McCain rebukes controversial pastor
By Joseph Williams, Globe Staff
WASHINGTON -- After winning the backing of an influential Texas televangelist, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain today abruptly rejected the pastor's endorsement after more of his controversial remarks became public -- including a sermon in which he says the Nazis "operated on God's behalf" to drive Jews from Europe to Israel.
McCain had distanced himself from the Rev. John Hagee's anti-Catholic remarks describing the church as a "great whore," a statement for which Hagee apologized earlier this month. But the Arizona senator, who wanted Hagee's support to shore up his uncertain standing among evangelical conservatives, had not repudiated the endorsement until today.
"Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them," McCain said in a statement today. "I did not know of them before Reverend Hagee's endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well."
The controversy is the latest intersection of faith and politics in this year's presidential race.
Democratic front-runner Barack Obama's association with the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., the former pastor at his home church in Chicago, threatened to derail his candidacy after videos surfaced of Wright making a series of remarks that many viewed as anti-American and racially divisive. Among them, Wright condemned the country for past racism, said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were the fruit of unjust US foreign policies and suggested he agrees with rumors that the US government had developed and used the AIDS virus as an act of genocide against black people.
After rejecting Wright's remarks but likening the fiery minister to family, Obama formally cut his ties to Wright last month -- after Wright defended himself in a lengthy TV interview and two defiant, high-profile appearances.
McCain has said he is sure that Obama does not share Wright's views, but scolded Obama for not severing his long ties with the minister. But in his statement today, McCain distinguished his relationship with Hagee from Obama's with Wright, saying, "let me also be clear, Reverend Hagee was not and is not my pastor or spiritual advisor, and I did not attend his church for twenty years."
Soon after McCain's rejection, Hagee withdrew his support and said he would sit out the 2008 campaign.
"Ever since I endorsed John McCain for president, people seeking to attack Senator McCain have combed my records for statements they can use for political gain," Hagee said in a statement. "They have had no qualms about grossly misrepresenting my position on issues most near and dear to my heart if it serves their political ambitions. I am tired of these baseless attacks and fear that they have become a distraction in what should be a national debate about important issues."
McCain's strongly-worded rebuff, however, could hurt him among some evangelical voters, whose support he needs in November, said John C. Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
But McCain, Green added, had little choice because Hagee had become a political liability.
"There's only so many controversial statements that someone who has endorsed a candidate can make," Green said. Hagee's anti-Catholic comments were one thing, Green added, but "the second set [about Jews] creates big problems."
The leader of the 19,000-member, non-demonimational Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Tex., Hagee also runs a substantial communications empire with national reach. His televised sermons are well known among evangelicals -- as are his controversial views on homosexuality, the Roman Catholic Church, and his fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible.
In sermons and in statements, Hagee has called Catholicism a "false cult system." The minister also has suggested that Hitler's anti-Semitism was shaped by the church, and said the devastation of Hurricane Katrina was God's response to homosexual sin.
Nevertheless, McCain -- along with other GOP presidential rivals -- sought Hagee's endorsement and the voters he could bring with him. McCain accepted his endorsement at a news conference Feb. 27 in San Antonio, shortly before he won the Texas presidential primary and clinched the nomination.
Though McCain did not disavow Hagee after his anti-Catholic statements surfaced, the remarks on Judaism and Hitler were too much to ignore. In a late 1990s sermon, disclosed online today by the Huffington Post and others, Hagee quoted the Bible and said that “the Nazis had operated on God's behalf to chase the Jews from Europe and shepherd them to Palestine,” the promised land.
Green said the political uproars over Hagee and Wright "just reveals how controversial religion can be when it comes into the political arena" and is taken out of the church.
The Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, a Baptist minister who is president of the Interfaith Alliance, which called for McCain to repudiate McCain, agreed. "While I’m happy Sen. McCain is disassociating himself from Pastor Hagee, this action should have come much sooner and not simply because of public outcry," he said in a statement. "Any time that religious leaders and politicians attempt to use each other, both of them get hurt."
i called mccains office and asked if mccain believe hitler was doing god's will and was told they had my info and would be reported.
I guess mccain doesnt want to hear about this nor does mccain like freedom of speech
Yu're a moron that's why they told you they had your info. What you said could be contrued as harassment.
Yes, you are free to say what you want, but you are not free to call someone and harrass them.
Also, if you actually read the article you see no mention of McCain supporting the comment.
I think you need a friend, but given your ignorance I feel sorry for the person you find as a friend.
Here we go with the left's attempt to equate McCain's pastor connections with those of Obama's personal pastor for 20 years.
Moral equivalance? Won't work.
A.) McCain did not write a best-selling book based on either of their sermons.
B.) McCain did not sit in either of their pews for TWENTY YEARS.
C.) Neither one of these nitwits stated anything close to that of Rev Wright and his G Damn America, US of KKK-A, Al Queda and USA Same talking points!
Nice try commies!
McCain is hurt more by this paster than all the alter boys that were trained by Father Pat McGroin and his holy candle!
KevKristy-
Sorry, but McCain went out of his way to get these endorsements. Rod Parsley is supposedly his spiritual adviser. Furthermore, Parsley has called for violence (which is the exact opposite of Rev. Wright, who always called for non-violent response).
I'm not saying I care much; neither candidate really believes in the views of these psychotic pastors.
-Franklin
More evidence, as if it were necessary, presidential candidates need to stay from churches and other cauldrons of intolerance
What ever happened to sepraration of church and state?
So Obama is NOT the ONLY one with Pastor problems, but will BILLARY Clinton's "hard working Whites" notice or even care?
