Pressure On “The Office-Seekers”? Check. New York Money? Check. Lobbying Groups Supporting War Against Iran? Check.

Tonight’s event is the first time any of the 2008 candidates have competed for attention in the same room since they launched their campaigns in earnest. It is also an important illustration of just how much stock all of the presidential candidates, Democrats and Republicans alike, will put in the pro- Israel community, particularly for campaign dollars.

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A Democratic political consultant who worked on President Clinton‘s re-election campaign, Hank Sheinkopf, noted that the Aipac dinner always draws a parade of politicians.

“New York is the ATM for American politicians. Large amounts of money come from the Jewish community,” he said. “If you’re running for president and you want dollars from that group, you need to show that you’re interested in the issue that matters most to them.”

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Yet Mr. Edwards, who is appealing to anti-war advocates with his push to withdraw American troops from Iraq, took a hawkish stance on Israel last week while speaking via satellite to a conference in Herzliya, Israel. “Under no circumstances can Iran be allowed to have nuclear weapons,” he said. He later suggested that America should take military action against Iran if necessary, noting that “all options must remain on the table.” ~New York Sun

Via The Plank

Query: How is it that the people who are more or less openly calling for a war of aggression against Iran (oh, sorry, I mean a “preventive” war) possess any moral authority to impugn the motives of anybody else?