both baffles and concerns me

No baffle .... as having travelled the route (and now familiar with the signposts along the way). It is indeed a cold realization to come to, that one has been abandoned in spirit and thought. By their own party. Either through inertia or incomprehension, the Dems cannot see the international writing on the wall. Almost a willfull ignorance.

So, while one can spot the beginning of their divergence ... relative to their own past place along the political continuum. It does take more than that first initial energy, to take more than one step. And cross all the way over the divide. From left to right. A little fear, uncertainty. The unknown.

Myself, still registered as a Dem. But obviously forsaken by the loons some time ago. And proudly stand among the right. As in a side different from the one running a candidate who is truly out of his depth on the international stage.

There's politics ... and then there's reality.

I'm a Christian conservative (albeit a metaphysical Christian) and see Israel as the first line of defense against Islamist terrorism.

How so?

I was raised in tenement district Boston and our downstairs neighbor was an elderly Jewish lady with a forearm tattoo. Get it?

Not really, no. I'm not sure what an Israel first foreign policy has to do with ensuring that a sui generis historic tragedy doesn't repeat itself.

Obama will probably underperform versus Kerry (in terms of the spread between his Jewish vote and national vote), because (1) Bush isn't running and (2) because Obama doesn't seem to do as well with older voters and, hey, Florida Jews are OLD. But go to a Hillel event or a Jewish preschool with 30-something parents dropping off their kids, and virtually the only bumper stickers you will see are for Obama.

If McCain picks Crist Florida will be irrelevant anyway. If Obama can win Florida with Crist on the ticket he will winning the election with or without Florida's EVs.

That baffles you? I'm a Christian conservative (albeit a metaphysical Christian) and see Israel as the first line of defense against Islamist terrorism. I was raised in tenement district Boston and our downstairs neighbor was an elderly Jewish lady with a forearm tattoo. Get it?

A New York Times piece about Barack Obama’s “Jewish problem” is getting some attention this morning. This time the focus is on the Jewish population in Florida.
James Joyner correctly points out the anecdotal nature of the reporting, ...

That said, there's a continued attempt to drive a wedge between Jewish voters and the Democratic party, so Obama will need to pay attention to that, especially in Florida. But the idea that Jewish voters, as such, would prefer McCain to Obama is more anecdotal than factual, and is being intentionally driven by the right in the hopes of making it a self fulfilling prophecy.