The George Wallace Presidential campaign was “significantly free of anti-Semitism despite the known presence of anti-Semites in the Wallace camp.” the American Jewish Committee reported yesterday. Milton Ellerin, who directs the organization’s trends analysis division which conducted the study, attributed the lack of anti-Semitism to four factors:
“The American voter is too sophisticated today to be influenced by racist material.” The anti-Semites who supported Wallace did not want to alienate potential supporters who would regard with “disfavor…dissemination of anti-Semitic or racist material. The very astute Alabama professional politicians who ran the Wallace campaign” protected the former Governor’s image by suppressing anti-Semitic and racist bigotry. “In the main, the 1968 campaign was more concerned with men than issues.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
