On the same day (Saturday, Feb. 12) that Howard Dean was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the Republican Jewish Coalition announced it will run advertisements in Jewish newspapers across the country attacking him as being weak on Israel.

Above a photograph of hooded terrorists gathered around a boy with an explosive belt around his waste, the ad quotes Dean as saying "it's not our place to take sides." Below the photo, the caption reads: "Leading Democrats are critical of Howard Dean's views on Israel.  Now Dean is going to lead the Democrats."

The ad's copy goes on to quote Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn) as replying to Dean's comment in September of 2003 that "Howard Dean's statements break a 50-year-record in which presidents, Republican and Democrat, members of Congress of both parties have supported our relationship with Israel based on shared values."  It also quoted a letter from Nancy Pelosi, the House Minority Leader, written to dean on Sept. 10, 2004 saying: "It is unacceptable for the U.S. to be 'evenhanded' on these fundamental issues."

The ad next quotes Jay Footlik, who served as chairman of John Kerry's campaign liaison to the Jewish community, as writing to the Forward that with Dean as chairman, "a lot of mainstream, middle-of-the-road, centrist Jewish Democrats would be very turned off and concerned and would be left wondering whether they have a home in the Democratic party." 
 —Donald H. Harrison