Obama hasn't helped Livni

The polls show that the numbers of the political parties are glued in place, more or less. One Knesset seat moves here or there, but the general picture is more or less set. What is particularly interesting is that, as of now, U.S. President Barack Obama's statements (from the Jeffrey Goldberg article earlier this week) have had no influence on what the make-up of the next Knesset will be.

In the polls, Likud-Beytenu is in the same place it was last week, as is its main rival, Labor. If any real change has occurred at all, it has been the declining strength of Tzipi Livni's Hatnuah party, despite the fact that Obama's comments were meant to help Livni, more than anyone else.

We have entered the final stretch of this election. Will Obama drop another diplomatic bomb? Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again be forced to respond indirectly to criticism from the U.S.? It is interesting that Obama attacked, and Netanyahu responded with general statements only. Perhaps this was done to avoid giving Obama a reason to launch another salvo from Washington.

There have, of course, been some interesting developments in the campaigns, not only in terms of whom voters plan to support but also in what type of coalition the general public wants to see in power.

The big question is whether Naftali Bennett's Habayit Hayehudi will join the coalition or if Netanyahu prefers Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid. Bennett and Lapid know that 1.5 seats are up for grabs between their two parties.

Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich's mother said the sky would not fall if her daughter was not elected prime minister. Bennett's mother was enlisted into the battle against Livni. Lapid's son experienced an on-screen baptism of fire, a family tradition from the days of grandfather Tommy. If this is what is being aired during prime time five days before an election, what problems does this country really have? None.

Until now, the media has been reporting interesting but unimportant details. The media doesn't know what is going on inside the election headquarters of the political parties but is proud to speculate on whether Faina Kirshenbaum or Yair Shamir will head the Housing and Construction Ministry in the distant future.

Questions like this are popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm. They are mainly of interest only to the candidates themselves.

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו