Which is interesting considering the man he’s chosen as his moral guidance counselor for 20+ years blames our support of Israel for 9/11.

“Let’s be clear, there has been a really systematic effort to suggest that I’m not sufficiently pro-Israel,” he said. “The fact that my middle name is Hussein, I’m sure, does not help in that regard … Again some of this dates back to the ’60s between the African-American and the Jewish community as a consequence of [Louis] Farrakhan. There was flap about some of Jesse Jackson’s statements during his presidential race, so I inherit all this baggage.”

While repeating an earlier statement that he disagreed with former President Jimmy Carter’s decision to meet with representatives of the Palestinian group Hamas during his current trip to the Middle East, Mr. Obama said, “The fact is, though, that no one’s been a more stalwart ally of Israel…. My support of Israel is as strong as Sen. Clinton or [Sen. John] McCain. Groups like AIPAC [the American Israel Political Action Committee] would confirm that.”

Emphasis mine. Louis Farrakhan? Oh, you mean the Nation of Islam leader you chose to march with in 1995? You mean the man your pastor of 20+ years gave an award and honored? Yeah, that one.

The “fact is” no one’s a more stalwart ally of Israel? Really? I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who previously connected the name “Barack Obama” with “Israel supporter”, but apparently his near-non-existent record on the issue proves that little nugget of trivia as fact.

Ed also notes the AIPAC candidate rating system which, er, doesn’t exist. Its new competitor, the J-Street Project, aims to get a peace agreement going by forcing Israel to make even more concessions. One of the instrumental players in the project is, as Ed notes, Robert Malley. Malley blames Israel for Arafat’s refusal to accept a peace agreement at the end of the Clinton Administration.

When Malley’s not busying himself blaming Israel or trying to get it to make more concessions, he’s working…on the Obama campaign.

The J-Street board of advisers includes a number of lay and professional leaders of Americans for Peace Now (APN), including CEO Debra DeLee, as well as Marcia Freedman, founder and former president of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom.

Several activists with ties to Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama are on the panel, as well. They include Robert Malley, whose involvement in Obama’s broad foreign policy advisory team has generated criticism from Republicans and some pro-Israel groups, and Alan Solomont, a top Obama fundraiser and major player in Democratic politics.

Exit question: What exactly can Barack Obama point to in order to make his case that he’s Israel’s strongest supporter? His near-non-existent record? The people he’s surrounded himself with?