September 2, 2004

Call it the tale of two Mellmans.

Mark Mellman, one of John Kerry\’s top four advisers, launched a talk with Jewish Democrats in Boston last month with a drasha (short sermon) on the meaning of Tisha B\’Av, the Jewish fast day that happened to fall during the party convention. Then, with nary a comment from the crowd, Mellman glided into the case for the Massachusetts senator.

Contrast that with the introduction this Sunday for Bush-Cheney campaign manager Ken Mehlman at a similar Jewish event.

\”One of us, Ken Mehlman — let me repeat that, one of us, Ken Mehlman — is running the Bush-Cheney campaign,\” said Morris Offit, a Republican and the president of the New York federation, barely containing his grin as he emphasized Mehlman\’s Jewishness.