Political Points: Romney’s Iran vows, pro-Berman ‘super PAC,’ defending DOMA

IT’S THE ECONOMY: James Besser, until recently the longtime Washington correspondent for the New York Jewish Week, argues that President Obama’s real challenge with Jewish voters is the same one he faces with voters in general: the economy.

ROMNEY’S IRAN VOWS: In a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, Mitt Romney writes that Obama has “shredded his own credibility on Iran” and vows that as president he would impose “a new round of far tougher economic sanctions on Iran” and “back up American diplomacy with a very real and very credible military option.”

DISRUPTING CANTOR: The Republican Jewish Coalition tweets about disruptions of Rep. Eric Cantor’s address at Houston’s Rice University today.

PAC FOR BERMAN: Some supporters of Rep. Howard Berman — facing a redistricting-induced primary battle against fellow Jewish California Democrat Brad Sherman – have launched an independent “super PAC” called the Valley-Israel Alliance. The L.A. Times reports that the “super PAC” — which can raise unlimited funds but cannot coordinate with the Berman campaign — is one of the first formed to support a House candidate. Berman’s brother and campaign manager says the campaign is not familiar with the new PAC’s treasurer.

CAIN PARALLEL: A Forward editorial draws a parallel between the Herman Cain sexual harassment scandal and the accusations against Clarence Thomas — but not the same parallel as those who see the two men as fellow victims.

DEFENDING DOMA: Agudath Israel of America is warning against the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 federal law that forbids the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages and guarantees states the right to refuse to recognize them as well. The press release (alas, the haredi Aguda has no website) was issued in response to newly proposed legislation dubbed the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Jerrold Nadler.