Marty Peretz: Outraged that Obama's Seder Was At White House, Not Bibi's House

[Jefferson23]

REVISED:


By M.J. Rosenberg - March 31, 2010, 9:39AM

This cafe post originally started with Ed Koch but Marty Peretz, the New Republic publisher, has moved ahead in the Jackie Mason sweepstakes.

Peretz is upset that the President convened a seder at at the White House rather than attending a seder (assuming the ultra-secular Bibi hosted one) at Bibi Netanyahu's.

Peretz writes that Obama should have gone to Bibi's place to make his apologies for hurting Bibi's feelings but "no one at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue had the imagination to shift the locale of the president's seder to the prime minister's official residence...."

How crazy is that!. American Jews are honored and touched that the President of the United States held a seder at the first residence.. But for Peretz, the White House is chopped liver.

Having left his American identification behind in around 1967, he will only be impressed by a President attending the Prime Minister of Israel's seder as a guest which, for most Jews, would be interesting but hardly thrilling. A seder at the White House, now that's something.

remainder in full: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/31/will_jewish_donors_abandon_dems_for_bibis_sake/

[Enrique]

1. that's the kind of religion I hate

the kind that Marty Peretz shows in that nasty column.

[azurnoir]

2. Did Bibi invite Obama?

well if not then was Marty suggesting that Obama should have "crashed" Bibi's seder?
this is one of the most ridiculous columns I've read in a long time.

if anything what Marty was really getting his drawers in a knot about was that Obama held a seder at all, why the nerve a Christian (a suspected secret Muslim) holding a seder :sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

3. I was always taught...

that inviting *yourself* to a party is very bad manners!

Surely, if someone wants Obama to go to Bibi's Seder in Israel, they should be pressing Bibi to invite him, not Obama to just go.

In any case, I don't see the point. The main point should surely be that Obama recognized an important Jewish holiday, not where he recognized it.

[Jefferson23]

4. +1, and I was taught the same. But this was just an opportunity, imo,

to bash Obama.