We had an excellent partner in this recent term, his name is Benjamin Netanyahu. I know him from way back even before he entered politics. When I was the Minister of Interior he came to Israel. He wanted to consult with me how to proceed in politics. He was student that surpassed his teacher....I applied with the electoral board to allow the Shas ballot to bear the words"supporting Benjamin Netanyahu" in addition to [the standard] "union of Torah-observant Sefardim, movement of Rav Ovadia Yosef z"l", but as expected the electoral board rejected it saying that the ballot is not allowed to bear any images or words not included in the name of the party. But everyone needs to know that with the Shas ballot every voter is getting two - 100% Netanyahu and also tradition and Judaism.


  -- Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) at the opening of the Shas electoral campaign

This embrace of Netanyahu with the claim to trying to get their support for him on the ballot is a great move (if Netanyahu should win). Many are planning to vote Netanyahu instead of their traditional parties as a way of showing their support for him despite the investigations and possible upcoming indictment. Deri knows he could not put his support for Netanyahu on his ballot. It is a gimmick. And it might work late in the campaign when Netanyahu pulls in the voters from other parties with last-minute scare tactics like he did last time (see Habayit Hayehudi). Shas voters will have it in their heads that voting Shas is just as good and [some] might not feel the need to vote Likud.

I especially like how Deri takes credit for turning Netanyahu into the brilliant and successful politician he became..