OMITTING THE OBVIOUS
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
For
Chris Christie, it was a chance at redemption. After his last big appearance at
a Jewish event ended in controversy following his utilization of a provocative
term to describe the Judea and Samaria region in Israel, the New Jersey
Governor and Republican presidential hopeful was expected to make amends when
he took to the podium as a featured speaker at yet another high-profile Jewish
affair.
The
posh awards dinner in Manhattan for The Values Network, which was founded by
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, featured an array of impressive guests and speakers.
Among those in attendance was Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, Nobel
laureate Elie Wiesel, actor Sean Penn, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Israel’s
Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, Harvard law professor Alan
Dershowitz, and Jewish philanthropist and Birthright founder Michael
Steindhardt.
The
event was a perfect opportunity for Chris Christie to prove that his “occupied
territories” gaffe was an anomaly and that his support for Israel is strong and
unwavering.
Yet,
when Governor Christie delivered his remarks in a speech that was laden with
foreign policy references, he inexplicably left out a key word that left the
crowd scratching their heads in bewilderment and wondering what had just
happened.
Throughout
his 16-minute speech, Christie did not mention the word “Israel” once. At no
time during his remarks did he directly refer to the Jewish State by name.
Consider
the implications of Chris Christie’s decision. This well-publicized gala was widely
perceived as a pro-Israel event. The crowd in attendance was overwhelmingly
pro-Israel. In fact, the public relations firm that promoted the “Champions of
Jewish Values International Awards Gala” for The Values Network in advance of
the event declared that Christie would deliver a “major speech on Israel and
the Middle East.”
Despite
that, in what could only be described as an enigmatic decision, Christie concluded
that not specifically referencing Israel was somehow a good idea.
Christie’s
glaring omission became even more evident after Rick Perry, another Republican
governor that is angling for the GOP presidential nod, delivered an impassioned
address that invoked Israel at every turn. Governor Perry talked about his
numerous trips to Israel, empathically stated that the United States must renew
its commitment to a strong Israel, and noted that Israel has a right to exist
as a Jewish state.
The
road to the White House is inevitably replete with pitfalls. With the spotlight
of the world illuminating their every move, presidential candidates will unquestionably
stumble and fall on occasion.
Often,
the hurdles that cause presidential candidates to falter are complex public
policy issues that prove to be challenging to navigate successfully. Yet,
seldom does a presidential candidate trip and fall over an issue that on its
face appears to be a no-brainer.
To
be clear, I am not questioning Chris Christie’s position on Israel. As I wrote
after his blunder at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Spring Conference
in Las Vegas, that troubling incident was in no way evidence that Christie is
anti-Israel; rather, it demonstrated that he needs to be better prepared.
In
my opinion, the same statement holds true today. Chris Christie’s bizarre
choice to omit the word “Israel” from his recent speech was both curious and
confounding, but it is not indicative of how he feels about the Jewish State. What
Christie’s latest faux pas does is call into question the Governor’s judgment
and his readiness to step out onto the national stage.
No
one can honestly tell me that leaving Israel out of a speech to a pro-Israel
crowd at a pro-Israel event is a good idea. I doubt that anyone can convince me
that it makes any sense whatsoever.
In
the aftermath of Governor Christie’s recent address, one of his closest friends
and top political advisers, Bill Palatucci, was quoted in the Wall Street
Journal as saying that when it comes to Israel, Christie has a strong record of
support. “He’s well known to be supportive,” said Palatucci. “He doesn’t need
to wear it on his sleeve every time he’s in front of a Jewish group.”
There
is some truth to that statement. As Jews, we certainly do not need to be
pandered to by every politician who is seeking our support. However, there is a
big difference between Chris Christie “wearing his support for Israel on his
sleeve” and sidestepping the topic altogether. There is a happy medium, but
Governor Christie has apparently not yet come to that realization.
A
word of advice to Governor Christie: in the future, when addressing a
pro-Israel crowd, do not ignore Israel. In this instance, omitting the obvious was
not a prudent political approach.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and
principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political
consulting firm. Visit him on the Web
at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com.
You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
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