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New Nixon Tapes Reveal Comments About Anti-Semitism

By Howard M. Friedman

The New York Times reports that yesterday the Nixon Presidential Library released an additional 150 hours of tapes and 30,000 pages of documents. Among the audio tapes was a 1973 Nixon telephone conversation with Rev. Billy Graham. (MP3 file of conversation.) During the conversation, Graham complained about Jewish leaders-- particularly Rabbi Marc Tannenbaum-- who were opposing "Key '73", an evangelical outreach, as well as Campus Crusade. The Times quotes these remarks by Nixon from the conversation:

Anti-Semitism is stronger than we think. You know, it?s unfortunate. But this has happened to the Jews. It happened in Spain, it happened in Germany, it?s happening ? and now it?s going to happen in America if these people don't start behaving. ... It may be they have a death wish. You know that?s been the problem with our Jewish friends for centuries.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 24, 2009 (boomark / email).