Will McCain Lose Catholic Votes?

Endorsement By Texas Televangelist John Hagee Conflicts With Catholic Backing

(AP)  Endorsed by an influential Texas televangelist, Republican John McCain endeared himself to one group of voters but risked alienating another with the pastor's anti-Catholic views.

The controversy has been mild so far, but still, every vote counts in a presidential election that is expected to be closely contested.

Evangelical or born-again Christian voters were key to George W. Bush's victories, but so were Roman Catholics, who chose Bush over their fellow Catholic John Kerry in 2004 and over Al Gore in 2000.

The televangelist, San Antonio megachurch leader John Hagee, has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and called it a "false cult system" and "the apostate church"; the word "apostate" means someone who has forsaken his religion.

He also has linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism.

McCain said he does not agree with some of Hagee's past comments. "It's simply not accurate to say that because someone endorses me that I therefore embrace their views," McCain told reporters at a news conference Monday in Phoenix.

Catholic groups are pressuring McCain to go further and reject the endorsement, which he announced at a news conference with Hagee last week. The Democratic National Committee also is publicizing Hagee's views.

"Indeed, for the past few decades, he has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue.

"Senator Obama has repudiated the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, another bigot," Donohue said. "McCain should follow suit and retract his embrace of Hagee."

He was referring to Barack Obama, who said he would "reject and denounce" any help from Farrakhan when pressed in last week's Democratic presidential debate.

It remains to be seen how much Hagee's views may hurt McCain's standing among Catholics, a group that can hardly be considered monolithic. Though they lean Republican, their views span the political spectrum and split nearly evenly along party lines.

Despite the recent publicity, Hagee is not well-known outside his sphere of influence, which includes a congregation in the tens of thousands and an even wider television audience.

"What he holds about Catholicism in my mind is despicable," said the Rev. James Heft, religion professor at the University of Southern California. "I totally reject Hagee's view of Catholicism, but I don't know how widely known it is."

If Hagee's views become well-known, the endorsement could hurt McCain among some Catholics.

"If you offend even a small percentage, that could make the difference in an election," Donohue said in an interview Sunday.

Democrats are doing their best to keep the fracas alive, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean raising it Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."

"What about a guy who is a vicious anti-Catholic, who is supporting John McCain, and John McCain does not denounce or reject him?" Dean said.

So far, McCain has enjoyed strong support from Catholics, who make up about a quarter of the electorate.

He won far more of the Catholic vote, 47 percent, than any of his Republican rivals thus far, according to exit polling. Mitt Romney won 30 percent and Mike Huckabee won 9 percent, doing well among Catholics in states where they did well overall, according to exit surveys in 21 presidential primary states.

McCain has been less popular among evangelical or born-again Christians, which is where Hagee comes in. Huckabee, himself a Baptist minister, courted Hagee last year by delivering a sermon at his church. McCain has lost or split support from those voters and is working to bolster his standing.

And McCain is not guaranteed support among Catholics, even though he opposes abortion and the two Democratic candidates, Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, support abortion rights.

While the church places utmost priority on its opposition to abortion rights, U.S. bishops issued voter guidelines last November saying Catholics may vote for someone who favors abortion rights - so long as the voter is not making his or her choice because of the candidate's position on abortion, and if the candidate supports other positions that substantially further the church vision of the common good.

Incidentally, McCain, Obama and Clinton belong to the Protestant faith; McCain was raised Episcopalian but now attends a Baptist church in Arizona.

McCain's response to the controversy has been tepid, Heft said. Following two days of criticism, McCain issued a statement saying only that he doesn't agree with everything Hagee says.

"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. Before issuing the statement, he told reporters he was "proud" of Hagee's spiritual leadership of his congregation.

The Arizona senator's reaction stands in contrast to President Bush, who specifically apologized to Roman Catholic leaders for "causing needless offense" when he visited Bob Jones University during the 2000 election. The Greenville, S.C., school teaches that Catholicism is a cult.

McCain's reaction also stands in contrast with his own swift and unequivocal denunciation of a radio talk show host who denigrated Obama last week in Cincinnati. McCain immediately apologized and said he repudiated the statements of the radio host, Bill Cunningham.

Of course, there are differences between the two figures. Hagee is a religious leader; Cunningham is a talk show host. Cunningham made his comments at a campaign event; Hagee's intolerant words and views have come outside the presidential campaign.

Regardless, Heft said McCain should be more specific and more emphatic, and soon.

"You don't want to blow it on simple matters that you could correct," Heft said. "He probably would be wiser just to say he rejects his views on Catholics."

