McCain Receives Texas Mega-Church Pastor's Endorsement

By: Andante Higgins
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Dante Higgins:

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- John McCain received the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee citing McCain's pledge to defend Israel and his anti-abortion rights record as the main reasons for his support.

"He will be a strong courageous leader from the first day he steps in office," the evangelical leader said. "What Senator McCain, I feel, needs to do to bring evangelicals into his camp is to make it very clear that he is a strong defender of Israel and that he has a strong 24 year of being pro-life. And I think on those two issues they will get on common ground and have a common understanding," added Hagee, the pastor of Dallas' Cornerstone mega-church.

While Hagee is a much-needed conservative supporter he is known for his controversial writings about Armageddon and about Israel.

"Our support of Israel has nothing to do with an end of times scenario. Our support of Israel is because we feel their cause is just," Hagee said.

"All I can tell you is that I am happy to have Pastor Hagee's support," McCain said.

This isn't the first time Hagee has campaigned with McCain. He gave a soul-stirring speech at the Citadel back in September and he also introduced McCain at the "Christians United for Israel" conference in Washington D.C. last July.

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by akprayingmom February 28, 2008 2:14 AM EST: This must be the biggest episode of Fear Factor. John McCain refuses to debate Mike Huckabee!
Why? He says he is an American hero. McCain says He has won this nomination. Ok, yes he is an American hero. But this race is a long way from the end. If He is so sure that he has won this nomination, why does he refuse to debate his biggest rival? The only answer is that he is afraid if the American people hear another message, he won''t win the nomination. This is a travesty of justice. Shutting out the message of the only other viable candidate, is un- American. John McCain and the network media seem to have forgotten what the definition of American Hero is: Giving your all for the benefit of your country with out first thinking of yourself. John McCain and every news network that has crowned him king before the end of the race (receiving 1191 pledged delegates) are circumventing the fair and balanced election process by blocking the message of other viable candidates. The only reason for doing this is because you are all afraid that if McCain debates Mike Huckabee the voters might hear a different message than you want them to hear, and there goes your coronation!
McCain should start acting like an American hero and debate Mike Huckabee before March 4, 2008! Don''t let media and Washington insiders tell us how to vote, just to line their own pockets. VOTE HUCKABEE!!; Reply to this comment


by mrsmarrero February 28, 2008 1:55 AM EST: Since McCain refuses to debate Huckabee, perhaps we can get Hagee to debate Dobson. That would be an interesting exchange of ideas.; Reply to this comment


by KYJurisDoctor February 28, 2008 1:19 AM EST: This is the Evangelical breakthrough that John McCain needs to FINALLY steal some thunder from, and get rid of, Mike Huckabee.

http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-mccain-breaks-through-evangelical.html#links; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 February 28, 2008 12:39 AM EST: Let''''s do something before we are all taxed to death!!!!!

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Posted by js3834 at 07:46 PM : Feb 27, 2008
+ report abuse
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Were you yelling when Bush was running the deficit up to historic levels, chewing up the biggest surplus in American history, left to him by Bill Clinton.
Were you yelling, when in his first term, Bush never vetoed a spending bill, never, and never vetoed a spending bill until one dealing with stem-cell research, a bill that could help millions of Americans.
"Your riteous wrath doth ring as hollow in my ear.."; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 February 28, 2008 12:35 AM EST: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- John McCain received the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee citing McCain%u2019s pledge to defend Israel and his anti-abortion rights record as the main reasons for his support.
***************************

LOL, yes those are really two issues burning in the bellies of most Americans.
Forget Iraq, the economy, the deficit, health care, education, the enviornment, taxes, immigration, and corruption.

Just make sure to take care of Israel (which I support actually) and stick your nose into women''s private lives.

It just gets better and better.; Reply to this comment


by ixoye_02 February 27, 2008 11:38 PM EST: I don''t understand your indignation when Congress especially under the Republicans has had no significant oversight for both pork barrel projects and an 800-mile border fence. Where was your indignation then? We have spent billions in tax-payer money on Republican and GW Bush pet projects. It''s in the record. If Bush weren''t so pig-headed about protecting rich people''s money from taxes, America would have money to deal with significant domestic issues like security. Who in their right mind wouldn''t consider raising taxes in a time of war to pay for what America needs? Your complaint is minor compared to the many abuses heaped on the American people by Republicans and Bush; Reply to this comment


by js3834 February 27, 2008 10:46 PM EST: Please explain something: Obama had a bill pass the Senate Foreign Relations COmmittee last week by a voice vote, without any hearings. The bill is called the Global Poverty Act (S 2433) It would commit U.S. taxpayers to a tax to give money to foreign countries to help them eliminate poverty. Why hasn''t the public been made aware of this? Let''s do something before we are all taxed to death!!!!!; Reply to this comment