John Hagee, another megachurch pastor in McCain's corner who spews hate and bigotry, has an endorsement so coveted by the Arizona senator that he just can't let go of it. In fact, the Tool said that he was "pleased to have the endorsement of Pastor John Hagee," who condemns Catholics, gays, women, blacks and more from the pulpit at the 17,000-member Cornerstone Church.
From McCain's statement:
"Well I think it's important to note that pastor John Hagee who has supported and endorsed my candidacy supports what I stand for and believe in. When he endorses me, it does not mean that I embrace everything that he stands for and believes. And I am very proud of the Pastor John Hagee's spiritual leadership to thousands of people and I am proud of his commitment to the independence and the freedom of the state of Israel. That does not mean that I support or endorse or agree with some of the things that Pastor John Hagee might have said or positions that he may have taken on other issues. I don't have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy. They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions." [McCain Media Availability, 2/29/08]
Here is a sampling of Hagee's beliefs - which of these does McCain endorse? From Right Wing Watch's "The Maverick and the Armageddon Advocate":
Last year, when John McCain's presidential campaign was floundering, we noted that he was making in-roads with fringe right-wing figures like Armageddon advocate John Hagee, who harbors a not-so-secret desire for the US to start a war with Iran in order to bring about the subsequent return of Jesus Christ.
At the time, there didn't seem much to worry about because McCain's campaign appeared dead-in-the-water and though, over the coming months, McCain continued to court Hagee, the pastor appeared content to stick to his rabid theologizing and warnings to the United States:
If America does not stop pressuring Israel to give up land, I believe that God will bring this nation into judgment, because I believe what this book says. And if God brings this nation into judgment, He will very likely release the terrorists that you've already let get here through the ridiculous immigration policy you refuse to stop, and this nation is going to go through a bloodbath that you have permitted because of what you have done. You have disobeyed the law of God, and now, we as a nation are going to pay a price for that.
Hagee on LGBT Americans
"The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment sometimes before the day of judgment." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
Hagee on Hurricane Katrina
"All hurricanes are acts of God because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
Hagee on Catholicism
"Most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews." [Jerusalem Countdown by John Hagee]
More filth below the fold.
Hagee on Women
"Do you know the difference between a woman with PMS and a snarling Doberman pinscher? The answer is lipstick. Do you know the difference between a terrorist and a woman with PMS? You can negotiate with a terrorist." [God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, Sarah Posner]
"[T]he feminist movement today is throwing off authority in rebellion against God's pattern for the family." ["Bible Positions on Political Issues," John Hagee]
Hagee on blacks
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Hagee was going to "meet with black religious leaders privately at an unspecified future date to discuss comments he made in his newsletter about a 'slave sale,' an East Side minister said Wednesday." The Express-News reported:
"Hagee, pastor of the 16,000-member Cornerstone Church, last week had announced a 'slave sale' to raise funds for high school seniors in his church bulletin, 'The Cluster.'
"The item was introduced with the sentence 'Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone" and ended with "Make plans to come and go home with a slave." [San Antonio Express-News 3/7/96]
Hagee on Iran
"The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty," Hagee wrote [in 2006] in the Pentecostal magazine Charisma. "Israel and America must confront Iran's nuclear ability and willingness to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. For Israel to wait is to risk committing national suicide." [The Nation, 8/8/2006, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060814/new_christian_zionism]
Hagee on Islamic Beliefs
Fresh Air host Terry Gross asked if Hagee believed that "all Muslims have a mandate to kill Christians and Jews," to which Hagee replied, "Well, the Quran teaches that. Yes, it teaches that very clearly." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
The opining of John McCain's squeeze John Hagee, on the Catholic church, calling it the "great whore" and "anti-Christ":
Remember, Tim Russert ignored Barack Obama's repeated public denunciations of Farrakhan and asked him about it multiple times during the last debate, even after Sen. Obama answered the question in no uncertain terms the first time. Obama learned about the wrath he could expect from associated with bigots the hard way with the McClurkin debacle.
