Hagee: Pro-Israel, Anti-Semitic?

The Nation: Pastor John Hagee’s Views Surprises Many, Including Joseph Lieberman

(The Nation)  This column was written by Max Blumenthal.

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During a press conference at the 2007 Christians United for Israel Washington-Israel Summit, I asked CUFI Executive Director Pastor John Hagee about passages in his book "Jerusalem Countdown" in which he appeared to blame Jews for their own persecution. Hagee was visibly piqued by my question, insisting that his statements were directly inspired by the Book of Deuteronomy. When I attempted to ask Hagee a follow-up question, a public relations agent, Alison Silverman, the former assistant communications director for AIPAC, cut me off.

Moments later, a team of off-duty DC police officers hired by CUFI surrounded my co-producer and I and demanded that we immediately leave the conference, threatening us with arrest if refused to comply. You can view my exchange with Hagee and the ensuing fracas at 7:45 of my video report on CUFI's summit, "Rapture Ready:"

For nearly two years, a handful of independent journalists and I have raised the alarm about Hagee's long record of anti-Semitic statements. Until now, our reporting has been largely ignored by the mainstream press and the politicians who have clamored for Hagee's support. The supposedly "pro-Israel" groups that have joined with Hagee in support of Israeli military aggression, providing him with much-needed moral cover in the process, have also turned a blind eye to the pastor's Judeophobic tendencies.

Michelle Goldberg was, as far as I know, the first journalist to point out Hagee's Holocaust apologia, exposing his now-infamous "Hitler was a hunter" statement in a piece for the Huffington Post in November 2006. When AIPAC invited Hagee to headline its annual conference in March 2007, I noted Hagee's repugnant views on the Holocaust and his record of anti-Semitic remarks in a Huffington Post article entitled, "AIPAC Cheers an Anti-Semitic Holocaust Revisionist (and Abe Foxman Approves)."

Though this disturbing information was widely disseminated, and was accessible simply by Googling Hagee's name, the John McCain campaign courted Hagee's endorsement, and ultimately accepted it in a highly publicized ceremony three months ago.

Now, thanks to the work of the tenacious researcher Bruce Wilson, (see Bruce's video here) the website Talk2Action, and a massive push by the liberal blogosphere, the McCain campaign has been forced to cut ties with their most influential Christian right supporter. But McCain's reversal on Hagee's endorsement does not in any way signal that Hagee will suddenly recede from politics, or that the pastor's influence in Washington will wane. In fact, Hagee still maintains a close relationship with one of McCain's key political allies, a turncoat senator who is likely to become his secretary of defense if he is elected president: Joseph Lieberman.

During a banquet at CUFI's 2007 convention, I watched with astonishment as Lieberman strode to the stage, then compared Hagee to Moses (watch Lieberman's remarks at 5:30 of my video) "I want to take to opportunity to describe Pastor Hagee in the terms the Torah used to describe Moses," Lieberman declared. "He is an Ish Elohim. A man of God. And those words really do fit him. And I have something else," the senator continued. "Like Moses, he's become the leader of a mighty multitude. Even greater than the multitude that Moses led from Egypt to the Promised Land."

Was Lieberman aware at the time of Hagee's statements about Jews and the Holocaust? I don't know. But with McCain's tacit acknowledgment of Hagee's anti-Semitism, Lieberman must now decide: is Hagee a man of God, or just a mamzer?

[joyous88]

all you need to understand is that Hagee and Parseley

support bush and McSame,

criminals all,

and hardly veterans, McCains onlt veteran point came when he got shot down,

fighter pilots are all sent to flight training by their rich wealthy, important parents; to keep them safe.

[bluestardad]

AMERICA IS SLOWING REALIZEING THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL TO GO TO HEAVEN!

THIS NOTION OF BLIND SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL HAS BEEN PREACHED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND FOR THE LAST 60 YEARS HAS RESULTED IN THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN DEATHS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS SENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST WASTELAND!

