Why Jesse Jackson should not campaign for Obama

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While Sarah Silverman is doing her part to shake up the Jewish vote on behalf of Obama, it would appear that Rev. Jesse Jackson is doing his part to muck up the works.

During an interview with the New York Post during yesterday’s World Policy Forum in Evian, France, Jackson said that an Obama administration would bring much-needed change to U.S. foreign policy, particularly in terms of the Middle East. The Post‘s Amir Taheri writes:

Jackson believes that, although ‘Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades’ remain strong, they’ll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House.”

While Jackson was careful to clarify that he was just “a supporter” of Obama’s and not an advisor in any official capacity (indeed, he recently threatened Obama with some very uncomfortable payback for “talking down to black people”), I’m guessing his comments induced a lot of hand-wringing at campaign headquarters.

If uncertain Jewish voters begin to associate Jackson’s underlying sentiment — that Zionism (ahem, Israel) has a deathly chokehold on U.S. policy — as Obama’s position, they’re likely to give pause. It’s my feeling that just as often as some confuse being Jewish with being a Zionist — of course they’re not the same thing — the stretch on the other end runs the same short distance. Jackson’s “support” has a much better chance of assuaging oh, Ahmadinejad, on an Obama presidency than your average on-the-fence U.S. Jewish voter.

Both campaigns have already responded. The Obama camp refutes Jackson’s statements (calling attention to Obama’s pro-Israel advisors) while the McCain camp takes advantage (hinting that Obama is a Hamas sympathizer).

The Jews have a response for such a blunder: oy vey. I’m sure Obama supporters are hoping that will be the extent of any backlash.