In this comprehensive interview, we discover the importance of the American vote coming from Israel.

1. 28 TAMMUZ 5772 JULY 18, 2012 IsraelA6 HAMODIA
Feature / By Joel Rebibo
Ari Fleischer doesn’t believe
President Barack Obama
deserves credit, or the Jewish
vote, for providing Israel with
hundreds of millions of dol-
lars — above and beyond the
regular military aid — to pur-
chase additional Iron Dome
antimissile batteries.
“Military cooperation with
Israel has always been a given
for U.S. administrations,” says
Fleischer, who was White
House spokesman in 2001-
2003 under President George
Bush. “It’s automatic. And since
military technology is always
advancing, it means funding
new weapons systems as they
are introduced.
“The problem with Obama is
not the givens, but what he’s
doing, and what he’s doing is
making the United States neu-
tral on the conflict between
Israel and the Palestinians. He’s
grasping for something he can
brag about, and the only thing
he can brag about is something
that is a given.”
Fleischer, who says he’s hap-
pily retired from active politics,
runs his own management con-
sulting firm in New York and
serves on the board of the
Republican Jewish Coalition.
He was in Israel last week to
urge Americans in Israel to reg-
ister for the November vote
and, of course, to cast their
ballot for Mitt Romney.
Though he’s formally out of
politics, Fleischer is clearly in
his element when discussing
polls and trends and what to
look for as the U.S. presiden-
tial elections draw closer.
“There are four numbers
that are important,” he says.
“11, 16, 19 and 24.”
Those figures represent the
percentage of the Jewish vote
that Republican presidential
candidates garnered in the
past two decades. In 1992,
President George H. W. Bush
won 11% of the Jewish vote in
his losing campaign to Bill
Clinton. In 1996, Republican
Bob Dole got 16% in his loss to
Clinton; in 2000, President
George W. Bush gained 19% in
his victory over Al Gore; and in
2004, Bush got 24% in his win
over John Kerry. While John
McCain’s support in the 2008
race dropped to 22%, the trend
is clear.
“Republicans have been
making deep inroads into
Democratic territory for
decades,” Fleischer notes.
“And because of Obama’s
weakness on Israel, I see
Romney doing even better,
getting 25% of the Jewish vote,
maybe more.”
On existential issues like
Iran, Fleischer is convinced
that Romney will stand by
Israel, in stark contrast to
Obama, who has been “push-
ing Israel around.”
“Romney will show consis-
tency, strength and determi-
nation — as opposed to
Obama’s silence, vacillating
and weakness — which history
shows is a deterrent to war,” he
says.
RJC Executive Director
Matt Brooks, who accompa-
nied Fleischer on his trip last
week, takes particular excep-
tion to Obama’s claim that his
administration has led the
effort on sanctions against
Iran. “The president actively
opposed sanctions, but only
came around, kicking and
screaming, after a Republican
Congress took the lead and
passed legislation, which he
then took credit for.
“In the 2013 proposed
budget, he wanted to cut mis-
sile defense spending by 22%.
Thanks to our Republican
friends in Congress, the fund-
ing was restored and even
increased. Now he’s trying to
take credit.
“It’s part of a troubling pat-
tern, whereby the president
opposes something and, then,
when he finds he’s on the
wrong side, tries to take credit
for it.”
Where does Romney stand
on moving the U.S. Embassy
from Tel Aviv to Yerushalayim,
Israel’s capital? Will he prom-
ise to implement the
Jerusalem Embassy Act of
1995, like every other
Republican candidate, and
then sign a presidential waiver
that lets him off the hook?
Fleischer finesses the issue.
“He wants to move the
embassy and will consult with
Israeli leaders about timing
and the best way to accom-
plish it,” he says. “He’s taking a
nuanced position on it.”
While John McCain won
just 22% of the American
Jewish vote in 2008, com-
pared to 78% for Obama, the
figures were reversed among
Americans living in Israel,
who, perhaps due to the dis-
tance, weren’t captivate by the
Obama magic.
