Republican Bob Turner kept President Obama front-and-center in a September 9th interview with the Jewish Voice, a publication that distributes throughout New York City, endorsed Turner against Democrat David Weprin, and could influence the votes of the Jewish population in NY-9.
Turner did not mention or allude to his opponent, Democratic Assemblyman David Weprin, in the interview, instead redirecting almost every question to focus on some aspect of President Obama’s agenda. When asked about his experience as a businessman, Turner used the opportunity to oppose “the fiscally irresponsible policies of the Obama Administration” and attack “Obamacare” for “crippling small businesses” with new government regulations.
Speaking of Obamacare, Turner criticized the president for “tak[ing] trillions of dollars out of Medicare and [putting] it into a feckless Obamacare plan.” Interestingly, he did praise the Massachusetts health care plan as a “much better healthcare model” – a line of argument that has weakened the presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., who spearheaded the Massachusetts health care legislation only to have it compared to Obamacare.
Turner made his hopes – and campaign strategy – most explicit when he attacked President Obama’s general stance toward Israel:
Turner is campaigning against President Obama and the Democratic Party – in New York City. And it might work. That the election will be close is remarkable. But he’s facing a Democratic Get Out the Vote effort that has much more polish and experience than any analogous Republican operation, so, he’s got his work cut out for him today. Polls close at 9 pm.
