McCain Faces Fire Over Minister's Views

Presumptive GOP Nominee Faces Questions Over Rev. John Hagee's Provocative Preachings

(CBS)  Today, it was Republican frontrunner John McCain's turn to answer mounting questions about one of his supporters, Rev. John Hagee, a San Antonio pastor with a worldwide broadcast ministry, reports CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield.

Hagee has offered some highly provocative views on a variety of subjects.

For instance, he linked Hurricane Katrina to the gay rights movement: " … All of the city was punished because of the sin that happened there in that city."

He has also denounced the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore of Babylon" and "a cult." He blames it for the Holocaust and predicts its imminent demise.

"This is the apostate church," Hagee said. " … this false religious system is going to be totally devoured by the anti-Christ."

In a statement, Catholics United said: "We hope Senator McCain will take the principled position of publicly and unequivocally distancing himself from Pastor Hagee's anti-Catholic comments."

And Bill Donahue of the Catholic League offered a tougher view: "I do want a clear-cut statement from McCain saying that he knows Catholics have been offended, when this man hagee calls my religon the great whore and a false cult system."

Today, Sen. McCain offered carefully measured words: "I don't have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy," he said. "They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions."

The question is whether Pastor Hagee's view on the Catholic Church constitutes "a position" or a view that the presumptive Republican nominee has to address head on.

This dust-up may also make it a lot tougher for Republicans to criticize Barack Obama for some of his more controversial supporters.

[paris1969]

if voters can overlook Farrakhan and Obama ... McCain has nothing to worry about with this poisonous pastor!

[kansas1946]

if voters can overlook Farrakhan and Obama ... McCain has nothing to worry about with this poisonous pastor!


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Posted by paris1969 at 07:32 PM : Feb 29, 2008
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I agree. It is a free country and people can support who they want. I do hope this slime-ball pastor endorses him formally from the pulpit though, so maybe he can lose his tax exempt status. Now that would be a good thing.

[soldat44]

Hagee is a heretic and meglomaniac. He is preaching a story of hate and vengence. God help him.

[rayuk-2009]

Hagee is just one of the right wing religious carzies that make up the Republican Party. Say goodby McCain, say goodby Hagee and all you other crazies. Your end is near and richly deserved.

[undermyboot]

The Republican embrace of the Christian Taliban will strangle the party until it moves back to Goldwater/Ike/Reagan/Buckley ideals. This is what happens when you pander to hate mongers and religious zealots in order to win elections. It IS that simple.

[samthetvcat]

If McCain loses the general election, I wonder whether he''ll come back to this issue and apologize once again for his "sacrifice of principle for personal ambition."

You do it once, people will forgive; you do it twice, people will not forget . . .

[samthetvcat]

PS That ''sacrifice for personal ambition'' apology was with regards to his flip-flopping over SC wanting to fly the confederate flag on a government building . . .

[smirk5]

He has also denounced the Roman Catholic Church as "the great *** of Babylon" and "a cult." He blames it for the Holocaust and predicts its imminent demise.

"This is the apostate church," Hagee said. " %u2026 this false religious system is going to be totally devoured by the anti-Christ."

""all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee''s support."
John McCain

[Macstyler]

Hagee is also the founder of CUFI (Christians United For Israel) a powerful fundraiser which has big shots in DC drooling for membership. I have Jewish friends so I watched the CUFI broadcast out of curiosity. Top members of both the Democrat and Republican leadership for the Senate and Congress were in attendance and giving speeches. I''m an Independent who is fiscally Liberal and socially Conservative and I have a half-brother who is a well-known televangelist. That said, I found Hagee''s ''Goofy CUFI'' to be an abomination. The money is raised to convince Jews to become Christians. Novel concept but foremost is Hagee''s tactic of having these clueless legislators use the perjorative term ''Zionist'' when referring to Israelis. This is much to the satisfaction of Conspiracy theorists and Muslim extremists everywhere. While I respect McCain, I''m not a big fan of his. McCain should consider repudiating his association with Hagee or he may find it backing him into an unwelcome corner of yet another box he finds it difficult to get out of.

[walt1944-2009]

John "the Great Prentender" McCain has found himself in a religious mess over an evangelist who thinks HIS church is the only church (and the only one to give money to, naturally) and everyone else will end up in hades!

McCain''s answer to all this is the typical neocon Fascist Nazi GOP answer: I''ll take what they give me, but I don''t have to give anything back! Trouble is, that is not the way politics works. Everyone knows that if you give a politician something, you would expect them to return the favor, which is what I am sure McCain will do if he makes it to the throne in the Oval Office.

