to AP, Palin blamed Democrats for withdrawing the rally invitation. Palin complained to supporters that "Democrat partisans" had pressured organizers. Sen. Richard Durbin, however, noted "it's very tense political time, the election is so close, and I think there were basic mistakes made in organizing this rally, I'm not being negative, but I think the way the invitations were issued created a problem. I'm sure they never intended this to happen, but it did." Hoenlein stirred further controversy over a conference call during the heat of the campaign with Senator John McCain. The Jewish Daily Forward reported that the call was not well received by Jewish leaders who felt it was "inappropriate for the non-partisan group to promote one candidate"s events." One noted, "there is a general perception that the Presidents Conference leans more to the right, and this is yet another example." Hoenlein fired back in an interview with Shalom TV that The Forward was "not a paper of great import". The Jewish Telegraphic Agency noted that the animosity with The Forward is "mutual", noting that "Hoenlein didn't make the cut for the Forward 50," the paper's annual list of most influential Jewish leaders. Hoenlein made news again with his statement that President Barack Obama's June 4, 2009 speech to the Arab world from Cairo dismayed many Jews with its attempt to compare the struggle of the Palestinians with Israel to the World War II Jewish Holocaust. Hoenlein is an advocate of Jewish humanitarian efforts worldwide, and met Bashar al-Assad just before the Syrian Uprising. References External links Malcolm Hoenlein Video Gallery Allison Hoffman, "King without a Crown", Tablet Magazine Malcolm Hoenlein - united we stand By Aliza Davidovit Malcolm Hoenlein on L'Chayim, Shalom TV Guide to the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry collection at the American Jewish Historical Society. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Temple University alumni University of Pennsylvania alumni Jewish American community activists 21st-century American Jews