Rudy Giuliani: The Country's First Jewish President,?

It all started simply enough, with the traditional promise about Jerusalem:

In a debate Tuesday in New York, campaign representatives for Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney all promised to respect an American law calling for the embassy's transfer from Tel Aviv. The debate, held at a Manhattan law firm, was organized by the Republican Jewish Coalition.

So what are you going to do if you want to distinguish yourself from the competition? Well, if you're Ken Kurson, campaign representative for Rudy Giuliani...

Kurson said that like Bill Clinton, who was seen as the country's "first black president" for his strong support among blacks, Giuliani would be the country's first Jewish president, said Kurson, noting the candidate's broad support in America's most Jewish city.

That was pretty easy. Unfortunately, distinguishing yourself from the competition requires walking a tightrope--and when you trip up, the audience lets you know it, as McCain's representative found out:

McCain's surrogate, Randy Scheunemann, joined Kurson in promising not to fund the government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but elicited jeers from the audience when he said the United States should find alternative means of funneling humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

Addressing the same question, Romney's surrogate, Steven Schrage, said funding should be tied to results.

That debate must have been some performance.

[Hat tip: Hot Air]

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