New York, NY —
In 1996, the Clinton Gore ticket won 80 percent of the Jewish vote in New York. In fact, most winning Democrats in the state get an overwhelming proportion of Jewish votes. But first lady Hillary Clinton is just eking out a majority among Jews in her race for U.S. Senate against Congressman Rick Lazio. Now a new book is once again highlighting her sometimes relationship with the Jewish community. WNYC?s Andrea Bernstein prepared this report.SFX: Grand Funk Railroad: LocomotionIn 1974, Grank Funk Railroad?s locomotion was the top song, Gerald Ford had just taken over as President, and Bill Clinton ran for Congress unsuccessfully. On election night that year, according to a new biography, Hillary Rodham ? she wasn?t yet married to Bill Clinton -- engaged in a heated discussion with Clinton campaign workers, when she allegedly uttered an anti-Semitic epithet. In a normal race for Senate, an event that took place more than a quarter century ago, related by a witness who once suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage, and chronicled by a National Enquirer reporter, might draw little attention. But this allegation drew an angry denial from the President of the United States, who called the publisher of the New York Daily News to insist the exchange never happened.And even before the book hit the stores, the First lady assembled reporters to deny the charge. Clinton: I think it?s regrettable that an accusation of that venality is made. I can only state unequivocally that it did not happenOn Ellis Island Monday, the first lady issued the second in her series of denials.Clinton: This is a particularly offensive false charge, but I?ve been the recipient of a number of them in the past this one really cut to the core of who I am and what I believe what my values are kind of person I?ve tired to be, the way I?ve lived my life, so I felt a need to respond to it.The charge may be particularly offensive, but it?s unquestionably particularly troublesome for a first lady who has already worried some Jews by calling for a Palestinian state early on and embracing Suha Arafat after the wife of the Palestinian leader made inflammatory charges about Israelis. The apparent show of affection, the first lady says, was due a faulty simultaneous translation ? and different cultural mores..Weprin: Something like this where there?s a possibility of a slur against Jews, its maybe not something they take as an indication she?s a raging anti-Semite but its something that makes them a little bit concerned some more about her characterPollster Julie Weprin says its not just Jewish votes that the first lady should be worried about?it?s the fact that both Clintons have been dogged by questions of credibility. She says for that reason, it was smart for Mr. Lazio to respond like this:Lazio: I think that this is a very disturbing comment..you know this is a sort of he said they said situation three people say Mrs Clinton said one thing. Mrs. Clinton is saying another. I don?t know who to believe and one of the things that?s disappointing about this is that New Yorkers don?t know who to believe. On Tuesday, Mrs. Clinton was speaking to health care workers at Columbia Presbyterian hospital, trying to change the subject back to one of her favorite issues:Clinton: Well the children?s health insurance program has made a big difference, hasn?t it?Hospital Worker: It has it has, but there are many uninsured adultsClinton: That?s why I?ve begun to talk about them, we still haven?t done everything we need to do for children, but weve got to start doing it for the parents of the children and then we?ve got to figure out?.fade out?SFX: Street Noise: Outside the hospital, voters were unsure whether they believed Mrs. Clinton had made the remark.Ann Phelan? It?s possible..people say a lot of things they don?t necessarily mean, I mean I don?t know I wasn?t there?Older Woman: I don?t know if she really did it?s by somebody from the enquirer, it?s not the new york times or somebody like that and I don?t think she?s that type person?.But one thing is undoubtedly clear.Clinton: You know its only July there?s going to be a lot more of this, just get ready.There are five more months until the election.For WNYC, I?m Andrea Bernstein.