I am reading a book entitled, "Reagan's War" by Peter Schweizer. Page 124 discusses the 1980 pres campaign. J. Carter's reelection bid was in trouble partly due to the tense intrnt'l situation caused by Soviet incursions into Latin America, Africa and Afghanistan.
Towards the end of the campaign, the White House sent Armand Hammer to the Soviet embassy for a secret meeting with Ambassador Dobrynin. This is a passage lifted directly from the book:
Hammer bluntly told Dobrynin that the President was "clearly alarmed at the way things stood in the election campaign." Then he asked if Moscow might be willing to help. Could the Kremlin expand Jewish emigration to bolster Carter's standing in the polls? Hammer asked.
Per Schweizer, this might make a difference in several key states & may bolster Carter's image as a man who could deal effectively w/ the USSR.
I don't get it. Why this particular issue? Why was Jewish emigration such a hot topic? What is the history? Ty.
2006-06-19
14:33:56
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1 answers
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asked by
usaman345
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