Ohio GOP chairman Robert Bennett called Strickland‘s work as chairman of the Democrats platform committee a failure, as both parties try to prove they love Israel the most.

Strickland submitted a platform that called Jerusalem the capital of Israel, something that both his party and the U.S. government have avoided.  But Republicans have backed the idea.

Strickland said he did wrote it into the platform ) at the request of President Obama.  But the change seemed to split the Democrat rank and file during voice votes.  David Harris of the National Jewish Democratic Council told the Ohio delegation that it’s important to keep American Jews voting Democratic.

"If American Jews vote 10% less Democratic that’s a difference of 25-50,000 votes in the state of Ohio.  Some people are cynically trying to get to take advantage and to get to the American Jewish community and to lie to them.  To lie to them about what the President is doing on Israel. About his fantastic record on Israel and to get them to not pay attention to everything they care about.” 

Harris said Jews now vote 75 percent Democratic and agree with Democrats on social issues.  But he says Republicans trying to use Israel as a wedge issue against President Obama  .