AMERICA DEMAND WHAT IS IN AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST!

QUIT EATING THE GRASS LIKE SHEEP!

TAKE A STAND FOR YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOUR PARENTS HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR...STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[it_oldtimer]

Few, if any here, need either a right-leaning or left-leaning "media source" to tell us who and what Hagee really is: we can see him in-person on our own TVs every day, if we like, and easily decide for ourselves.

Hagee is your typical, obsessed religious whacko, media-empowered, money-grubbing, everybody-but-us hating, fire and brimstone breathing, southern tent-revival type tele-evangelist who claims to be virtually the only human being on the entire planet who TRULY understands just what the Bible supposedly means.

Yawn.

He lives on the donations of feeble-minded little old ladies in nursing homes, christian zenophobes and the just-plain-gullible or not-too-bright, and he is apparently good enough at fleecing them all to keep expanding his own little flock and gain some small measure of political power by means of his media presence.

In short, he''s just your average American Bible-Belt uber-Bigot. McCain was smart to distance himself from this nut, but it was probably already too late by the time he finally did so.

[joyous88]

Hagee;

he is just one of the mindless christians that brought

us GW Bush and the war in Iraq, now he had brought us

something else, the third term of McBUSHSame

[mtracy9]

It''s not surprising that many right-wing Israelis would have a certain empathy for Christian fascists (dispite the holocost). The reason is that these Israelis see the Christain fascists as doing their bidding in their support of Israel. Moreover, the old phrase "It take one to know one" is applicable here. Right-wing Israelis have a fascist mentality -- they are hyper-nationalist and also racist in their outlook toward Palestinians, although they would of course deny it vehemently. Remember that the Israelis supported the Christain fascists in Lebanon.

[it_oldtimer]

Hagee is only pro-Hagee. I tuned into his cable show recently (just for kicks) and was treated to the pious rantings of a certifiable lunatic.

(Let''s keep those contributions coming in, folks! Give [to us] until it HURTS!)

He''s a fat, greedy, ignorant Texas imbecile.

[brianbwb-2009]

"It is funny, anyone with the ability to understand Hagee''s semi literate english has known for years about his delusions, but Mr. McCain and Lieberman both feign surprise.

That says one of two things, either Mr. Lieberman and Mr. McCain will play Mr. Hagee and his followers as the suckers that they are, or underneath it all they both are of a similar view to Hagee.

[idnnsg]

S_Temper further proves his utter stu.pidity with this gem: "Mr. Blumenthal, Americans notice when you manufacture news stories to attack political candidates you personally oppose. We are not so easily fooled!"

Note to S_Temper: this article is an OPINION piece, clearly marked as such. It is NOT a "news story" and it does NOT pretend to be. Opinion pieces are SUPPOSED to express the author''s opinion, and Blumenthal does so in this article. He made no attempt at "manufacturing a news story", nor is he trying to "fool" you. He is stating his opinion, and he tells you about some of his experiences that support his opinion.

Now, crawl back to your FAUX News for another dose of lies, you insignificant maggot.

[idnnsg]

S_Temper claims: "Obama is a closet black Muslim who sympathizes with terrorists (Hamas, Hezbollah, etc.) and privately supports the jihad against Israel."

S_Temper is completely delusional. There is absolutely NO EVIDENCE that any part of his statement is true, but there is substantial evidence that it is a lie. You dittoheads and O''Liely worshipers have been brainwashed.

Furthermore, this article is NOT about Barack Obama; it is about the evil huckster Hagee who feeds you hate in exchange for your money, a con-man whose endorsement Johnny McShame actively and enthusiastically sought, even though his racial and religious bigotry was in plain sight for all to see.

[j_davis_meeb]

-Here''''s a news flash: Hagee will still vote for McCain to beat Obama, because Obama is a closet black Muslim who sympathizes with terrorists (Hamas, Hezbollah, etc.)

