Jewish World Review Nov. 22, 1999 /13 Kislev, 5760

Gore's gaffes, continued

By Binyamin L. Jolkovsky

http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN a golden opportunity for a presidential candidate in dire need of a lift in the polls. But, then again, AlGore is not exactly your average presidential candidate.

Speaking in Atlanta at the opening plenum of the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities, one of the most important annual gatherings of American Jews, where nearly 5,200 Jewish leaders from across North America and beyond converge to evaluate communal priorities, Gore, who is trying his darndest to shake his prevailing image as being wooden, did well in the pandering department. ("I want to thank you for your daily battles for justice," he told the group in his twenty minute speech, adding that the Jewish principles of "freedom, faith and justice are very much alive throughout the world," because of the UJC's work providing for social services, rescue and relief. )

But when it came to acting as an "MOT" (Member of the Tribe), it seems the veep's Jewish media mavens were almost as effective as those who sent a former New York politician to Manhattan's Lower East Side in a pointy satin yarmulke (the type you find in Jewish funeral homes) and told him to order a deli sandwich with pickles. All was going well, until the poor sap also ordered a milk shake. (It is against Jewish law to eat dairy and meat products together.) "Oops!" was all the nearly speechless politician was reportedly able to respond as the cameras rolled and the reporters scribbled, smirks on their faces.

For AlGore, the going was a tad tougher.

Gore, who has attempted -- and that is the operative word, here -- speaking Spanish to woo Hispanic voters (captured for posterity by the Rush Limbaugh Show and often replayed), tried his hand at uttering the biblical word for "kindness," chesed. But instead of using the throaty "h" Hebrew calls for, he pronounced the word with a hard "ch," as in "children."

Gore's gaffe filled the Atlanta Civic Center with laughter.

"Did I pronounce it wrong?" Gore asked. He was corrected from the floor.

At least, though, that laughter was genuine.

Speaking recently at the annual dinner for another Jewish group, Gore tried his hand at Jewish humor. But, as was reported in these pages by correspondent Tim Boxer, the veep received merely some polite smiles and chuckles.

AlGore also caused a panic for the UJC when after initially declining to speak at the convention, he suddenly changed his mind just days before it was to open. His thoughtlessness and slow grasping of the good p.r . potential, forced numerous changes in security details.