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Choosing sides, picking favorites: Jews weigh in on Super Tuesday
BY: CJN editorial staff
Super Tuesday is now in the record books, but the history-making primary and caucuses failed to crown a candidate for either Republicans or Democrats.
Ohioans may have a say in each party’s nominee after all, as candidates flock here ahead of the state’s March 4 primary.
The 2008 race prompted much comment from Jewish Clevelanders, ages 17 to 80, all eager to help determine the nation’s 2008 presidential candidates.
While Arizona Sen. John McCain won a majority of the delegates in the 21 Republican contests, his opponents, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, vow to stay in the race.
On the Democratic side, neither New York Sen. Hillary Clinton nor Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won a decisive victory in the 22 races. Clinton captured the most delegates, winning delegate-rich states such as New York and California, while Obama emerged the leader in more, but smaller, states.
Renee Lipson, a Democrat, was looking forward to a “grand sweep” of the major primary states from Clinton. While she didn’t get her sweep, Lipson was pleased by Super Tuesday’s results. The Beachwood resident was particularly “delighted” that Clinton received the majority of delegates in Massachusetts, where Sen. Edward Kennedy had been endorsing Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.
“That was the high point of the evening for me,” Lipson says.
Robert Glickman of Orange was pleased, but not surprised, that McCain did so well in Tuesday’s contests.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for McCain. If nothing else, he’s intellectually honest,” says Glickman. “He has never been afraid to split ranks with the majority of his party and be vocal about it, and that’s admirable.”
He is surprised that Clinton is doing so much better in the Hispanic community than Obama. “It highlights a rift between the two largest minority groups … Interesting and upsetting.” Nonetheless, he’s glad to have either a person of color or a woman on the November ballot.
Obama supporter Jim Holloway, 59, of Lyndhurst, was pleased with his candidate’s performance.
“Being an African-American and being Jewish at the same time, I really want to see Obama in (office). I think he would do a good job. He offers a lot of excitement for younger people; he reminds me of seeing Robert Kennedy speak. People want change and they want something different.”
“It’s good for the Democratic party to have two strong, positive individuals, he adds. Either will do well for the country. They’re both good for the Jewish Community,” he says, but he has become energized by the Obama campaign.
Holloway adds he’s “kind of tired of the Clintons.”
Democrats Roni and Elliott Berenson of Chesterland were hoping for a “definite outcome” between Clinton and Obama. Roni, 78, is leaning toward the Illinois senator, while Elliott, 80, is undecided between the two.
“We’re disappointed there was no (decisive) winner,” remarks Roni. However, regardless of who tops the ticket, “we will vote for a Democratic candidate.”
Lee Axelband, 17, closely followed Super Tuesday’s results both online and on TV. The Beachwood High School senior favors Obama for his dynamic personality and his stance on the war on Iraq.
November will mark Axelband’s first presidential election; he’s excited to cast his vote. “It’s good to know that I have a say now,” he says. “I don’t have to depend on other voters.”
Democrat Lisa Weisman, 39, hasn’t yet decided whom she’s voting for. While Super Tuesday didn’t make her decision any easier, she says she does feel more confident about her party’s chances in the general election. “I feel this country really does want a change.”
While the Beachwood resident isn’t affected by Oprah’s ringing endorsement of Obama, she does give weight to Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg’s backing of the senator from Illinois.
No matter whom she picks, Weisman says, “It’s exciting to have either a woman or an African-American on the Democratic ticket.”
Mark Weisman, 48, Lisa’s brother, has been debating between supporting McCain or Romney. “I’m encouraged by McCain’s lead” after Super Tuesday, he adds. Now he most likely will vote for the Arizona senator.
“I always vote,” says the Beachwood resident. However, he’s never once voted for Democrat in a presidential election. This race is no different. “I’m not a fan of either (Democratic) candidate,” he says. “Although I’d prefer a Republican winning, I think everyone is looking forward to change in this country.”
Leslie Cohen of University Heights hasn’t decided if she will cast her vote for Obama or Clinton. “There are pros and cons to each,” says Cohen, 40. Although Super Tuesday did not influence her decision in any way, she likes that neither Democrat ran away with the race. “I’m glad it’s not a slam dunk,” she explains.
On the Republican side, Cohen is dismayed that Huckabee won as many states as he did. “As a Jew, I’m concerned.”
Whether or not Ohio plays its usual key role in deciding the November election, Cohen predicts that November will be a contest between Obama and McCain.
