notion of how the battle is shaping up to determine which Republican candidate will stand against President Obama this November.
It is, however, a vague notion, at best. With Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum coming within a cats whisker of each other, its still far from clear which, if either, of these two candidates will emerge as a genuine front runner.
Very disturbing is the fact that its way too early to dismiss Ron Paul, the one-time Libertarian and three-time presidential candidate, who came in with an impressive 21.4% of the Iowa tally.
Paul has what might be termed significant issues with Jews, and even more so with Israel.
Newsletters published under Pauls name in the 1980s and 1990s have recently come to light, containing comments that are difficult not to see as anti-Semitic and racist.
While Pauls campaign has repudiated the newsletters, and denied that he wrote or was even aware of them, he did sign them. We remain, frankly, unconvinced.
Former Paul staffers have recently been quoted as verifying that Paul does indeed have political opinions about Jews that largely conform with tenets of classical anti-Semitism.
Were also disturbed about Pauls upfront positions about Israel (he would strive to cut off every cent of US foreign aid) and Iran (he would not lift a finger to stop its drive to develop nuclear weapons).
We are far from alone in harboring such concerns. The Republican Jewish Coalition hardly a liberal organization has made it clear that it has no use for Paul or his presidential candidacy, which strikes us as the only sane stance for any Jewish organization to take.
While troubling, Pauls campaign success is not exactly surprising. Of all the GOP candidates, hes promoting the toughest platform on federal spending, taxes and the role of government. Dyed-in-the-wool fiscal conservatives and Tea Party followers no doubt find that brand of conservatism attractive.
Pauls significant support among Iowas youth is also unsurprising. Many of them have been drawn to his campaign by his promises to legalize marijuana and by his strictly non-interventionist foreign policy.
Paul is clearly in touch with prevailing right-wing winds, and has obviously become a capable, even clever, campaigner. Romney and Santorum would be well-advised to take him seriously; and American Jews are well-advised to regard him with considerable caution.
Its too early for Jewish Republicans to push panic buttons. Paul remains a third-place finisher, even if its a relatively close third place. Our hope is that at the next big Republican presidential test next week New Hampshire Pauls distance from the frontrunners will grow considerably larger.
But if it doesnt, if Paul somehow manages to shoulder his way into the leaders of the pack, its time to worry.
Copyright © 2012 by the Intermountain Jewish News