After all, we wouldn''t want the "kooks" and "crazys" on the religious right mad at the neocon Fascist Nazis now, would we!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!
sig heil, McCain???

[taylpatr]

"In the begaining, man created God in his own image." There''s nothing like religion to ruin a good relationship with God. I''m sorry, but I don''t see anything "Christian" about the republican agenda. They want to take from the poor and give to the rich. They lie and cheat(Florida,2000)and steal(Native American Treaty''s). Like Jesus would ever own a gun or give a rich guy a tax break. Get real!

[sgtrds]

John Hagee is a seriously sick, mentally ill creature. Now he has McCain bending down to kiss his as*s though, just like he now kisses Bush''s too. Pathetic. If McCain had any honor, self-respect or shame left he''d shoot himself in the head.

[mcvet]

What is it with McCain? What about the words WE THE PEOPLE is it he does NOT understand. It seem''s, no matter if it''s over Trade Agreements or Religion, he wants to represent a few and the rest have to just accept what the few wants. I really do not think he would be a very good President. He has a dictatorial approach to the job and it''s a REPRESENTATIVE position as Bush has found out the HARD way. Now we need someone who is going to bring people together. Who is going to listen to those people and figure out a way to make what the PEOPLE want happen. Telling people their jobs are gone and they''re just going to have to accept that is NOT Representing them, that''s dictating to them. Taking sides between citizens on the issue of Religion, accepting the help and support of a Religious leader then pretending they don''t matter? Nope can''t do that either.

[sgtrds]

Five will get you ten that John Hagee is really singinrick.............

[mcvet]

While I respect McCain, I''''m not a big fan of his. McCain should consider repudiating his association with Hagee or he may find it backing him into an unwelcome corner of yet another box he finds it difficult to get out of.


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Posted by MacStyler at 09:14 PM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse

Yes, with the LIES told about the Neo Nazi the other night in Ohio, you do begin to wonder about the man that''s for sure. It seems like he wants the support and work of these Radical people in the Klan and the Neo Nazi''s but wants people to just look the other way while they spread their vile hate and division. We already have that and frankly that''s the last thing we need more of. Sieg Heil and Amen

[mcvet]

Five will get you ten that John Hagee is really singinrick.............


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Posted by SgtRDS at 10:07 PM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse

No chance I take that bet! LOL

[mcvet]

John Hagee is a seriously sick, mentally ill creature. Now he has McCain bending down to kiss his as*s though, just like he now kisses Bush''''s too. Pathetic. If McCain had any honor, self-respect or shame left he''''d shoot himself in the head.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 10:04 PM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse

I do agree though. It does seem that McCain is gathering up all these very sick and hate filled people. I think he believes that''s the only way he can win and I think it''s something the Average American is not going to go along with.

[sgtrds]

No chance I take that bet! LOL

Posted by MCVet at 10:09 PM : Feb 29, 2008

The hate level is about the same and so is the insanity level. If he''s not singinrick then they''re soul brothers for sure.

;-)

[miles1967-2009]

Just another in a long line of examples of how that "Maverick" John McCain has been hijacked by the intolerant religious right.

[sgtrds]

I think it''''s something the Average American is not going to go along with.

Posted by MCVet at 10:11 PM : Feb 29, 2008

I agree. The independents and moderate republicans are leaving the GOP in droves because of more of the same right wing/religious extremists views and people we''ve suffered with the past 7 years.

[dfv21102]

Thanks Kansas! Great idea, but you know televangelists like Hagee will be able to sidestep anything they throw in front of him.

People are calling him "fanatic" "loony" "crazy" but these sobriquets won''t work either. However, if we called Hagee a moralizing moron, some of his "flock" might not like being identified as "idiots". BTW: Benny XVI is do to arrive in the States soon. Hagee should meet him at the airport - along with McCain.

[myidoncbs]

Hagee has said, "Christians don''t steal or lie, they don''t get divorced or have abortions." ("The Fish Gate" 9/2/07)

Someone should tell Hagee that "McCain was involved in an extra-marital affair when he filed to divorce his first wife, Carol, in January 1980." He then married into money to finance his political career.

Now, that''s what we like to call "GOP morality"!

[pvperson]

And again McCain shows his pandering side. What happened to this mans ethics?

[dfv21102]

Great idea Kansas! But you know that Hagee is one televangelist who won''t be questioned or investigated. BTW: Benny XVI is due for a visit soon. Hagee and McCain should meet him at the airport. We haven''t had a good Christian ********** in years!

[rbpony5]

Looks like McCain has his own Farakkhan. Do you reject or denounce Hagee, Mr. McCain? Neither? So where is your honor and principles you talk about?
Pandering again?