Jackie Duhamel, 39, a Democrat from Shaker Heights, is leaning toward Obama, since her favored candidate, John Edwards, quit the race. She deplores the current primary and caucus system in which “a handful of states” deprived her of the opportunity to vote for her candidate.
Although questioning if either Clinton or Obama has Edwards’s “moral clarity of purpose” on attacking poverty, Duhamel doesn’t see much difference between either candidate on issues mattering to her.
On the Republican side, Duhamel says McCain would be far more tolerable in the White House than his opponents but far more difficult for a Democrat to beat.
Robin Katz, 23, a graduate student at Kent State University and a Beachwood resident, is an Obama supporter. She is thrilled with her candidate’s showing on Super Tuesday, even though Clinton captured more delegates. “Obama’s got a lot of momentum. A lot of people said he wouldn’t make it this far. He’s revitalized this campaign.”
Whomever the Democrats nominate will get Katz’s vote in November, but she says Obama offers a clear message of hope and change. Clinton, she feels, is “very much a part of institutional Washington.” The race between two really strong, viable candidates is revitalizing the Democratic Party, not hurting it, she adds.
The results of Super Tuesday did not surprise Michael S. Goldstein, 62, from Beachwood, although Huckabee did somewhat better than he expected. A “centrist” Republican who supports John McCain, Goldstein says, “The Democratic contenders scare me. That doesn’t mean some of the Republican contenders don’t scare me as well.”
If McCain loses, Goldstein would line up behind Romney because both Republicans are very strong on national security, his most important issue.
Susan Henschel, 50, of Orange, is a Clinton supporter. “I read an article about Obama in People magazine that his wife took one of their children to a job interview because she didn’t have childcare; that shows me he’s not supportive of working women. He can’t even help his own wife out.”
The regional director of The College Review thinks Clinton will be a more supportive voice for working women. “She got eight states, including California, which was huge! I am encouraged and hopeful.”
Jon Gerst, 23, is banking on Obama. “He, I believe, is the change we need in Washington. I feel I have a strong connection to him since I saw him at the 2004 Democratic convention. He’s powerful for youth, and it’s a good time for people my age to get involved.” In the coming weeks, Gerst will phone and canvass for his candidate.
Rabbi Shmuel Jablon, 39, head of the lower school at Fuchs Mizrachi, is an independent voter who’s casting his vote based on security and national defense. He is very pleased with the Super Tuesday results.
“After 9/11, all other issues are secondary,” he says, adding that he believes McCain is the most experienced and will be strongest on national defense.
“I believe that people who have been anti-war or are not experienced in these areas are not going to be the best choice when the U.S is at war. That is the overriding issue for me.”
Going into Super Tuesday, independent Jeff Hess, 52, a Cleveland Heights resident, was hoping for “a big win for Obama and McCain.” If Obama had “locked up the Democratic nomination before the Ohio primary,” Hess would have voted in the Ohio Republican primary for McCain. With no clear Democratic frontrunner, Hess says he’ll be voting in the Democratic primary for Obama.
Republican Jeff Cohen of Solon, 35, is “not as happy with the other Republicans” as he was with dropouts Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. The Republican Party needs a candidate who is “Reaganesque” and “able to unify the party.” Although he thinks neither McCain nor Romney is the ideal candidate, Cohen will vote in the March primary “and let my voice be heard. If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.”
Dr. Arthur Lavin, a 53-year-old Democrat from Shaker Heights, feels “very good about how Obama did” on Super Tuesday, especially with “reports that much of Clinton’s success is based on absentee ballots filled out before Obama’s recent upsurge.” Lavin believes that Obama’s overall approach makes him the more electable candidate.
Lavin is “very pleased” with the record voter turnout. In California, “voter turnout increased from 6.6 million to 9 million, (which is) a sign that the nation is eager to have its problems addressed,” Lavin says. “People are so desperate for change, they’ll even go out and vote,” he quips.
Nancy Zimmerman, a 38-year-old Democrat from Orange Village, hopes those who cast ballots on Tuesday “voted based on issues, not simply the likeability factor.” She isn’t concerned that Super Tuesday yielded no clear Democratic frontrunner. Since she’s undecided between Clinton and Obama, she says, “I’m enjoying the conversations” about where the candidates stand on the “big issues like the economy, health care, and how we are going to get out of the war in Iraq.”