Posted by S_Temper at 04:40 PM : May 24, 2008

Hagee and all his Christbots will vote for McCain because McCain will ensure Hagee''s tax exempt status for Hagee''s radical PAC a.k.a Cornerstone Church while Hagee pockets millions in member''s "tithes". Hagee is nothing more than a gut-sprung Jesus business huckster.

[johnshaft4]

Mr. Blumenthal, your video was most excellent. Thank you. All people (in inspite of this "religious" insanity) must live togehter.

[jcr103]

McCain is so desperate to appeal to the "religious right" that he is willing to align himself with nutjobs like Hagee. The Republican Party in general and McCain in particular need to stop this ridiculous pandering...it only hurts the Party in the long run and gives people like Hagee a false sense of relevance.

[rayuk-2009]

Hagee and Lieberman are two nuts on the McCain team.
I don''t think you or I would want these two dudes protecting our back side.

[cfin5]

Hagee was not incorrect about who the "*** of Babylon is either. In the book of Revelation chapter 17 it describes this religious system and how it is going to be destroyed in one day. In verse 7, the Apostle John was even needed to be corrected by the angel who showed him the woman because he actually admired her and didn''t understand how deadly she was. If he was decieved for a time, so will most others I guess. By the way, the last verse of that chapter explicitly says,...."And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth"......ROME was indeed that city that ruled the world at that time. Today, it is the tiniest nation on Earth. And it is "The Vatican". And the Lord of Hosts commands his people to "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities".........Remember when Jesus said it would be better for someone to have a millstone tied around their necks and then thrown into the deepest sea than for someone offend a little child? A mighty angel (Rev. 18:21) describes Mystery Babylon''s destruction in this same manner. A very just destruction indeed for their crimes of PEDOPHILIA!

[cfin5]

Senator McCain and his voting history is by far more controversial than his "feelings" about hearing the truth. There are lots of things in the Bible that are not POLITICALLY CORRECT,....if not all of it. The Lord of Hosts loves Israel and he solemnly warned them what he would do to them if they rebelled from his covenant he made with Abraham. And just because it happened historically to them just like it says,.....McCain acts like his reputation and integrity are above Hagee''s simple reading the Words of the Lord? Don''t even the Jewish Rabbi''s teach the same "where''s and why''s" from the Book of the Lord?.

[skyk-2009]

When you look at some of the Hate filled and very bigoted statements of this "Minister" you have to wonder what kind of man actually SEEKS out such people. I believe he is like all the rest of the "ministers" in the Religious Reich in that they can justify just about any action, no matter how bad, with the bible. It brings back the days in my childhood when they came to our schools and defended the horrible "Equal but Different" idea with the Bible. There is NO good in any of these people and shame on McCain for seeking him out.

[joyous88]

hagee, bush , mCsame, whats the difference, hidden

beneath all their retoric and pumped up war mongering

are just some more mindless christian racists and

fascists, republicons are the new nazis''

[juwboy]

shahzad7:

In the early 1970s, Yasir Arafat and his Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) attempted a coup in Jordan from their HQ at a Palestinian refugee settlement near Amman, the capital.

Jordan''s response was swift and direct.

Jordan''s Army and Air Force shelled and bombed the refugee camp continuously, indiscriminately, relentlessly and mercilessly until no-one fired back.

After three days of incessant bombardment, 20,000 Palestinians were dead.

Unfortunatley, Yasir Arafat, in typical cowardly fashion, made his escape early in the proceedings.

shahzad7, I challenge you to name anything Israel''s done over a 3-day period that even comes remotely close to what Jordan did to 20,000 of its Moslem Arab brothers, sisters and innocent, little children.

[jimfinster]

ubrew12:

So true. It is interesting to watch such irrational behavior in our age of scientific accomplishment and reason.

[ubrew12]

Hagee believes that Gods chosen ones are Baptist Christians.

He cannot HELP but believe that Jews are doomed in SOME way.