[miles1967-2009]

McCain spent Friday tried to distance himself from evangelical leader John Hagee, whose endorsement HE EMBRACED on Wednesday DESPITE the pastor''s controversial views about the Catholic Church.

"In no way did I intend for his endorsement to suggest that I in turn agree with all of Pastor Hagee''s views, which I obviously do not," McCain said in a statement. Hagee wrote a book that claimed Adolph Hitler and the Catholic Church joined in a conspiracy to destroy Jews.

[pensacola88]

Hagee is a good example why there is a separation of church and state.

This man is a hateful fanatical extremist.

John McCain needs to put some distance from him, or face losses simply for his associations.

How can any Commander in Chief have a healthy diplomatic relationship with any country with Hagee only a few feet away speaking for him?

Republicans have crossed over to the Obama camp because McCain can''t divest himself away from fanatical extremist associations.

[kansas1946]

Why is McCain even standing by this guy in the picture. I wouldn''t be caught in the same building with him, let alone right next to him. He is just another Pat Robertson. If I were a Republican, I would be horrified that this guy liked my party. If my party appealed to him and his ilk, I think I would be looking to make some big changes in my party.

[kansas1946]

Great idea Kansas! But you know that Hagee is one televangelist who won''''t be questioned or investigated. BTW: Benny XVI is due for a visit soon. Hagee and McCain should meet him at the airport. We haven''''t had a good Christian ********** in years!


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Posted by dfv21102 at 10:45 PM : Feb 29, 2008
+ report abuse
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LOL, now THAT I would pay to see!

[ubrew12]

McCain has John Hagee
Obama has Louis Farakkan

I pray someday that God devalues the place of religion in American public life, to where mere preachers don''t inspire such attention from politicians. Humility is the first principle of religion, and the first discarded by a Hagee or a Farakkan.

[flreason]

I used to think that McCain was a man of principle. Perhaps he was at one time, but his ambition has taken him over. I think he hears the clock ticking and sees this as his last chance at greatness. What a shame that he would sacrifice his true greatness for what would be a hollow victory, if successful.

[hawksprings]

CBS News, may we please see and expose on Obama''s pastor?

[kansas1946]

McCain was pressed on the issue Friday morning in Round Rock, Texas. Hagee "supports what I stand for and believe in," McCain said.

"When he endorses me, that does not mean that I endorse everything that he stands for and believes in," McCain said. "I don''t have to agree with everyone who endorses my campaign."

He added that he was "proud" of Hagee''s spiritual leadership of his congregation at the 17,000-member Cornerstone Church.
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OK, above is how McCain is handling this piece of human filth. He is "proud of his leadership." Any respect I EVER had for John McCain is kaput. This is the same bunch of slime-balls that crucified (forgive the pun) him in 2000. I think John wants to win so bad that he would kiss Satan himself to do it. This pastor is no Christian, only a seller of hate. Unfortunately there seem to be a lot of buyers.

[libra127]

As bad as any other of Hagee''s beliefs is his contention that Hurricane Katrina was caused by "sin in the city", particularly "the gay rights movement". How can any man fit to be President of the United States associate in any way whatsoever with someone who has such silly, medieval views ? McCain better distance himself at once from this man or else pay the consequences at election time. It is completely irrational to attribute hurricanes to "sin".

[ontheleft]

Gee, this sounds similar to those attacks on Obama about his church and also Farrakhan.

Republicans can''t stand a taste of their own medicine.

[shingles1]

"McCain has John Hagee
Obama has Louis Farakkan"

Except Obama never ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT nor WELCOMED the endorsement of Farrakhan, unlike McCain who has appeared repeatedly ON STAGE with Bigot Hagee. Which is a huge difference.

Yet except for CBS News - you''ve gotta give them props for covering this story - the rest of the press are giving their BFF McCain a pass.

So, why the double standard? Either:

1) the mainstream press finds nothing wrong with anti-Catholic bigotry.
2) black public officials are held to a higher standard than white public officials in these matters.
3) the press is allowing it''s love affair with John McCain to get in the way of actually doing their jobs.

Whatever answer you pick, the difference in how these two similar stories are being covered reveals something fundamentally wrong and corrupted with our political press corps.

[ontheleft]

''How can any man fit to be President of the United States associate in any way whatsoever with someone who has such silly, medieval views ?''
Posted by libra127 at 12:15 AM

Hard as it may be to believe, 30-40% of the population actually think this way. They''re called right wing fundamentalist Christians. That''s who McCain needs to appeal to.

BTW the earth is only 6000 years old. Look it up on conservapedia and learn the facts.

[jimfinster]

I love the irony in this, after the neocon attacks on Obama...