[candide777]

Posted by mudrose at 04:11 PM : Mar 03, 2008

If you reject the teachings of the church you are not Catholic? What does this nonsensical statement mean? If you disagree with the Pope, the Bible, a Bishop, your Priest? They don''t even all agree with each other. Don''t be ridiculous. The majority of self-identified Catholics in this country, including the clergy, reject at least some part of the "teachings of the church," which are themselves in conflict.

[watcher269-2009]

What are they trying to HIDE?

The Bush administration%u2019s Executive Order 13233 underscores the new fact that presidential legacies, once the domain of academic historians and parlor game aficionados, have become a serious business %u2014 so much so that a president has mounted a Kremlinesque campaign to stifle the free dissemination of information. The Bush administration is playing for keeps.

Bush%u2019s Executive Order 13233 could change history %u2014 literally %u2014 by restricting historians%u2019 access to materials that help them document and ultimately judge a president%u2019s actions, lapses, and principles.

Executive Order 13233 gives ex-presidents nearly unlimited discretionary authority to prohibit the release of their papers, and allows them to name designees who can act in their stead. Moreover, a sitting president may also prevent the release of a predecessor%u2019s papers %u2014 as Bush has already done with some of Ronald Reagan%u2019s papers %u2014 even when the predecessor has authorized his papers%u2019 release. These are radical encroachments on the public%u2019s access to documents that were produced in the public interest, at public expense, by officials elected by the public. Citizens can challenge these decisions in court, but the expense and time commitment will discourage most people from trying.

[ixoye_02]

The Rev. John Hagee is nothing more than a modern-day Pharisee. And Hagee will take his "***" comment and answer for it before God. I don''t need to quote any scripture to prove my point. Let''s hope Hagee doesn''t call down judgment on himself for his own lack compassion. The problem with the Republicans and modern-day evangelicals is that they are quick to criticise and condemn anyone who doesn''t follow their ideas and lifestyle. And Republicans and evangelicals think they have a corner on truth and righteousness. Well, if all that be true, how come their leaders have been involved in sexual scandal, lying, and cheating? Certainly God''s judgement burns against these types of actions too, don''t you think? And the people are sick and tired of these leaders who show nothing but contempt, yet spew lies like gushing water. This is your crowd, John McCain. You''re toast!!!

[kansas1946]

Since McCain has the nomination all but sewed up, why would he be running to the right with this piece of sewage, Hagee? He needs to be going towards the middle. Of course, I think it is great, because I will vote for a Democrat, so the further right he goes, the better for a Democrat.

[kansas1946]

Good thing to know that McCain has the Rightwing Hate vote. I thought the Klan might sit this one out.


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Posted by wfbdem at 05:26 PM : Mar 03, 2008
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LOL. That tickeled my funnybone, wfbdem. I bet the Klan is having a problem with this one!! What is this country coming to. A woman, a black, and a guy soft on immigration. Poor KKK. Maybe they will run their own candidate.

[kansas1946]

Catholics need to understand that the evangelicals just used them to promote their anti-choice agenda. They will never like Catholics or accept their religion. And the Republican party has never promoted values that have traditionally been the mainstays of the Catholic faith.

[wfbdem]

Well, I take it then you''''re voting for McCain? I most certainly am. After all when you''''ve got Farraken endorsing RamaLama and the Devil endorsing Hillary, I''''m not worried about some protestant preacher''''s rants.

Posted by mudrose

Good thing to know that McCain has the Rightwing Hate vote. I thought the Klan might sit this one out.

[mudrose-2009]

News organizations are such s**t stirrers. As if Catholics would vote for Kerry just because he was born in to a Catholic family. If you reject the teachings of the church, then you aren''''t really a Catholic.

As for this televangilist, I''''d like to know what makes him so sure he''''s got goods.....such that he feels superior to other faiths.

I prefer to put my faith in the one that has been around since the beginning rather than one of the multitude of protestant faiths that developed after the reformation....20,000 of them and counting.
Posted by Infidel_US

Well, I take it then you''re voting for McCain? I most certainly am. After all when you''ve got Farraken endorsing RamaLama and the Devil endorsing Hillary, I''m not worried about some protestant preacher''s rants.

[infidel_us]

News organizations are such s**t stirrers. As if Catholics would vote for Kerry just because he was born in to a Catholic family. If you reject the teachings of the church, then you aren''t really a Catholic.

As for this televangilist, I''d like to know what makes him so sure he''s got goods.....such that he feels superior to other faiths.

I prefer to put my faith in the one that has been around since the beginning rather than one of the multitude of protestant faiths that developed after the reformation....20,000 of them and counting.