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Last update - 15:55 19/03/2008
McCain rep to Jewish crowd: the Christian right is 'serious problem'
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: John McCain, AIPAC, Israel 
Whenever Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of State and the representative of the McCain campaign in a Jewish gathering, was called upon to respond, he was writing a new chapter of the straight-talk book.

The location keeps changing, and the speakers might be different as well, but the goal remains the same: courting the Jewish vote. Today, it was in Washington, at the Washington 15 Conference, an event of the United Jewish Communities aimed at young Jewish leadership. And three campaigns sent their representatives to convince these young enthusiastic crowd that Obama/Clinton/McCain is the candidate they should be voting for.

For Obama, it was advisor (and former ambassador to Israel) Daniel Kurtzer. For Clinton, it was senior advisor Ann Lewis. McCain dispatched the most senior speaker of the three, former secretary of state Lawrence Eagleburger. I will write more about this event later, but this first installment will be dedicated solely to the person speaking on behalf of McCain. With his abrupt, grumpy style, he stole the show, and also made some rather interesting comments.

Here is one prediction: that mouth of his might get the candidate in some trouble.
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Eagleburger was trying to have fun. He was mocking his fellow panelist Kurtzer, sitting to the left of the others ("where he belongs"), and making noises and funny, impatient faces, while Ann Lewis was speaking. But more importantly, he did not mince his words. In a response to a question about the religious right, an important component of the Republican coalition, he said that it was, indeed "a serious problem," and reminded his listeners that he now lives in Charlottesville, surrounded by such people that he needs to fight.

One would think that this is not exactly what McCain needs, while he is trying to win over this reluctant constituency. But Eagleburger calmed these young Jews by promising that McCain will not change his ways to please anyone. And he did not forget to take a swipe on Rush Limbaugh - not for the first time - even while forgetting, or pretending to forget, his name.

Whenever Eagleburger was called upon to respond to a question or a comment, he provided something for the audience to chew on, as if writing a new chapter of the McCain straight-talk book. How can he, a member of the controversial Iraq Study Group, endorse the champion of the surge? Eagleburger has no problem in admitting he was the one making the mistake. He did not believe that the Bush administration could pull it off. He should have known better and either have submitted a dissenting report or quit the group altogether.

And talking about a more senior member of the Iraq Study Group, another McCain supporter James Baker, Eagleburger admits that Baker was not always considered best friend of Israel. But Eagleburger does not have a problem with talking about the dispute between the first Bush administration and the Israeli government over the loan guarantees. Friendly countries do not always agree, he said. And such disputes can "become unpleasant." Bush, he said, was wrong to complain that he was standing alone against the all-powerful pro-Israel lobby.

Eagleburger does not seem to like the "pernicious ideas" of Walt and Mearsheimer. Nevertheless, he believes Israel supporters should cut Bush senior some slack. After all, he was the one fighting Iraq and kicking Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait.

The former secretary of state believes that those people who might want to "cut and run" from Iraq now are endangering Israel. If you're worried about Israel, he said, "just think" about the consequences of leaving Iraq, essentially making Iran stronger. As I predicted many times in the past, in this election Israel might find itself in the center of an internal American debate over the Middle East. The McCain camp is definitely going to use Israel as a way of convincing people that leaving Iraq prematurely would have grave consequences.

And why else should American Jews vote for McCain he was asked. His answer: For all the reasons all Americans should be voting for him. What you see is what you get. He will not talk to Iran, or to Syria (no matter what others might say), or to Hamas, or to Hezbollah. Countries and organizations calling for the destruction of Israel do not deserve to honor of speaking to an American president.