Wow....the monolithic, one dimensional, religious right wing voting base of the Republican Party are not going to like that. Their Taliban-like Ann Coulters, Jerry Falwells and John Hagees are the back bone of their voter base and these are the kind of people who will vote for any unqualified (like Bush) pathetic waste of skin. To get their vote, you have to claim to be pro-life (whatever that is even supposed to mean), claim to be Christian (and live opposite to Christ's teachings...Ann Coulter), claim to be conservative (and spend like there is no tomorrow), and mix religion with politics. If you are not in favor of turning the pages of American history back to the dark ages of the Salem Witch Craft Trials then it really is hard to get Republican votes. I guess McCain just commited political suicide by rejecting Hagee. Well...all is not lost. There are plenty more spineless, chicken hawk, fear and hate mongering reptiles in the the ranks of the Republican Party who are ready & willing to take his place.
Rev. Hagee has wasted many hours in attacking Islam too and for many days Islamic groups are crying for the justice but John McCain did not bother to hear thei voice. But today, when some one high lighted the Hagee's venom against Jews, John McCain and his dogs started crying loudly and finally, the old man has to surrender and dissociated himself from Hagee and father Hagee cut his relation with McCain keeping his words of God intake.
I think, Allah's of Islam has won the battle without fighting, throwing Jews in the middle to fight for himself and his Muslims.
you bums, this article is about the MGIB and less about political motives or pastors.
I know about the MGIB being an Iraqi War vet (USMC) and as much as more money sounds good, it is pretty generous. It won't pay for Harvard but it is cold, hard cash that can be used while you are in school.
I am not much of a political person but Mc Cain does have a valid point. I really can't see a guy that was tortured by the VC for a few years turn around and screw the bros in arms. Obama probably didn't do himself any favors by making an instigative statement being that Obama (as well as Bush and all of these other chicken hawks in running the show in DC) has never dodged rounds down range.
Don't speak for me, chickenhawks!
KevKristy:
Nope - sorry - McCain ran into the arms of this guy to get his endorsement.
McCain was OK with keeping Hagee's endorsement while Hagee claimed:
A) The Roman Catholic church is the great whore
B) Katrina was a curse sent by God on to the city of New Orleans
C) That God will send terrorists to over-run the US and make our streets run with Rivers of Blood if we do not follow his (Hagee's) policies
BUT - McCain DREW THE LINE when Hagee claimed the Nazis operated on God's behalf to drive the Jews from Europe. Good for you McCain!
Nice try fascists!
"McCain's strongly-worded rebuff, however, could hurt him among some evangelical voters, whose support he needs in November"
I'm so tired of the media's continual misreprensation and misunderstanding of evangelical Christians. John Hagee is not an evangelical and does not speak for evangelicals. He is a fundamentalist, as is Pat Robertson, as was Jerry Falwell and as are all the other so-called "spokesmen" for evangelical Christianity the media always run to when they want to know what Christians are thinking. If John McCain thinks getting an endorsement from John Hagee is going to shore up the evangelical base, then he is as confused about fundamentalists and evangelicals as the media. If John McCain really wants my vote and the vote of my fellow evangelicals, he'd spend less time chasing the pointless endorsement of some fringe pastor in Texas and more time addressing the issues this generation of evangelicals care about: helping the downtrodden and oppressed by ending global poverty, improving our nation's race relations, caring for the Earth, and bringing an end to the tragic loss of life in Iraq. Fortunately for evangelicals of my ilk, there is another candidate in this race that already seems to share our common concerns and HE will be getting our vote this November. Go Obama.
How come we Catholics can be ridiculed and McCain is not appalled? Yet we make up over 30% of the electorate. The only reason why he "distances" himself from Hagee is because of the intolerable comments on Jews. When are Catholics going to be a protected group?
Hagee and his followers of ignorance were only stopped when they touched the third rail. How sad that so many Catholics will none the less vote for this man, even though he embraced such a stooge. I must say, until Senor Hagee's comments were made public, my vote was for McCain as well. Not now, not ever. My soul will not be sold to someone who will not stick up for us.
This is disgusting and if you are Catholic this is the last man you should be voting for at this stage. He will let people attack your belief system without sticking up for you!
Why do you nuts keep on trashing Bush. Do you not know about the 52 months of unbridled growth in the United States. Or are you willing to turn over your liberty to some whaco that has promgated the hoax of Global Warming?
We are Americans we don't have a taxing problem in the United States. We fought a war over a two cent tax. It appals me that now we are ready to give our freedom to these whacos that are planning toenslave us.
Wake up and smell the coffee. These people including Republicans do not have our intrest at heart. It is time to have another revolution. I'm going to vote none of the above this year.
Here come the Politically Correct Police again. Long ago, it was Ron Paul. A few months ago it was Romney who had to distance himself from his own church. Last month it was Obama. This month it is McCain.
Any way you look at it, ALL these guys feel that being PC is more important than their choices and beliefs and friends.
I have tremendous respect for Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama (alphabetical order), but some of the blogs I read make me think that the outmoded “Electoral College” is still a good idea. Have you people read or truly listened to what these candidates believe in or do you get your information from jaded sources? The internet is worldwide and when I read some of the distorted, hateful and uninformed Blogs, it worries me. I truly believe in free speech but I wish that the educational system in the BEST ( just my opinion) country in the world could be a little bit better.
Respect seems to be something that has been lost. That is so sad.
I think this will benefit Obama greatly because it will difuse the effect the Rev. Wright controversy would have on his campaign. Both Wright's and Hagee's views are abhorrent, and - with regards to the presidentian campaign - will hopefully cancel each other out. Then we can focus on who will be the better choice to lead the country.
Separation of church and state? – not so much.
http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/05/religious-political-endorsements.html
Perhaps McCain is learning.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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