“American Jews in Israel
were the first to detect the
early warning signals on
Obama,” says Fleischer. “In
2009, I warned that Jews in
America would have buyer’s
remorse, but in Israel people
already saw the emptiness in
Obama’s remarks.
“Americans who live in
Israel are by definition believ-
ers in national security and
peace through strength, and
therefore more likely to vote
Republican.”
Beyond the Jewish vote,
Fleischer is convinced that
Obama is losing support
among the general public. He
notes a recent Washington
Post poll showing Obama and
Romney tied at 47%. Gallup
shows a 46%-46% tie.
“When an incumbent is
polling below 50%, he’s in
trouble,” says Fleischer. “The
magic is gone.”
In Fleischer’s view, three
The Bare Minimum on Israel
President Obama is casting himself as a friend of Israel, pointing to additional funding for Iron Dome
missile systems. But former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer points to what the president
has said and done on Iran and the Palestinian issue, and comes to a very different conclusion.
It’s crunch time, says Rabbi
YechielKalish,nationaldirector
of government affairs for
Agudath Israel of America,
explaining why he made a light-
ning visit to Eretz Yisrael this
week,despitetheintenseprepa-
rations in New York for the
Siyum HaShas.
“We have two months to get
American citizens in Israel to
register to vote in the U.S. elec-
tions,” he told Hamodia.
Recognizing that “many
chareidim will only vote if the
Gedolei Yisrael are behind the
concept,” Rabbi Kalish came to
Israel to present a kol korei on
the subject to Harav Aharon
Leib Steinman and Harav
Chaim Kanievsky, and ask for
their signatures.
He was accompanied by
Harav Aharon Feldman, the
Rosh Yeshivah of Ner Israel in
Baltimore, and a letter from the
Novominsker Rebbe in New
York explaining the vital
importance of getting Ame-
ricans in Israel to vote.
In the works is a second kol
korei that will be signed by
Admorim and aimed at the
Chassidishe world.
“Communities that vote are
communities that are listened
to,” says Rabbi Kalish, explain-
ing the importance of people
registering to vote. “Reb Moshe
Feinstein and Reb Yaakov
Kamenetsky said it was a chiyuv
gamur, an absolute obligation,
to vote.”
Rav Feldman has said that
someone who doesn’t vote is
saying that the issues that are
important to Klal Yisrael aren’t
important to him.
When Americans in Israel
vote in large numbers it has a
double benefit, adds Rabbi
Kalish.
“Every vote cast from Eretz
Yisrael comes from someone
concerned for the safety and
security of people living there,
and this will be understood in
Washington,” he says. But, in
addition, since the vast majori-
ty of voters in Israel are from
the New York area, it gives
Agudah more clout in
Washington when fighting for
issues that are crucial to the
Jewish community in the
United States.
“The positive effect that
comes from the 20 minutes it
takes to register if absolutely
incredible,” Rabbi Kalish
explains. “I have no doubt that
once people understand this,
they’ll register in very large
numbers.”
‘Communities That Vote Are
Communities That Are Listened To’
Rabbi Yechiel Kalish: “Reb Moshe
Feinstein and Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky
said it was a chiyuv gamur, an
absolute obligation, to vote.”
Kuvien Images
Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition (R), Ari Fleischer (C), and Rabbi Shmuel Machlis of
the American Citizens’ Gemach, a division of Agudath Israel of America. “It’s a troubling pattern, whereby the president
opposes something and, then, when he finds he’s on the wrong side, tries to take credit for it,” says Brooks.

2. 28 TAMMUZ 5772 JULY 18, 2012Israel HAMODIA A7
things propelled Obama to vic-
tory in 2008, and they are all
absent this time round: the
war in Iraq, anti-George Bush
sentiment and the magic of
Barack Obama.
He points to the political
battering Obama has taken in
the past few years: In 2009, gov-
ernorships in New Jersey and
Virginia went to the
Republicans; in 2010, Ted
Kennedy’s Senate seat went to
the Republicans and the mid-
term congressional elections
showed the biggest swing since
1938; in 2011, Anthony Weiner’s
seat in Queens went Repub-
lican; in 2012 the recall in
Wisconsin went in favor of the
Republicans.