Oh, and one last thing: McCain also "has no interest" in hearing the opinions of Zbigniew Brezinski.
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  1.   Iraq Study Group / Surge 15:28  |  Eric 18/03/08
  2.   Eagleburger presents a very good case for.... 15:30  |  David James Vickery 18/03/08
  3.   Having just recently come from India and other asian countries 16:24  |  traveler 18/03/08
  4.   America`s Jews will bring about israels demise 16:27  |  Jon 18/03/08
  5.   The surge hasn`t worked, isn`t working and won`t work. 16:57  |  Michael 18/03/08
  6.   Michael, you are 100% right 17:25  |  Mark B. 18/03/08
  7.   #5 Michael of the UK...so, what is the reconciliation conference 17:43  |  Lynn 18/03/08
  8.   # 6 Mark B....while agreeing with Michael, 17:45  |  Lynn 18/03/08
  9.   Traveler 17:47  |  Yosemite 18/03/08
  10.   Eagleburger is the honorable American 18:00  |  G. Lonjalen 18/03/08
  11.   Traveler 18:25  |  Connie 18/03/08
  12.   Sticking his head in the sand 18:26  |  W 18/03/08
  13.   Mr. Eagleburger,Iraq is already gone ... 18:34  |  Shalom 18/03/08
  14.   Mccain 2 old, Obama unclear, and Hillary too slow: choice is hard 18:35  |  Joey 18/03/08
  15.   How Stupid & Unfortunate 19:04  |  Jimmy 18/03/08
  16.   The surge not working? 19:13  |  chernyshevsky 18/03/08
  17.   Jon - War in Iraq for Israel`s benefit 19:14  |  Pablo B 18/03/08
  18.   The Real Deal 19:15  |  Dean 18/03/08
  19.   Eagleburger,is less intelligent than Kissinger! 19:21  |  lakshmi 18/03/08
  20.   Iraq disaster = Iran gift 19:21  |  Jon 18/03/08
  21.   eagleburger is almost as bad 19:26  |  bernet@cooper 18/03/08
  22.   Jimmy from NYC #15 19:27  |  Observer 18/03/08
  23.   #4 Jon 19:43  |  Cool B 18/03/08
  24.   turkeyburger is more like it 20:29  |  Rani 18/03/08
  25.   Response to # 17 Pablo B 20:29  |  Jon 18/03/08
  26.   Christian Right 21:08  |  Jane Trammell 18/03/08
  27.   RE: Jon #4 21:24  |  samar 18/03/08
  28.   #5, Michael, Fox News a whole lot more reliable than BBC 21:33  |  David 18/03/08
  29.   Stop Mixing up The McCain Campaign with the Christian Right 21:35  |  Rubi Koren 18/03/08
  30.   Israel Had Nothing To Do with Kuwait 21:40  |  Dave Levy 18/03/08
  31.   "The honor of speaking to an American president" 22:00  |  newageblues 18/03/08
  32.   Christian Right 22:42  |  David 18/03/08
  33.   Mc Cain made a huge gaffe in saying that Iran trains al qaida! 22:48  |  lakshmi 18/03/08
  34.   to #3 - what India did you visit? 23:01  |  Ron Pine 18/03/08
  35.   ON THE CONTRARY 23:27  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/03/08
  36.   The `honor` of speaking to an American president. 23:35  |  Maureen Ann 18/03/08
  37.   ON THE CONTRARY 23:46  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/03/08
  38.   This is About Murdering a State Big Time 00:05  |  Dave Levy 19/03/08
  39.   34 Ron Pine,which India did YOU visit? 00:08  |  lakshmi 19/03/08
  40.   Those Who Want 67 Are Advocating Our Destruction 00:14  |  Dave Levy 19/03/08
  41.   Wouldnt it be nice to have a bit of each.? 00:30  |  Stephen. 19/03/08
  42.   The "Chrtistian right" 00:43  |  Shmuelshachor 19/03/08
  43.   lakshmi 00:54  |  Yosemite 19/03/08
  44.   38 Dave Levy,how about the Palestinian land that zionists not 01:02  |  lakshmi 19/03/08
  45.   Lakshmi..Who is " Al Quaeda", are they not... 01:03  |  Stephen. 19/03/08
  46.   David Jame Vickery---On evil America.! 01:24  |  Stephen. 19/03/08
  47.   IT`S "ALWAYS" ABOUT "ISRAEL"!!! 01:32  |  Samy 19/03/08
  48.   Eagleburger 04:40  |  Boris Reznick 19/03/08
  49.   American elections and Israel 04:40  |  Dee Pierson 19/03/08
  50.   Eagleburger 04:56  |  Donn Hopp 19/03/08
  51.   "For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, that they 05:00  |  michael 19/03/08
  52.   Michael of the UK 05:43  |  Bill of the USA 19/03/08
  53.   obama`s mentor,friend,pastor 06:46  |  nicole 19/03/08
  54.   The sky is falling..... 10:49  |  Chicken Little 19/03/08
  55.   Christian Right is a Serious Problem 16:43  |  Eileen Carol 19/03/08
  56.   TO NO 17. 18:49  |  DANNY. 19/03/08
  57.   TO 47 18:57  |  DANNY 19/03/08
  58.   to #55 well said Eileen 22:40  |  Moeshe 19/03/08
  59.   NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IRAN 22:52  |  jpudentain 19/03/08
  60.   at last!!! 22:57  |  freekie 19/03/08
  61.   Eagleburger is a dufus 00:12  |  Jeremy 20/03/08
  62.   Re: #2 to David James 00:58  |  Eileen Carol 20/03/08
  63.   JEWS are less than 3% of the US population,so... 03:02  |  PADDY 20/03/08
  64.   Don`t believe 05:46  |  Advocate4Liberty 20/03/08
  65.   Christian Right `seriously stupid` 07:06  |  CDM 20/03/08
  66.   to #63 Paddy 08:32  |  Deborah 20/03/08
  67.   DEBORAH -They care far too much about the Jewish constituency.. 10:59  |  PADDY 20/03/08
  68.   Eagleburger sandwich supersize pandering 16:27  |  Connie 20/03/08
  69.   #65 Calling the Bible ... stupid??? 21:14  |  Eileen Carol 20/03/08
  70.   #4