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Title: McCain Rep To Jewish Crowd: The Christian Right Is 'Serious Problem'
Source:
Haaretz
URL Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/965556.html
Published: Mar 19, 2008
Author: Shmuel Rosner
Post Date: 2008-03-19 13:28:47 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 137
Comments: 11
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. Yes, it can. 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. To: Brian S (#0)
Where does McInsane say this? I'm not seeing it in the article.
It was McCain's represenative to the event, Eagleburger that said it...
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
israel, israel, israel, israel. israel. AMERICA FIRST, dammit.
You and Gerald K. Smith would have made a great team.
Oh, my bad, I see it now. Are they retarded? Without the "religious right" there would be no "Israel".
Ok, I had to google Gerald Smith: Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (February 27, 1898–April 15, 1976) was a leader of the Share Our Wealth movement and founder of the America First Party (1944). Smith was born in Pardeeville, Wisconsin. He grew up in Viroqua, Wisconsin. He was ordained as a minister in the Disciples of Christ denomination of Christianity in 1916. Smith moved to Louisiana in 1928, since his wife contracted tuberculosis and Shreveport had a good reputation for helping people with tuberculosis. Smith served as a minister in Shreveport, making radio broadcasts attacking local utility companies and corruption while supporting trade unions. Smith became a friend of Huey Long in 1932. They launched the Share Our Wealth society soon afterwards. This movement proposed minimum and maximum limits on household wealth and income. Smith resigned his ministry and worked recruiting members to the society. After Long was assassinated in 1935, Smith took over the society for a short time. Smith entered into an alliance with Francis Townsend, Father Charles Coughlin and Huey Long followers to form the Union Party. The party nominated William Lemke as their Presidential candidate in the 1936 election. Unlike Long, who was generally favorable to racial tolerance, Smith soon took the Share Our Wealth movement in the direction of white supremacy. Smith became associated with the non-interventionist America First Committee. After this group dissolved in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Smith formed the America First Party. Smith ran for the United States Senate in Michigan as a Republican but he lost in the primary with 130,000 votes. Smith ran as the candidate of the party in the 1944 Presidential election, winning 1,781 votes (1530 in Michigan, 281 in Texas). In 1948 with running mate Harry Romer on the Christian Nationalist Party ticket he received 48 votes.[1] Smith's only other run for the Presidency was in 1956 where he received 8 write-in votes in California. Smith was one of 30 co-defendants in the Great Sedition Trial of 1944. The case against all the defendants was dismissed when a mistrial was declared, following the death of the presiding judge. Smith went on to suggest that the Holocaust never happened and that various politicians had links to a 'Jewish Conspiracy'. Smith was shunned by most politicians, even hard-right figures such as Strom Thurmond,
here are my favorite pics from Saturday. Anti War Protest in Los Angeles March 15, 2008 "I don't know where Bin Laden is. I truly am not that concerned about him" I recognize that Cheney mask! "War starts with Dubya" - That's cute.
'Individuals should not take responsibility for their own defense. That’s what the police are for. ... If I oppose individuals defending themselves, I have to support police defending them. I have to support a police state.”' Alan Dershowitz
All kook talk. Lou Dobbs said so. Plus the Fox interview of Obama cut that part out. Yet, on immigration theres this: CNN's Lou Dobbs blasts Obama for accusing Lou of saying he wanted mass deportations of illegal immigrants. He also accused Obama of poor pandering and then he demands an apology from Obama for misinformation about Dobbs' stance. right- mind.us/blogs/blog_...ive/2008/03/16/58753.aspx I would rather Obama have used his monumental opportunity more efficiently.
"The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear." -- Herbert Sebastien Agar (1897-1980) Source: The Time for Greatness, 1942
The establishment is helping Obama every way it can. Yet some can ignore this. Not I.
It sure seemed to, until the math started mucking up things.
"The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear." -- Herbert Sebastien Agar (1897-1980) Source: The Time for Greatness, 1942
McCain Rep To Jewish Crowd: The Christian Right Is 'Serious Problem'
#2. To: Vitamin Z (#1)
#3. To: Brian S (#0)
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.
#4. To: christine (#3)
AMERICA FIRST, dammit.
#5. To: Brian S (#2)
#6. To: Cynicom (#4)
#7. To: Brian S, *9-11*, christine, peppa, robin (#0)
George W, Bush, 3/13/02 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
#8. To: Artisan (#7)
#9. To: Artisan (#7)
#10. To: Peppa (#9)
#11. To: buckeye (#10)
The establishment is helping Obama every way it can. Yet some can ignore this. Not I.
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