McCain Meets With Billy and Franklin Graham

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

John McCain traveled to Montreat, North Carolina, today to meet with the prominent evangelist Franklin Graham and his father, Billy Graham. The meeting was requested by McCain and the three men met privately for about 45 minutes.

"My father and I were pleased to have an opportunity to meet and visit with Sen. John McCain today," Franklin Graham said in a statement. "The senator and I both have sons currently serving in the military, and also have a common interest in aviation. I was impressed by his personal faith and his moral clarity on important social issues facing America today."

Neither Graham endorses presidential candidates, but Billy Graham has been a spiritual counselor to every president since Harry Truman. "They're great leaders of this nation," McCain said. "I appreciate the opportunity to visit with them and I am very grateful for the time they spent with me."

Today was not the first time the Graham and McCain families have met. The elder Graham met with McCain's father, Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., years ago when McCain was a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam. "He visited my parents in Hawaii twice, and he and my father and mother prayed together for me," McCain said. "I expressed my appreciation for that a long time ago."

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by ianlou July 2, 2008 12:16 PM EDT: Finally McCain finds someone to talk to who is older than he is.; Reply to this comment


by bigsk8fan June 30, 2008 5:55 PM EDT: something odd about a religious leader supporting or being seen with a warmonger. doesn''t seem in keeping with christianity.; Reply to this comment


by amayzing5 June 30, 2008 3:05 PM EDT: I''m shocked that Billy or Franklin Graham would meet and praise McCain for his "personal faith and his moral clarity." WHAT? McCain who is the man who came home after being a prisoner (his main qualification for being president!) to find out that his wife had been in a horrific accident. She was no longer the beautiful woman she had been - of course taking care of the children all that time alone and being injured didn''t help. But he started seeing other women - including Cindy while he was still married. MORAL CLARITY???? And ended up divorcing his wife and marrying Cindy within a month! Why hasn''t our media brought this to the open? This man is not worthy to be in this race, yet alone president! And how Grahams could even meet with him without checking this out is amazing to me. What people do for publicity. Pass this info on to others that you know. If the media won''t we should!; Reply to this comment


by hungry1968 June 30, 2008 1:16 PM EDT: I hope all of the racists that keep complaining about Obama, are now going to criticize McCain for his ties to this terrorist.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 30, 2008 12:56 PM EDT: The Reverand Billy Graham was quoted on Bush%u2019s War was: %u201CWar doesn%u2019t case death, people are going to die anyway, and War just speeds it up%u201D.

The posing benevolent Reverend is simply a right wing shill no matter how ungodly the issue may be.; Reply to this comment


by jrnltsingty June 30, 2008 12:59 AM EDT: Who is McCain? You use phrases like "August reputaion", "Maverick", or the funniest them all "Straight Talker" LOL. That one makes me laugh. No, I am not a John McCain supporter. I am an ex-Republican. I voted (regretfully ) for G.W.Bush the last two election cycles. What I don''t understand is why the press feels the need to defend McCain. Some of you guys have this affinity towards him. In my opinion, if McCain is really who some of the media proport him to be ..."The truth needs no defense"...So why is the media always needing to defend McCain? I''d say this, it''s because your picture of him is false. Why won''t the religious get behind him? Because they know he isn''t real. The John McCain of the media is a lie. I can''t wait until this facade is truly burnt in the nations eyes. I doubt that Graham will endorse McCain or even hint to endorsing him. Billy Graham, who truly has a STELLAR REPUITATION, has never endorsed a political candidate. I think McCain was basically posturing to decieve the right into thinking their issues are close to him. He''s a llama who''s spit in the face of the religious right on more than one occaassion. Some in the press would call this , "breaking from his party", the MAVERICK LIE. McCain doesn''t do this because he''s a maverick, he does it because it is politically expedient for him. I''d like to suggest to anyine who wants to really see who he is to tak a look at "The real McCain2", at bravenewfilms.org.; Reply to this comment


by jrnltsingty June 30, 2008 12:59 AM EDT: Who is McCain? You use phrases like "August reputaion", "Maverick", or the funniest them all "Straight Talker" LOL. That one makes me laugh. No, I am not a John McCain supporter. I am an ex-Republican. I voted (regretfully ) for G.W.Bush the last two election cycles. What I don''t understand is why the press feels the need to defend McCain. Some of you guys have this affinity towards him. In my opinion, if McCain is really who some of the media proport him to be ..."The truth needs no defense"...So why is the media always needing to defend McCain? I''d say this, it''s because your picture of him is false. Why won''t the religious get behind him? Because they know he isn''t real. The John McCain of the media is a lie. I can''t wait until this facade is truly burnt in the nations eyes. I doubt that Graham will endorse McCain or even hint to endorsing him. Billy Graham, who truly has a STELLAR REPUITATION, has never endorsed a political candidate. I think McCain was basically posturing to decieve the right into thinking their issues are close to him. He''s a llama who''s spit in the face of the religious right on more than one occaassion. Some in the press would call this , "breaking from his party", the MAVERICK LIE. McCain doesn''t do this because he''s a maverick, he does it because it is politically expedient for him. I''d like to suggest to anyine who wants to really see who he is to tak a look at "The real McCain2", at bravenewfilms.org.; Reply to this comment


by mcvet-unity June 30, 2008 12:23 AM EDT: Liberals, Transgenders, Terrorist Apologists.

Unity of the Oppressed. Join the Pride Parade.

OBAMA 08!

1-800-DEM-BOYS (donate)
Change We Can Believe In!
Yes We Can!; Reply to this comment