In the back-and-forth between Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Mitt Romney's Miami-Dade co-chair, Stanley Tate, over an Israel speech, we haven't heard from one person who was deeply affected: Lauren Trushin, the 16-year-old girl who was confirmed Friday night and was looking forward to having the congresswoman speak.
But Wasserman Schultz was uninvited after, according to a close reading of Lauren's speech, Tate made a fuss -- not the congresswoman. Tate's allies say the congresswoman was the fit-pitcher.
"What I learned from the member who made the threats is that... people who engage in bullying get their way when people don’t stand up to them," Lauren said in her speech.
"I have learned some hard lessons recently, and I can’t help but be disappointed that I was not able to hear Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz speak tonight. I find it upsetting that anyone would take a stand against a prominent Jewish politician making a speech about the State of Israel, and make threats and misstatements."
The incident underscores the strong emotions in the fight for the Jewish vote -- even at liberal-leaning synagogues like Temple Israel. President Obama's campaign, incidentally, is advertising on a Temple Israel's UStream channel that features, among other things, a recording of the Shabbat service in question.
