# Jewish Power and Pat Buchanan's statements on the The McLaughlin Group **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793 "2007-02-04T16:44:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/1 "2007-02-04T16:44:20Z")
I’m grazing the Sunday talk show channels and The McLaughlin Group show has McLaughlin asking who has power in the new Congress. Pat Buchanan poo-poos the Democrats relative power as Bush will veto any proposals he doesn’t like. Then he reaches down into his bag of statistics and opines … "Now you want to talk about real power…you have 13% of the Senate are who are Jewish coming from 2% of the population … Now _that’s_ power. Is this statistic true? ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/2 "2007-02-04T16:54:23Z")
[QUOTE=astro] "Now you want to talk about real power…you have 13% of the Senate are who are Jewish coming from 2% of the population … Now _that’s_ power. [/QUOTE] I can name two Jewish senator (Leibermann and Bernie Sanders), now we just need 11 more. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/3 "2007-02-04T16:56:31Z")
Chuck Schumer, 10 to go. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/4 "2007-02-04T17:05:59Z")
Arlen Specter. Russ Feingold. Frank Lautenberg. Carl Levin, Feinstien. Ron Wyden, Boxer. Anyone know the last 3. I feel like Adam Sandler for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/5 "2007-02-04T17:20:23Z")
[QUOTE=Malodorous] Arlen Specter. Russ Feingold. Frank Lautenberg. Carl Levin, Feinstien. Ron Wyden, Boxer. Anyone know the last 3. I feel like Adam Sandler for some reason. [/QUOTE] Norm Coleman is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/6 "2007-02-04T17:26:43Z")
Carl Levin - Democrat - Michigan Arlen Specter - Republican - Pennsylvania Frank Lautenberg - Democrat - New Jersey Herb Kohl - Democrat - Wisconsin Joseph Lieberman - Independent - Connecticut Dianne Feinstein - Democrat - California Barbara Boxer - Democrat - California Russ Feingold - Democrat - Wisconsin Ron Wyden - Democrat - Oregon Charles Schumer - Democrat - New York Norm Coleman - Republican - Minnesota Ben Cardin - Democrat - Maryland Bernie Sanders - Independent - Vermont ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/7 "2007-02-04T17:30:05Z")
Specter, Levin, and Feingold don’t even _sound_ Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/8 "2007-02-04T17:31:27Z")
I wonder if Pat, or anyone, can show that these members act in concert that is in any way inimical to the common interests of the US. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/9 "2007-02-04T17:34:13Z")
[QUOTE=Malodorous] Who woulda thought , the senator from New York would be Jewish [/QUOTE] Nope. The surprising thing is that there have been only two other Jewish senators in New York history, [Herbert Lehman and Jacob Javits](http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-united-states-senators-from-new-york). The seat that Hillary Clinton holds has never been occupied by anyone who was Jewish. From 1981 to 1999 the Seantors from New York were the very non-Jewish Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Alfonse Marcello D’Amato. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/10 "2007-02-04T17:38:25Z")
BTW there are 30 Jewish people (29 Dem, 1 GOP) in the House or about 7%. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/11 "2007-02-04T17:43:30Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] I wonder if Pat, or anyone, can show that these members act in concert that is in any way inimical to the common interests of the US. [/QUOTE] Well, they probably act in ways inimical to Pat. I suspect that he is just sulking because the relative percentage of Catholic congresscritters is within a few percentage points of the percent of Catholics in the U.S. population. He wants better odds for “his team,”–even though his positions are generally at odds with most of the positions taken by the US Council of Catholic Bishops. (I think abortion is the only issue on which they agree.) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/12 "2007-02-04T17:50:59Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Well, they probably act in ways inimical to Pat. I suspect that he is just sulking because the relative percentage of Catholic congresscritters is within a few percentage points of the percent of Catholics in the U.S. population. He wants better odds for “his team,”–even though his positions are generally at odds with most of the positions taken by the US Council of Catholic Bishops. (I think abortion is the only issue on which they agree.) [/QUOTE] Well, his statement implies that even though they are different individuals, them having more power than they should have would mean that he thinks they act as a group for some purpose. Your analysis also seems to imply that Pat thinks that Catholic politicians should act as a group for Catholic purposes. And, I’m not surprised that Pat would think this. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/13 "2007-02-04T18:13:01Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] And, I’m not surprised that Pat would think this. [/QUOTE] While I do not actually have evidence that Pat thinks this way, it seems consistent with his general approach to life and society. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/14 "2007-02-04T18:35:50Z")
Pat Robertson is a Baptist, not a Catholic. TGhe Catholics are not “his team.” He might be a Christian, but he’s certainly not one of mine, and to call him one or to think that his agenda is a Catholic one is to be misinformed. On to the Jewish thing- there is, to the mainstream eye, a lot more Jewish cultural unity than Christian. The perception is also that there is much more chance of a “Jewish bloc” than a Christian one. The fact is that, to the average person, there are many more differences between Catholics and the various denominations of Protestantism than there are differences between sects of Judaism (unless, of course, you’re railing against the evangelist movement, then you lump all your followers of Jesus together). If I had to venture a guess, I think Ockham and I would both agree that most Jewish Congresspeople vote the same way due to the fact that they are almost all in the same political party. As far as disproportionate representation goes, might it have something to do with the fact that Jewish people tend to concentrate in communities, which not only serves the purposes of cultural/religious continuity but also maximizes voting power? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/15 "2007-02-04T18:39:28Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] Pat Robertson is a Baptist, not a Catholic. TGhe Catholics are not “his team.” [/QUOTE] The OP is about Pat **Buchanan,** not Robertson. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/16 "2007-02-04T18:42:56Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] Pat Robertson is a Baptist, not a Catholic. TGhe Catholics are not “his team.” [/QUOTE] Pat **Buchanan** , on the other hand, is, in fact, Catholic. He’s also the topic of the thread. [Edit - bother, beaten to the punch. Still true.] ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/17 "2007-02-04T18:46:40Z")
Why is anyone even discussing this? A hair over ten per cent is hardly a power base. Why aren’t there just a succession of :rolleyes: at this pitiful attempt to raise a ‘Jewish Power’ case? More to the point, why do people take idiots seriously? Well other than the one who’s got enough power to wreak havoc on his country and a few others, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/18 "2007-02-04T18:46:49Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Well, his statement implies that even though they are different individuals, them having more power than they should have would mean that he thinks they act as a group for some purpose. [/QUOTE] The group includes socialist Sanders, liberal Feingold, moderate Specter, hawkish Democrat Lieberman and so on, so it’s hard to imagine consensus on much of anything. Buchanan is probably talking about support for Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/19 "2007-02-04T18:51:37Z")
Wow. Am I ever a moron. Don’t mind me. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793/20 "2007-02-04T18:52:15Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Well, his statement implies that even though they are different individuals, them having more power than they should have would mean that he thinks they act as a group for some purpose. There’s an old joke describing how if you put two Jews in a room, you wind up with three political parties. 😃 The latest stupidity from Buchanan is well within his bigoted repertoire. Some classic quotes from Pat can be found [here](http://www.politicalamazon.com/quotes.html). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-power-and-pat-buchanans-statements-on-the-the-mclaughlin-group/390793.md?page=2)