[samthetvcat]

How do these endorsements come about . . . did McCain actually seek out this guy''s endorsement knowing this guy was such a wing-nut? Because he''s like announcing his endorsement on stage with McCain in what appears to be a campaign-related event with the backdrop. I don''t think McCain seeking out this guy''s endorsement shows good judgment on his part if that''s the case - it''s not like Barack sought out the endorsement of Farakkan . . .

I wonder whether this pastor maybe decided to endorse McCain to see whether he''d denouce and reject the platform and McCain after having sought out the endorsement then got put on the spot. I don''t think that shows good foresight either if that is also the case . . .

[brianbwb-2009]

Today, Sen. McCain offered carefully measured words: "I don''t have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy," he said. "They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions."

Had Mr. Obama "offered carefully measured words" about Minister Farrakhan, the neocons would go ballistic.

Point by point, the masks of the racists are being removed, and their true motivation is becoming more obvious.

[shingles1]

Shortly after the release of his book last January, he launched Christians United for Israel (CUFI), a lobbying organization intended, he says, to be a Christian version of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee. With CUFI, which Hagee has said will cause a "political earthquake," the televangelist aims to put the political organizing muscle of the conservative evangelical movement behind his grand plan for a biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation, and Second Coming of Christ.

-from a Sarah Posner article on Hagee in the American Prospect

[brianbwb-2009]

It is morbidly humorous that the vast majority of the most virulently intolerant excuses for human are drawn to the Republican party, and they wonder why "Black" people, and other ethnicities won''t vote for them.

The Republicans at one time courted the Hispanic vote, seeking to play on the frictions between the Hispanic and "Black" communities, but since the majority of Hispanics are also Catholic, they just blew their chances away, and will now suffer a landslide loss to the Demopcrats.

We can only hope that the mandate will help the Democrats recover their spirit to advocate for the common man.

[mike71067]

Funny how the liberal CBS article attempts to bash McCain when McCain has already distanced himself from this clown. Leave it to the libs to make news where none exists.

I love the wishful thinking at the end of the article: "This dust-up may also make it a lot tougher for Republicans to criticize Barack Obama for some of his more controversial supporters."

Does the liberal news media even try to hide their bias anymore? Sorry losers - there''s nothing here.

[brianbwb-2009]

"This is the apostate church," Hagee said. " %u2026 this false religious system is going to be totally devoured by the anti-Christ."

Listen to this medicated babbling ***, if you believe in the Christian Protestant religion, and somehow can twist your brain to accept this idiot''s views, then the question that defies logic is why would the "Anti Christ" destroy a "false church", as it would seem to serve the "Anti Christ''s" purpose so well?

[mike71067]

"Point by point, the masks of the racists are being removed, and their true motivation is becoming more obvious."
-Posted by brianbwb at 12:28 AM : Mar 01, 2008

You''re right. Bill Clinton really opened our eyes a few weeks ago, didn''t he!

[samthetvcat]

mike71067, well why did McCain repudiate Cunningham but not this guy? Cunningham may have used Barack''s middle name a couple of times, but this Hagee guy''s to the right of Jerry Falwell. What does he even mean when he says that Catholics are the ''great ****** of Babylon''? I don''t even understand how he arrives at that conclusion . . .

[brianbwb-2009]

You''''re right. Bill Clinton really opened our eyes a few weeks ago, didn''''t he! Posted by mike71067

Well he might have opened yours, but I had him pegged from the start. The only reason he ran as a Democrat was that at the time, Republicans were not going to win. Bush Sr. had basically made that impossible.

[andrew_693]

well now we know that McCain is anti catholic, all catholics you know now who to vote for. The same goes for all the ***. The only people voting for this bigot will be the big business that sold our country out, the traitors, the dead, the fear mongers and the imbread crowd.

[shingles1]

"Funny how the liberal CBS article attempts to bash McCain when McCain has already distanced himself from this clown. Leave it to the libs to make news where none exists. - mike71067"

Last I checked McCain''s mealy mouthed "carefully measured words" are not quite in the same league as Obama being asked to "reject and denounce" Farrakhan again and again. Particularly since Obama never asked for Farrakhan''s support in the first place. Unlike McCain and the clown pastor Hagee.

And you think the media are biased against McCain.

Two stories with uncanny similarities - yet the Obama one gets major press, while the McCain one minimal press. Come on, McCain''s been getting a free ride. As Chris Matthews said, "The press loves McCain. We''re his base."

[incog-nito]

Today, Sen. McCain offered carefully measured words: "I don''t have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy," he said. "They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions."

Why can''t he answer a simple question: Does he or does he not agree with the statements made by Rev. John Hagee?