Israelis "bug" President Obama to release Pollard
Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA - July 13, 2011
[IMRA: The following anecdote which was shared with IMRA by a first-hand source, raises some question about the degree of seriousness that is being attached to the numerous requests that have been made to President Obama for the release of Jonathan Pollard. Pollard is languishing in an American prison in his 26th year of a life sentence.]
At a recent kosher fundraising dinner party for President Obama's reelection campaign where donations started at $20,000 and up, a well-connected American Jewish activist (who brought in serious money that night) merited a few minutes of private time with the President. Here is how their conversation went:
The activist asked the President, "Are you going to free Jonathan Pollard?
The President responded, "Are they bugging you too?"
The activist replied, "Yes, the Jewish community is bugging me."
The President declared, "The Israelis are bugging me too."
The activist explained, "Pollard is an important issue in the Jewish Community today. We all feel it's time for him to be released."
The President was silent.
The activist pressed on, "I raised a lot of money for tonight's event and many of those who gave me money only gave it to me on the condition that I ask you the question about Pollard."
There was no response from the President.
The conversation was closed.