Jill Miller Zimon, a Democrat, was hoping for “a clear winner on the Democratic side” on Super Tuesday. “Between Clinton and Obama, I am having a terrible time choosing. I would be satisfied with either one,” she says. On the Republican side, the 46-year-old Pepper Pike resident is leaning toward Romney because she’s been hearing “he will be easier for either Obama or Clinton to beat.”
Republican Michael Levin, 49. thinks Super Tuesday contests turned out better “than I actually thought they would.” The Cleveland resident believes it’s only a matter of time before the Republicans accept McCain.
“I think he has to take certain positions that will benefit him in the end. They may be problematic now, but the election is not for several months. I’m hopeful that the party will be united behind him when they look at the opposition.”
Levin feels Huckabee, by staying in the race, is hurting Romney more than McCain.
Mark Davidson, 46, a Democrat from Shaker Heights, notes, “McCain is more of a threat to a Democratic victory. (then other Republican candidates).” He would have liked a sweep by his candidate, Obama, but is impressed that Obama took so many mountain and Midwestern states.
Mayfield Heights resident Sally Schneeweis, 68, calls herself an independent who generally votes Republican. Initially a Giuliani supporter, after he dropped out of the race, she switched allegiance to McCain.
“My chief concern is national security,” she says. “I trust McCain to take a tough stand on national security, to keep the military strong, and to stand up to Iran. I worry about Iran if the Democrats win.”
McCain will have an easier time winning the election against Obama even though he is garnering a lot of support from young people, Schneeweis adds.
Bruce Mandel, 56, of Beachwood is an independent. Prior to Super Tuesday, he noted that he liked McCain, “but if Romney wins the nomination, I will vote for Clinton.”
Mandel is pleased that McCain has now emerged as the Republican frontrunner, but how well Huckabee fared surprises him. “No doubt Huckabee took away votes from Romney.”
If Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Mandel says, “he will pose a stark contrast to McCain, age-wise as well as philosophically. McCain could find him hard to beat.”
University Heights resident Lisa Mayers, 30, is an undecided Democrat now that John Edwards has withdrawn from the race.
Because she is still undecided, Mayers is looking forward to the upcoming Ohio primary. “With Clinton and Obama neck-and-neck, it makes me feel that my vote will really count.”
Beachwood Republican Michael Shapiro, 39, thinks McCain would do better against the Democrats than any of the other Republican candidates. He would like to see Obama win the Democratic nomination because “he’s bright, honest, and inspiring.”
However, Shapiro adds, “I don’t believe either Obama or Clinton can beat McCain. If Obama is the Democratic candidate, he will bring more people into the political process. I think if Clinton is the nominee, more Democrats will stay home.”
Yael Cohen of Pepper Pike is an independent leaning toward Republican. “I will support any of the Republican candidates for president, but I am voting for McCain because he is a centrist Republican,” she says. “I’m socially liberal, but I think the Democratic Party is ultra-liberal, and it is not in my comfort zone anymore.”
No single party can address all issues that concern her, Cohen states, “but I’m casting my vote for someone strong on defense and someone who supports Israel.”
Sixty-five-year-old Dennis Seaman of Beachwood has voted Republican all his life and favors McCain. “Even though I don’t agree with everything the Republican Party stands for, at its core it believes that (support for) Israel is an important part of American policy,” says Seaman. On the other side, “I think Democrats will regain their sanity and nominate Hillary.”
Maida Barron of Solon, who is voting Democratic, continues to lean toward Clinton, a stance that has not changed since Super Tuesday. “I’m going to read The New York Times article on Obama that came out following Super Tuesday, but Hillary is very bright and capable and will know how to handle things when she walks into the office. She has wise people with her. I just hope they let her do the thinking and the talking.”
Geraldine Siegal of Lyndhurst is a registered Republican but is going to vote for Clinton if she’s on the ballot in November. “She is qualified and experienced, and with her we are going to get two for one.”
Hunting Valley resident Sheldon Berns, 75, is a staunch Republican who supports McCain. “He has good judgment and experience.”
McCain will win in Ohio, Berns predicts, because the senator reflects Midwestern values and concerns. “McCain also reflects the values of Jewish voters. He is the only candidate that will firmly support Israel, which is central.”
If the Democrats nominate Clinton, Berns is confident McCain can win the November election. “Obama would be a more formidable candidate for McCain to face because he has a better chance of gaining approval from disparate segments of our society.”
n with reports from Ellen Brown, Janet Dery, Arlene Fine, Doug Guth, Lila Hanft, Susan H. Kahn, Marilyn H. Karfeld and Ronna Novello.
