The Brooklyn Paper reports: Congressional hopeful Kevin Powell promised constituents that he would “bring home the bacon” if he wins a House seat — but unfortunately he was speaking before Hasidic community leaders who all keep Kosher.
Powell made the goyish gaffe at the most inopportune time: he was attending a July 28 dinner to introducing the 42-year-old hip-hop writer and MTV “Real World” star to 40 representatives of Williamsburg’s ultra-Orthodox Satmar community.
Powell is aiming to unseat incumbent Ed Towns, a Democrat who has represented the Downtown, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights and Bushwick district, for 25 years. He later brushed off the bacon comment.
“I am definitely aware of their Kosher diet,” he said. “It was an inside joke, as I’ve become very comfortable with this community.”
It’s not clear how comfortable the community is with him. At least one Hasidic insider told reporters last week that Powell would get the endorsement of key neighborhood groups that night, but in the end, Hasidic leaders made it clear that Powell was merely getting a meet-and-greet.
It was the latest stumble for an upstart campaign that can’t seem to gain traction. Last week, Powell summoned local reporters to Junior’s to respond to a recent Daily News column that reported on his much-documented violent past.
When the same issue came up in Williamsburg on Monday night, Powell again said that he is not the misogynist he once was.
Powell is also having trouble raising money. He has $19,592 on hand, as compared to the $381,065 that Towns can access.
Nonetheless, Powell is banking on picking up lots of support from the 6,000 to 10,000 eligible voters in Williamsburg — but only six percent of eligible voters cast ballots in 2006.
And it’s unclear whom Hasidic voters will support anyway. Indeed, many in the crowd declined to take a position on the 10th district race until a panel of about 10 Williamsburg leaders endorses a candidate in the days leading up the Sept. 9 primary.
“We are here to listen and we will decide before the election,” said Isac Weinberger.
Rabbi David Niederman — director of the influential United Jewish Organization and a Towns staffer since 2002 — doubts that many Williamsburg voters will be swayed Powell.
“Ed Towns has served this community with real devotion since he was still the deputy borough president,” he said.
“You don’t throw out something that you still have a use for.”
But some Hasidic voters can’t wait to shove Towns into the dustbin of history.
“I wasn’t prepared to vote for Ed Towns,” said John Solomon. “He’s done nothing. He only shows up once every two years for a photo op.”
In the end, Powell laughed off the “bring home the bacon” line as merely his way of saying that he would fight hard for Jewish concerns including affordable housing, health care, and the improvement of Yeshiva and technical education — community issues that he said Towns hasn’t addressed.
Attendees didn’t seem insulted by the bacon comment, though some were quick to correct the mistake.
“Maybe he meant to say he would bring home the pastrami,” one guest quipped.
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20 Responses
How could any religious person vote for this democrat socialist candidate who worked at MTV, a network which is filled with disgusting and pornographic TV shows.
The Satmar should be ashamed for even attending the dinner.
He could have been a little smarter in his choice of words…but it’s really kind of funny!!
Somehow he reminds me of David Dinkins I don’t know why.
Oy-Vey, such a Hobson’s choice!
He meant the new Kosher ( soy-based) “Bacon” that is now available for all those Yidden who feel deprived not eating all the treif food that Goyim have.
To Flatbush Bubby…just seeing the name David Dinkins makes me sick…He was the the worst of the worst…DAVID DO NOTHING DINKINS!! what a nightmare!!!
Must the widely read Jewish blog display it’s flaws by advertising and gloating over another’s mistake? I’m sure the audience understood the message of that mistaken reference. We may feel justified, but the non-Jewish world just sees another example of how we are no better than they, as we rush to shame someone because of a public error in speech.
ED Towns has been a real friend to our community.
His record on Eretz Yisroel isues is very highly regarded.He has been responsive to many issues facing preservation of Kevuros accross Eastern Europe and he has continued fighting for our issues here at home.
THE COMMUNITY MUST UNDERSTAND THAT SENIORITY IN THE HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR IN ACCESSING MORE FUNDING FOR OUR NEEDS.
ED towns needs our support and we need Ed towns to continue fighting for our fair share.
Don’t be fooled by the new call of “change”
In Congress we have a friend in Ed Towns.
We as a voting community can make the difference in this and many races.
Register to vote!
He’s lost my vote
camerkid400: Calm down. There was nothing wrong with attending the dinner. It’s not wrong to vote. Actually, it is a MUST to go and vote for the good of your community. Get it straight next time before you write.
Let’s see
Powell is an admitted abuser of women.
He has admitted doing these acts that I consider horrible as late as 2004.
He is the “hip hop” candidate with close ties to the disgusting and anti Jewish values Hollywood industry.
He has no experience in politics.
But, he promises to bring in the money.
I am definitely going to vote for him!
Is he dreaming!!!
Congressman Ed Towns has come to bat on every occasion that I have asked him to stand up for the issues that matter Orthodox Jews.Countless times we have asked him to protect Jewish cemetaries overseas,emergecy passports for people
going unexpectadly to Israel for a levaya R’l,food stamp and section 8 assistance to those in need. Federal money for homeland security to our Yeshivos and Mosdos and the list goes on and on. Congressman Towns has seniority in DC. That means clout there and in Albany with the Governor and the legislature.Is this a responsible query of the Community to consider a new unproven political wannabe? Ed Towns gets my vote…hands down. Its called Hakoras Hatov.
Who cares? Maybe he meant bacon chips with an OU. Is this really of any importance? He is using the lingo of his culture, thats the whole to do.
Unbelievable! Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. I am feeling the writers of this article missed the gist, and am expected that Rabbi’s hearing such an expression would be shocked. It was not a “goyish gaffe”. Kevin Powell said he feels comfortable with the community and was making a tongue-in-cheek joke. If he does bring home the bacon, that article will have a different tone entirely.
By the way, what is really interesting is why the Satmar were receptive to some MTV hip hop person at a dinner?
Hold the Bacon…
I agree with the Satmar community and it was fine to attend the dinner.
About, “bringing homwe the bacon,” big deal. It could even have been an intended (on purpose) joke. So what?
You think I care if he uswed to work for MTV? So what?
You expect him to quit his job because you don’t like that station?
Look we have to do the best we can and get the best we can. Too many complainers about our people. Whyddon’t they complain about the murderers of our people? Where is their big shot loudmouth complaints about murderers who say you are a hero if you kill?
He obviously never listened to When Zaidy was young Volume 2, when Mayor Fieorella Lagardenhose had his pickles and blintzas to woo Jewish voters in the Bronx and in Queens
What we need is not someone who is going to “bring home the bacon” but someone who will cut spending.
The Wolf
He sounds like a tax and spend liberal who is promising manna from heaven. Don’t you remember “Deadly” Dinkins? He promised Williamsburg not to build a garbage substation and then he did it anyway! In 1993, Dinkins won 50% of the Crown Heights vote and 75% of the Williamsburg vote. But, “nfgo” you have just proven yourself to be as offensive and ridiculing as you have portrayed me. Got a mental problem?
Hi sammygol and welcome back.
I think you should check out the Coffee Room as your reputation has taken a serious beating in your extended absence. You may wish to resuscitate it as much as attainable.
See: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/should-pro-freikeit-commentors-be-given-a-voice
#19 nfgo
Who is throwing rocks? What does this have to do with the issue at hand?