It’s obvious that the alleged anti-Semite that McCain apparatchik Michael Goldfarb cannot name is Jeremiah Wright, who has made statements sufficient to warrant considering him less than friendly toward the State of Israel. Why can’t Goldfarb name him? I have little doubt that he’s under orders from the campaign not to–and the question is why. I can think of a few reasons, all mutually reinforcing. Let me list them, a la Letterman, in what I suppose to be reverse order of importance.
4. The Right Thing. It’s wrong to criticize your opponent’s religious commitments. The Constitution says there shall be no religious test for office. Blah blah blah.
3. Been there, done that. If Americans remember any particular about Obama’s candidacy during the primaries, it’s Jeremiah Wright and “God Damn America.” There’s only a downside to bringing that up again now–such as to give Obama another chance to talk sensibly about race.
2. The Honor of McCain. John McCain said he wasn’t going to bring up Wright during the general election campaign, and what John McCain says, John McCain does. To be sure, if independent groups choose to do so, that’s out of our control.
1. Sauce for the Goose. Putting Wright on the table runs the risk of the media (egged on by the Obama campaign) taking a serious look at Sister Sarah’s religious associations and convictions. Better not to go there.
Update: Here’s JTA’s take.