Ohioans may have a say in each party’s nominee after all, as candidates flock here ahead of the state’s March 4 primary.
The 2008 race prompted much comment from Jewish Clevelanders, ages 17 to 80, all eager to help determine the nation’s 2008 presidential candidates.
While Arizona Sen. John McCain won a majority of the delegates in the 21 Republican contests, his opponents, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, vow to stay in the race.
On the Democratic side, neither New York Sen. Hillary Clinton nor Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won a decisive victory in the 22 races. Clinton captured the most delegates, winning delegate-rich states such as New York and California, while Obama emerged the leader in more, but smaller, states.
Renee Lipson, a Democrat, was looking forward to a “grand sweep” of the major primary states from Clinton. While she didn’t get her sweep, Lipson was pleased by Super Tuesday’s results. The Beachwood resident was particularly “delighted” that Clinton received the majority of delegates in Massachusetts, where Sen. Edward Kennedy had been endorsing Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.
“That was the high point of the evening for me,” Lipson says.
Robert Glickman of Orange was pleased, but not surprised, that McCain did so well in Tuesday’s contests.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for McCain. If nothing else, he’s intellectually honest,” says Glickman. “He has never been afraid to split ranks with the majority of his party and be vocal about it, and that’s admirable.”
He is surprised that Clinton is doing so much better in the Hispanic community than Obama. “It highlights a rift between the two largest minority groups … Interesting and upsetting.” Nonetheless, he’s glad to have either a person of color or a woman on the November ballot.
Obama supporter Jim Holloway, 59, of Lyndhurst, was pleased with his candidate’s performance.
“Being an African-American and being Jewish at the same time, I really want to see Obama in (office). I think he would do a good job. He offers a lot of excitement for younger people; he reminds me of seeing Robert Kennedy speak. People want change and they want something different.”
“It’s good for the Democratic party to have two strong, positive individuals, he adds. Either will do well for the country. They’re both good for the Jewish Community,” he says, but he has become energized by the Obama campaign.
Holloway adds he’s “kind of tired of the Clintons.”
Democrats Roni and Elliott Berenson of Chesterland were hoping for a “definite outcome” between Clinton and Obama. Roni, 78, is leaning toward the Illinois senator, while Elliott, 80, is undecided between the two.
“We’re disappointed there was no (decisive) winner,” remarks Roni. However, regardless of who tops the ticket, “we will vote for a Democratic candidate.”
Lee Axelband, 17, closely followed Super Tuesday’s results both online and on TV. The Beachwood High School senior favors Obama for his dynamic personality and his stance on the war on Iraq.
November will mark Axelband’s first presidential election; he’s excited to cast his vote. “It’s good to know that I have a say now,” he says. “I don’t have to depend on other voters.”
Democrat Lisa Weisman, 39, hasn’t yet decided whom she’s voting for. While Super Tuesday didn’t make her decision any easier, she says she does feel more confident about her party’s chances in the general election. “I feel this country really does want a change.”
While the Beachwood resident isn’t affected by Oprah’s ringing endorsement of Obama, she does give weight to Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg’s backing of the senator from Illinois.
No matter whom she picks, Weisman says, “It’s exciting to have either a woman or an African-American on the Democratic ticket.”
Mark Weisman, 48, Lisa’s brother, has been debating between supporting McCain or Romney. “I’m encouraged by McCain’s lead” after Super Tuesday, he adds. Now he most likely will vote for the Arizona senator.
“I always vote,” says the Beachwood resident. However, he’s never once voted for Democrat in a presidential election. This race is no different. “I’m not a fan of either (Democratic) candidate,” he says. “Although I’d prefer a Republican winning, I think everyone is looking forward to change in this country.”
Leslie Cohen of University Heights hasn’t decided if she will cast her vote for Obama or Clinton. “There are pros and cons to each,” says Cohen, 40. Although Super Tuesday did not influence her decision in any way, she likes that neither Democrat ran away with the race. “I’m glad it’s not a slam dunk,” she explains.
On the Republican side, Cohen is dismayed that Huckabee won as many states as he did. “As a Jew, I’m concerned.”
Whether or not Ohio plays its usual key role in deciding the November election, Cohen predicts that November will be a contest between Obama and McCain.
