In his blog, Shmuel Rosner, the chief U.S. correspondent for Haaretz, recounts some bumptious comments by former George W. Bush secretary of state Lawrence Eagleburger at a conference for young Jewish leaders in Washington. Eagleburger’s role was to represent presidential aspirant John McCain on a panel also featuring Daniel Kurtzer (for Barack Obama) and Ann Lewis (for Hillary Clinton).

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.

Rosner suggests that, given McCain’s need to firm up his evangelical support, this might have been an unhelpful remark. But it also suggests a certain lack a understanding on Eagleburger’s part of just how close the organized American Jewish community has drawn to pro-Israel evangelicals in recent years–including the likes of Pastor Hagee.