Surprise: Sharansky Endorses McCain; Calls Obama “Risk”

True to his benefactor’s wishes, Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies Chairman Anatol Sharansky today endorsed John McCain for president, calling Sen. Obama a “risk” for Israel. Sharansky, an old pal of Richard Perle’s as well as a beneficiary of multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson, made his endorsement during an interview on Shalom TV, a Jewish-American cable network. “In the case of McCain, we know exactly where his policy is,” said Sharansky. “I know, personally, McCain for 20 years. He is a person of principle, and he is also a person who has absolutely a great record of supporting Israel. Getting to Obama, there is no record. Nobody can know for sure what will be. It can happen to be good. It can happen to be very bad. It’s a risk.”

(In addition to his Institute at Jerusalem’s Shalem Center, Adelson, of course, is the major funder of Freedom’s Watch and is himself the beneficiary (although I imagine he pays handsomely) of Karl Rove’s political advice, according to a recent account by the National Journal. An intriguing report from Adelson’s Las Vegas headquarters suggests that he may be having some problem with his Macau interests.)

Sharansky’s intervention comes in the wake of warnings several days ago on the reliably Likudnik Wall Street Journal’s editorial page by two other Adelson beneficiaries and Institute officials, Michael Oren and Yossi Klein Halevy, against any attempt by outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to continue pursuing peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority or with Syria before he leaves office. “Members of Mr. Olmert’s party, Kadima, and of the governing coalition need to ensure that all substantive negotiations with Arab leaders are suspended until a new prime minister assumes office,” they argue. “Allowing Mr. Olmert to negotiate over life-and-death issues means continuing to hold Israel hostage to his political maneuvers.”

Jim Lobe

Jim Lobe served for some 30 years as the Washington DC bureau chief for Inter Press Service and is best known for his coverage of U.S. foreign policy and the influence of the neoconservative movement.

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  1. Report: Rove Talks “Fairly Regularly” With McCain Camp; Getting Six Figures From Freedom’s Watch

    “……Two GOP strategists said they have heard that Rove has worked out a private consulting deal with Adelson; this arrangement, one strategist reported, pays Rove in the mid-six figures for giving speeches and providing assistance to Freedom’s Watch on labor union issues, a top priority of the group……”

    http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2008/06/8690_natl_journal_ro.html

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