Leave it to Bill.
Former President Bill Clinton knows where the money – and the votes – are in New York City, and they are to be found in Harlem and in the Jewish sector.
When Clinton left the White House, he set up his Foundation office in Harlem but made sure to keep his ties fresh and firm with the Jewish sector as well.
On Monday, he took the policy a step farther as he stumped for his wife Hillary at the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale, NY. Later in the day, he spoke at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Prospect Lefferts Gardens in Brooklyn.
But first he met with elderly Jews in Riverdale.
Clinton was greeted by hundreds of residents at the high-end residence, which is home to more elderly than can be found in the entire population of some Jewish communities in Judea or Samaria. And most of them have healthy bank accounts. Nearly all of them vote.
The visit came a week before the pivotal New York primary elections on April 19. At stake are 291 Democratic delegates to be swept up either by Hillary Clinton or her rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
The former president, himself sporting some wrinkles these days, talked up Hillary’s desire to defend rights for senior citizens.
“She’s the best person I have ever known,” he told them. “Trying to lift the poor, protecting the defenseless and being a friend of Israel,” the NY Daily News reported.
Clinton spoke about Hillary’s experience as a secretary of state, her ability to protect Israel, her willingness to keep Social Security from collapsing and her competence in national security. To the residents of Hebrew Home for the Aged, those words score high.
“She was your senator and did a good job,” he reminded them. “She did a good job as secretary of state.”
Then he said something that probably was received with mixed reactions by those who still keep track of current affairs: “She negotiated the Iran deal.”