McCain and the Republicans who court the religious right are never held to the same standard. McCain has been allowed to do this dance around it despite the senator's actually making appearances with on the road with people like Hagee and Rod 'imprison adulterers' Parsley, who have much to answer for, certainly as much as Farrakhan does.
12 Responses to “McCain’s other fundie bedmate, John Hagee”
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This kind of “endorsement-with-disclaimer” is the perfect way for candidates to talk out of both sides of their mouth. Especially when they’re not specific about what they do or don’t agree with, they can wave away the questions of the media and the fears of the centrist mass of voters.
At the same time, the people in Hagee’s camp can just say to themselves “well, of course he has to say that he doesn’t agree with everything we believe… those godless scumbags would never let him get away with it!” and rest assured that the endorsement does in fact mean quite a bit about McCain’s beliefs.
has he READ the Quo’ran? because it SPECIFICALLY STATES that other “PEOPLE OF THE BOOK” (like jews and christians) are to be lived with!!!!!!!!!
Wanna bet that Bill Donohue stays silent as a stone about Hagee?
The rubbish about Catholics and Nazis conspiring to create the Holocaust is also believed by–no surprise–Jack Chick:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0054/0054_01.asp
Oh, that guy. I remember him from the Max Blumenthal short. He’s the one who says Jews are to blame for anti-Semitism.
HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER THAN FARRAKHAN, PLEASE?!
Also, Blue Jean, check out this article - Donohue’s already out swinging. I mean, the man does refer to the Catholic Church as The Great Whore …
Huh. The link didn’t take. I meant this article: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/john_hagee_post.php
Blue Jean -
To answer your query regarding the blowhard leader of the Catholic League (Donohue), it seems that he’s none to happy about McCain’s acceptance of Hagee’s endorsement…
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/02/catholic-league-doesnt-heart-m.html
Here’s my sincere hope… that the Catholic godbags like Donohue and the Evangelical godbags like Hagee launch a full-scale war on each other and the end result is the destruction of both groups.
The best part of this election season is learning how much these various factions of conservatism can’t stand each other… and they think they’re going to be able to come together to elect a 71 year old guy who wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years and doesn’t know anything about the ecoonomy?
November can’t get here soon enough…
The rubbish about Catholics and Nazis conspiring to produce the Holocaust is also believed–no surprise–by Jack Chick:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0054/0054_01.asp
(I think the spam filter got my original comment; forgive any double post.)
Blue Jean, actually Bill Donahue has already been raising a stink about this:
http://www.catholicleague.com/release.php?id=1393
http://www.catholicleague.com/release.php?id=1394
http://www.catholicleague.com/release.php?id=1395
Also see Glenn Greenwald’s piece about this at Salon.
Amazing how Obama had to basically promise to shoot Farrakhan on sight (in response to an unsolicted, non-endorsement, that happened when the canidate was 1000 miles + away) but Mccain can appear in person and trumpet, the direct endorsement of a man who is roughly Farrakhan’s equivalent.
To be fair, the Quran does in fact specifically state that all Christians, Jews and other non Muslims are to be killed.
“2:193: And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)”
“9:29: Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
“47:4 So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah’s Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah’s Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost,”
Still, the main point is that Conservatives have long courted and still court religious support from people with much more radical vies than Reverend Wright.
To be fair, the Quran does in fact specifically state that all Christians, Jews and other non Muslims are to be killed.
“2:193: And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)”
“9:29: Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
“47:4 So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah’s Cause), those who disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives). Thereafter (is the time) either for generosity (i.e. free them without ransom), or ransom (according to what benefits Islam), until the war lays down its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to continue in carrying out Jihad against the disbelievers till they embrace Islam (i.e. are saved from the punishment in the Hell-fire) or at least come under your protection], but if it had been Allah’s Will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost,”
Still, the main point is that Conservatives have long courted and still court religious support from people with much more radical vies than Reverend Wright.