In 2004, a handful of Catholic bishops publicly bashed John Kerry for being pro-choice. That no doubt contributed to Kerry’s loss of the Catholic vote, despite his own Catholicism. Democrats took note. So in 2008, a high-ranking Catholic Democratic National Committee official is bashing John McCain over his endorsement this week from John Hagee:
“As a Catholic, I am personally offended by John McCain’s embrace of such a divisive figure. I join many others in the Catholic community calling on Sen. McCain to immediately distance himself from Hagee and denounce his remarks,” said DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon.
Minutes after the DNC announcement, John McCain issued this statement:
Yesterday, Pastor John Hagee endorsed my candidacy for president in San Antonio, Texas. However, 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.
I am hopeful that Catholics, Protestants and all people of faith who share my vision for the future of America will respond to our message of defending innocent life, traditional marriage, and compassion for the most vulnerable in our society.
The back and forth tells us two things. First, Democrats are no longer content to let Christian conservatives to enjoy a monopoly on alleging religious discrimination. Second, the McCain team is out of its depths in navigating the choppy waters of Christian Right endorsements. Will those two facts make religious voters more likely to embrace Democrats or to choose to stay home rather than pull the lever for McCain? God-o-Meter knows only that the outcome of the race may turn on the answer.
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posted March 1, 2008 at 7:56 pm
To embrace the devil is to sleep with him. As an ex-catholic and a devote believer in Christ, I am offended that McClain would stand on the same stage with this Hate Monger! McClain has lost a great many more votes than Catholic because of Hagee’s endorsement. What’s next? the KKK? I left the GOP when David Duke endorsed it. This is not God’s Old Party no matter what the Righteous Right may think.
posted March 2, 2008 at 12:03 pm
When the “right” embrace the wrong, it is their downfall.
posted March 2, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Can any evangelicals out there attest to how major/minor a figure Hagee is in the evangelical world?