Why I voted for John McCain

Naomi Ragen explains why she voted for staunch patriot and not for a virtual unknown

The first election I remember clearly was that of John F. Kennedy. I was a little girl at the time, but the handsome candidate won my heart, and the election. For decades the differences between Democrats and Republicans in America have been slight, with one candidate a little more articulate or photogenic than the other, but certainly both were capable, patriotic, and experienced.

This election – probably one of the most important in the history of America – changes all that. Faced with hostile forces which threaten all of us in the free and civilized world, Americans experienced just how dangerous their position is on Sept. 11, when their safe, protected world came crashing down on their surprised and unsuspecting heads. In this election, Americans either chose to continue fighting those forces by voting for John McCain – a staunch patriot and war hero, or to give in and give up by choosing Barack Hussein Obama, a virtual unknown who wants to slash America’s defenses, lose her war in Iraq, and start unconditional talks with homicidal maniacs that threaten us all with atomic war.

I trust John McCain on security. He is the son and grandson of four star navy admirals. He has a son serving in Iraq. He was tortured in a Vietnamese prison for five and a half years, and wouldn’t let his father – supreme commander of all US forces in that war - use his connections to get him out. He understands the importance of winning the war in Iraq to Israel’s security. As he said: “We are engaged in a basic struggle between humanity and inhumanity; between builders and destroyers. If fighting these people is not intrinsic to the national security and most cherished values of the United States, I don’t know what is.”

Barack Hussein Obama, on the other hand, is the son of a white woman from Kansas and a Black Muslim from Kenya. He has never served in the military. His spiritual mentor is Rev. Wright, a Black racist and anti-Semite who preaches “God damn America” from the pulpit. Obama calls himself a “citizen of the world,” and is popular with European haters of America. He has other close friends who hate America, including domestic terrorist Bill Ayers who blew up buildings in the ‘60s, and planned to blow up the Pentagon.

Obama is also friends with Israel-hating Rashid Khalidi who had close ties with the PLO, and indicted Syrian-American slumlord Tony Rezko. Obama has often said that one of his first acts as president will be to remove US troops from Iraq and to hold unconditional talks with a terrorist like Ahmadinejad.

The Democrats have run a very, very expensive campaign, financed by million of dollars of foreign donations (which are illegal,) including money from Arabs in Gaza, to hide these facts. They have succeeded in convincing Jews to believe what they are told, not what they should be able to see with their own eyes. It is estimated 75% of Jews will vote for Obama. They will vote for him to feel that they are “enlightened,” overcoming any prejudice against a Muslim and a Black man. They will vote for him because they have been told he will be better for the economy (He won’t. He’ll destroy the US economy with new taxes.) They will vote for him because they have no G-d, don’t really care what is best for Israel, and because they want to feel like liberal Americans who read the New York Times, not ethnic outsiders.

People like me are harder to convince. I voted for John McCain, and so did every other American in Israel I know, Jew and gentile, religious and secular.