“All the momentum is on the
Republican side,” he says.
Fleischer is willing to go out
on a limb and make a bold pre-
diction. As opposed to all those
who predict a tight race, he fore-
casts an “October surprise” that
will see “the bottom fall out on
the president’s numbers” and
Romney going on to win the
election handily.
“The economy is the issue —
jobs, deficits, debts. And if he
doesn’t turn it around, he’s fin-
ished.”
Fleischer believes that
Romney’s visit to Israel,
planned for the end of this
month, will be a chance for him
to clarify his stand on Israel and
set himself apart from Obama,
who hasn’t visited Israel since
his election (even when he made
his trip to neighboring Egypt).
“Obama doesn’t miss an
opportunity to take an opportu-
nity to take a swipe at Israel,” he
says. “Romney is a strong sup-
porter.”
Romney, who has said his
policies toward Israel will be the
opposite of Obama’s, will meet
with Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu and PA Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas and is expect-
ed to address his vision of the
Middle East, especially in light
of the recent turmoil.
Does Romney’s visit put
Netanyahu in an uncomfortable
position vis-à-vis Obama? Will a
warm welcome of the presumed
Republican presidential candi-
date be perceived in
Washington as Israel mingling
in internal American affairs?
“Netanyahu and Romney are
two experienced politicians,”
smiles Fleischer. “They’ll know
how to handle it.”
In the final analysis, if
Fleischer sees Romney winning
handily in November, why
should Israel’s Americans both-
er to register to vote? The
answer is obvious: Fleischer
doesn’t have a crystal ball, and
the United States has had its
share of close calls in recent
years.
“Imagine it’s Nov. 7, you wake
up, after not voting, and you
hear we have another razor-thin
election,” Fleischer told a stand-
ing-room-only town hall event
in Modiin earlier last week.
“Americans in Israel equal the
number of voters in Dayton or
Ft. Lauderdale. You’re equally
important.”
But why, for example, should
I register — I come from
Arizona, where the Republicans
are a shoo-in? First, says
Brooks, there’s no such thing as
a shoo-in. Second, there are
congressional races that are also
important.
Two other key players in the
push to get Americans in Israel
to vote are Elie Pieprz, national
director of I Vote Israel, and
Rabbi Shmuel B. Machlis, assis-
tant director of American
Citizens Gemach, a division of
Agudath Israel of America. Both
groups are nonpartisan, with
Rabbi Machlis spearheading the
voter-registration drive in the
religious sector.
Pieprz, whose group ar-
ranged Fleischer and Brooks’
visit and is scheduled to bring to
Israel figures representing the
Democratic party, stresses the
importance of Americans in
Israel voting.
“We’re trying to make it easi-
er to register and to make
Americans in Israel understand
that their vote counts,” says
Pieprz. “In a way, a vote cast
from Israel is more impactful. If
the people in Washington see
that we’re requesting two or
three times as many ballots as
in previous elections, they’ll sit
up and take notice. The knowl-
edge that people in Israel are
voting could impact on policy,
as well as on other Jewish vot-
ers back home in the United
States.
“We’re tapping in on concern
that people here feel, the sense
of vulnerability and the recog-
nition that what happens in
America — the economy, for
instance — impacts on those liv-
ing in Israel.”
Adds Rabbi Machlis: “There
is a lot of apathy in some com-
munities here. People aren’t as
involved as we’d like to see. But
we are making progress, and
people are certainly responsive
when they hear that the
Gedolim are fully behind this
and are urging Americans in
Israel to register and vote.”
For information on how to con-
tact your local representative,
please call the office of American
CitizensGemachat(03)912-5626;
vote@acgemach.org
Kuvien Images
Ari Fleischer (L) with Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition. According to Fleischer,
“Obama doesn’t miss an opportunity to take an opportunity to take a swipe at Israel. Romney is a strong supporter.”
There are more than 160,000 Americans living in Israel who are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.
Fleischerforecastsan“Octobersurprise”thatwill
see“thebottomfalloutonthepresident’s
numbers”andRomneygoingontowintheelection
handily.