Watch out for more of this: Republicans twist reality

And don't expect to see it only from Republican Party mouthpieces. It will also filter into the news media, and soon there will be a story on every political reporter's agenda: Democrats losing support among ... (fill in the blank with any constituency) African-Americans, Jews, Hispanics, working people.

This week it's the Jewish community's turn to have its voting preferences twisted. What I like about this is the speed at which the Florida Democratic Party reacted -- right away.

Here's a statement issued Thursday from the state party in Tallahassee:

"On an extremely brief attack conference call today, House Republican Majority Leader Adam Hasner falsely claimed that Jewish support for Republicans in Florida is increasing when, in fact, it is declining.

"Hasner started by correctly noting that President George W. Bush received about a quarter of the Jewish vote in 2004 (24% according to CNN exit polls, which also showed Republican Mel Martinez receiving 22% of the Jewish vote that year).

"Then Hasner veered away from the facts, calling Jews a "swing" constituency and falsely claiming that Republican support among Jews has been on the rise since 2004.

"In fact, the opposite is true. Jewish support for Republicans is on the decline.

"In 2006, despite winning the race, then-gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist - a Republican - garnered only 18% of the Jewish vote. At the top of the GOP ticket, U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris managed to pull only 14% in her crushing defeat."

For those who don't think the Florida Democratic Party is worth a hill of beans, consider what a nimble press department is worth in this election year. A lot.

UPDATE: Well, that didn't take long. Front page of today's NY Times, the headline: "As Obama heads to Florida, Jews there have their doubts." The newspaper that helped give us the war in Iraq now finds a bunch of elderly anti-black Jews and lets the rumor mill roll. There will be some work necessary to get these folks into voting shape. Good quote from Rabbi Ruvi New in Boca: "The fate of the world for the next four years ... It's all going to boil down to a few old Jews in Century Village."