Jackie Duhamel, 39, a Democrat from Shaker Heights, is leaning toward Obama, since her favored candidate, John Edwards, quit the race. She deplores the current primary and caucus system in which “a handful of states” deprived her of the opportunity to vote for her candidate.
Although questioning if either Clinton or Obama has Edwards’s “moral clarity of purpose” on attacking poverty, Duhamel doesn’t see much difference between either candidate on issues mattering to her.
On the Republican side, Duhamel says McCain would be far more tolerable in the White House than his opponents but far more difficult for a Democrat to beat.
Robin Katz, 23, a graduate student at Kent State University and a Beachwood resident, is an Obama supporter. She is thrilled with her candidate’s showing on Super Tuesday, even though Clinton captured more delegates. “Obama’s got a lot of momentum. A lot of people said he wouldn’t make it this far. He’s revitalized this campaign.”
Whomever the Democrats nominate will get Katz’s vote in November, but she says Obama offers a clear message of hope and change. Clinton, she feels, is “very much a part of institutional Washington.” The race between two really strong, viable candidates is revitalizing the Democratic Party, not hurting it, she adds.
The results of Super Tuesday did not surprise Michael S. Goldstein, 62, from Beachwood, although Huckabee did somewhat better than he expected. A “centrist” Republican who supports John McCain, Goldstein says, “The Democratic contenders scare me. That doesn’t mean some of the Republican contenders don’t scare me as well.”
If McCain loses, Goldstein would line up behind Romney because both Republicans are very strong on national security, his most important issue.
Susan Henschel, 50, of Orange, is a Clinton supporter. “I read an article about Obama in People magazine that his wife took one of their children to a job interview because she didn’t have childcare; that shows me he’s not supportive of working women. He can’t even help his own wife out.”
The regional director of The College Review thinks Clinton will be a more supportive voice for working women. “She got eight states, including California, which was huge! I am encouraged and hopeful.”
Jon Gerst, 23, is banking on Obama. “He, I believe, is the change we need in Washington. I feel I have a strong connection to him since I saw him at the 2004 Democratic convention. He’s powerful for youth, and it’s a good time for people my age to get involved.” In the coming weeks, Gerst will phone and canvass for his candidate.
Rabbi Shmuel Jablon, 39, head of the lower school at Fuchs Mizrachi, is an independent voter who’s casting his vote based on security and national defense. He is very pleased with the Super Tuesday results.
“After 9/11, all other issues are secondary,” he says, adding that he believes McCain is the most experienced and will be strongest on national defense.
“I believe that people who have been anti-war or are not experienced in these areas are not going to be the best choice when the U.S is at war. That is the overriding issue for me.”
Going into Super Tuesday, independent Jeff Hess, 52, a Cleveland Heights resident, was hoping for “a big win for Obama and McCain.” If Obama had “locked up the Democratic nomination before the Ohio primary,” Hess would have voted in the Ohio Republican primary for McCain. With no clear Democratic frontrunner, Hess says he’ll be voting in the Democratic primary for Obama.
Republican Jeff Cohen of Solon, 35, is “not as happy with the other Republicans” as he was with dropouts Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. The Republican Party needs a candidate who is “Reaganesque” and “able to unify the party.” Although he thinks neither McCain nor Romney is the ideal candidate, Cohen will vote in the March primary “and let my voice be heard. If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.”
Dr. Arthur Lavin, a 53-year-old Democrat from Shaker Heights, feels “very good about how Obama did” on Super Tuesday, especially with “reports that much of Clinton’s success is based on absentee ballots filled out before Obama’s recent upsurge.” Lavin believes that Obama’s overall approach makes him the more electable candidate.
Lavin is “very pleased” with the record voter turnout. In California, “voter turnout increased from 6.6 million to 9 million, (which is) a sign that the nation is eager to have its problems addressed,” Lavin says. “People are so desperate for change, they’ll even go out and vote,” he quips.
Nancy Zimmerman, a 38-year-old Democrat from Orange Village, hopes those who cast ballots on Tuesday “voted based on issues, not simply the likeability factor.” She isn’t concerned that Super Tuesday yielded no clear Democratic frontrunner. Since she’s undecided between Clinton and Obama, she says, “I’m enjoying the conversations” about where the candidates stand on the “big issues like the economy, health care, and how we are going to get out of the war in Iraq.”
