THE JEWISH VOTE & THE BRADLEY EFFECT: Ira Sharkansky at the Jerusalem Post suggests that there may be a “Bradley effect” at play among Jewish voters in the presidential election. His definition of the Bradley effect is somewhat different, I think, than the typical one offered– namely, that voters will say they are going to vote for a non-white candidate, only to vote against the non-white candidate in the privacy of the voter booth. The implication, then, is that there is some racial animosity going on.
But what Sharkansky suggests is actually something different, methinks: That Jewish voters will publicly maintain their allegiance to President Obama, but end up voting against him this November– not because he’s black, but because of his overtly anti-Israeli actions. It’s a symptom of political correctness syndrome, a nasty, ubiquitous, and contagious disease.
In an email exchange with an American Jewish colleague, Sharkansky received this confession:
My best friends would disown me, and I would lose all credibility and professional effectiveness, if I came out of the closet as an Obama-skeptic, let alone a potential Romney voter.
Ah, sweet, sweet political correctness! Just ask black Republican congressional contender Mia love. Or actress Stacey Dash.