Herzog Mulls Jumping Over Shark On Water Skis To Boost Appeal

Herzog told advisers he wants to do something bold to capture public attention and support.

Tel Aviv, June 20 – Frustrated by his inability to galvanize the Opposition he leads and facing challenges to his stewardship of the Labor Party and Zionist Union faction, MK Isaac Herzog is considering a move aimed at gaining the attention of the electorate and demonstrating the value of making him popular. As such, Knesset sources say, Herzog will go water skiing on the Mediterranean and in the process jump a shark.

Herzog has struggled to fire the imagination of his constituency and came close to forming a national unity government with the Likud Party, factors that prompted others within Labor to question his suitability to lead the Opposition. More charismatic rivals have emerged from within the party’s ranks who seek to supplant him as chairman, while at the same time a number of defectors from Likud have stolen his thunder by making serious explorations into forming a new centrist party that, according to the latest polls, would draw support primarily from Zionist Union voters, rather than Likud. Facing such threats to his position, Herzog told advisers he wants to do something bold to capture public attention and support, such as jumping a shark.

Herzog’s friends and family are uniformly in favor of jumping the shark, according to sources within the party. “We think it’ll be a totally realistic way to show people he enjoys he same things they do, can really connect with them,” said a member of his immediate family who spoke on condition of anonymity, and whom anonymity suits.

Party insiders, however, remain divided on the wisdom of such a move. “I’m all for it,” said Henry Winkler, a longtime Herzog associate. “There’s something wild and free about shark-jumping, and doing it will help Buji connect with young voters, especially, who are looking for someone to bring back happy days.”

Other Labor figures oppose Herzog’s jumping the shark. “It comes off as out of character and therefore desperate and insincere,” cautioned former aide Ron Howard. “Voters aren’t attracted to that. It might just be better to give the poll numbers their due and look to someone else to create and put forth a credible alternative to Netanyahu.”

“Buji is the wrong person to perform this kind of stunt,” insisted Ehud Barak, a former general, prime minister, and minster of defense who may be considering a political comeback. “If there’s anyone in the Labor Party with whom anyone should associate jumping the shark, it is Ehud Barak.”