Israelis Favor Mac; US Jews Like Obama

Barack Obama may be surging at home, but Israelis prefer John McCain to the unfamiliar Democrat by a 12-point margin, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Israelis perceive Obama as dovish, and less likely to give Israel the green light on military action. “McCain is seen as a safe bet,” says an Israeli expert on US politics. American Jews, on the other hand, support Barack Obama by a 3:1 ratio.

Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer has been traveling to swing states trying to convince Jews to break with tradition and vote Republican, the Wall Street Journal reports. There’s little evidence that Jewish support for Democrats is softening, but Fleischer is hoping to switch just a few votes in key states.