Suffolk Dem's Barack attack morphs into apology
The presidential primary turned nasty last week as two top Huntington Democratic officials clashed over allegations of anti-Semitism.
Suffolk Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), a supporter of Barack Obama, said Huntington town board member Susan Berland heckled him from the back of the room while he spoke on behalf of the Illinois Senator, and later approached him, asking “How can you support Obama? He is an anti-Semite.” Cooper, who like Berland is Jewish, said her claims about Obama were untrue and she should apologize.
The exchange occurred Tuesday night at a Huntington Democratic Committee meeting attended by more than 100 at the American Legion Hall in Halesite. When first contacted, Berland, a supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton, declined comment and charged that Cooper cursed at her husband, baited her and bashed Clinton — which Cooper denied. Several hours later, she acknowledged making the anti-Semitism charge — and apologized to Cooper and Obama for her “inappropriate remark.” Berland explained.....
Rick Brand
..... that she’d read a published report earlier Tuesday that Obama belongs to a Chicago church with a magazine that gave an award last year to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Obama later condemned Farrakhan’s anti-Semitic statements and disagreed with the award decision. “At the time I was speaking to Mr. Cooper, I was unaware that Mr. Obama was just then issuing a statement disavowing the award,” Berland said.
But while saying she does “not believe that Mr. Obama is anti-Semitic,” Berland added it “would have been preferable” if he condemned the award a year ago, before the media attention.
“It’s less gracious, but apology accepted,” Cooper responded. “Maybe now we can debate the real issues in the campaign.”
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Comments (2)
Cooper is correct in that it's time to debate the real issues. So, what are the real issues?? Well, Obama and Clinton both want more taxes, redistribution of wealth, larger government, socialized medicine and more government regulation of our lives. Pro-growth Republicans want to let people keep more of their hard earned money, continue to press for tax cuts to stimulate growth and investment in America, peace through strength, secured boarders and affordable health care for all. The Republicans have it Right. Perhaps we need more pro-growth Republicans in Huntington.
Typical of the Clinton supporters......classless and when Obama wins the Democratic primary, lets remember who is who and send the Clintonistias back to Arkansas....she was never a NYer and who really killed Vince Foster...