Max M. Fisher of Detroit, national Jewish communal leader and special adviser on urban and community affairs to Richard M. Nixon, the Republican Presidential candidate, announced here formation of a new national organization, “Concerned Citizens for Nixon,” which he described as a group of “outstanding Jewish leaders.”
Mr. Fisher, who is chairman of the new group, made the announcement at a press conference at which he said that there was a “good chance” that the greatest number of American Jewish citizens ever to support a Republican Presidential candidate would vote for Mr. Nixon next month. Mr. Fisher, a former national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, said he felt that one reason for the anticipated shifting of Jewish votes from the usual majority for Democratic candidates this year was that many American Jews were “becoming increasingly concerned about the Administration’s policy toward Israel, citing the delay in selling Israel Phantom jet fighter-bombers.
At the same time, he added, American Jews had become increasingly “attracted to Mr. Nixon’s forthright statement of Sept. 8 in which he declared that the balance of military strength in the Middle East must be tipped in Israel’s favor.” Mr. Fisher also said that, as an American and as a Jew, he was concerned with the campaign of former Alabama Governor George Wallace for the Presidency. He said he saw in that campaign the same potential dangers which existed at the start of Hitler’s march to power and he declared that Mr. Nixon was the only candidate who could stave off the Wallace “threat” and provide an effective antidote to it. He also asserted that the so-called Jewish vote should not be taken for granted by any party and said public opinion polls indicated that 31 percent of Jewish voters favored Mr. Nixon’s candidacy.
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.