Jill Miller Zimon, a Democrat, was hoping for “a clear winner on the Democratic side” on Super Tuesday. “Between Clinton and Obama, I am having a terrible time choosing. I would be satisfied with either one,” she says. On the Republican side, the 46-year-old Pepper Pike resident is leaning toward Romney because she’s been hearing “he will be easier for either Obama or Clinton to beat.”
Republican Michael Levin, 49. thinks Super Tuesday contests turned out better “than I actually thought they would.” The Cleveland resident believes it’s only a matter of time before the Republicans accept McCain.
“I think he has to take certain positions that will benefit him in the end. They may be problematic now, but the election is not for several months. I’m hopeful that the party will be united behind him when they look at the opposition.”
Levin feels Huckabee, by staying in the race, is hurting Romney more than McCain.
Mark Davidson, 46, a Democrat from Shaker Heights, notes, “McCain is more of a threat to a Democratic victory. (then other Republican candidates).” He would have liked a sweep by his candidate, Obama, but is impressed that Obama took so many mountain and Midwestern states.
Mayfield Heights resident Sally Schneeweis, 68, calls herself an independent who generally votes Republican. Initially a Giuliani supporter, after he dropped out of the race, she switched allegiance to McCain.
“My chief concern is national security,” she says. “I trust McCain to take a tough stand on national security, to keep the military strong, and to stand up to Iran. I worry about Iran if the Democrats win.”
McCain will have an easier time winning the election against Obama even though he is garnering a lot of support from young people, Schneeweis adds.
Bruce Mandel, 56, of Beachwood is an independent. Prior to Super Tuesday, he noted that he liked McCain, “but if Romney wins the nomination, I will vote for Clinton.”
Mandel is pleased that McCain has now emerged as the Republican frontrunner, but how well Huckabee fared surprises him. “No doubt Huckabee took away votes from Romney.”
If Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Mandel says, “he will pose a stark contrast to McCain, age-wise as well as philosophically. McCain could find him hard to beat.”
University Heights resident Lisa Mayers, 30, is an undecided Democrat now that John Edwards has withdrawn from the race.
Because she is still undecided, Mayers is looking forward to the upcoming Ohio primary. “With Clinton and Obama neck-and-neck, it makes me feel that my vote will really count.”
Beachwood Republican Michael Shapiro, 39, thinks McCain would do better against the Democrats than any of the other Republican candidates. He would like to see Obama win the Democratic nomination because “he’s bright, honest, and inspiring.”
However, Shapiro adds, “I don’t believe either Obama or Clinton can beat McCain. If Obama is the Democratic candidate, he will bring more people into the political process. I think if Clinton is the nominee, more Democrats will stay home.”
Yael Cohen of Pepper Pike is an independent leaning toward Republican. “I will support any of the Republican candidates for president, but I am voting for McCain because he is a centrist Republican,” she says. “I’m socially liberal, but I think the Democratic Party is ultra-liberal, and it is not in my comfort zone anymore.”
No single party can address all issues that concern her, Cohen states, “but I’m casting my vote for someone strong on defense and someone who supports Israel.”
Sixty-five-year-old Dennis Seaman of Beachwood has voted Republican all his life and favors McCain. “Even though I don’t agree with everything the Republican Party stands for, at its core it believes that (support for) Israel is an important part of American policy,” says Seaman. On the other side, “I think Democrats will regain their sanity and nominate Hillary.”
Maida Barron of Solon, who is voting Democratic, continues to lean toward Clinton, a stance that has not changed since Super Tuesday. “I’m going to read The New York Times article on Obama that came out following Super Tuesday, but Hillary is very bright and capable and will know how to handle things when she walks into the office. She has wise people with her. I just hope they let her do the thinking and the talking.”
Geraldine Siegal of Lyndhurst is a registered Republican but is going to vote for Clinton if she’s on the ballot in November. “She is qualified and experienced, and with her we are going to get two for one.”
Hunting Valley resident Sheldon Berns, 75, is a staunch Republican who supports McCain. “He has good judgment and experience.”
McCain will win in Ohio, Berns predicts, because the senator reflects Midwestern values and concerns. “McCain also reflects the values of Jewish voters. He is the only candidate that will firmly support Israel, which is central.”
If the Democrats nominate Clinton, Berns is confident McCain can win the November election. “Obama would be a more formidable candidate for McCain to face because he has a better chance of gaining approval from disparate segments of our society.”
n with reports from Ellen Brown, Janet Dery, Arlene Fine, Doug Guth, Lila Hanft, Susan H. Kahn, Marilyn H. Karfeld and Ronna Novello.
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