Did John McCain Know About Shameful Comments When He Sought
Endorsement?
WASHINGTON, March 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of his desperate
campaign to cozy up to the right wing of the Republican Party, John McCain
sought out and said he was "pleased to have the endorsement of Pastor John
Hagee." McCain's embrace of Hagee comes despite a history of intolerant
comments about Catholics, women, African Americans, Muslims, LGBT Americans
and even victims of Hurricane Katrina. When confronted with those comments,
McCain has repeatedly refused to denounce Hagee, saying only that "It's
simply not accurate to say that because someone endorses me that I
therefore embrace their views." [Associated Press, 3/3/08]
So which Hagee positions does John McCain endorse? His position that
Hurricane Katrina was punishment from God because "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] Or his "slave sale" where he
announced that participants should "make plans to come and go home with a
slave." [San Antonio Express-News, 3/7/96]
"John McCain's silence on John Hagee's discriminatory rhetoric speaks
volumes about how far he is willing to go to win the White House," said
Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. "If
John McCain won't say which of John Hagee's positions he supports or
whether he knew about Hagee's shameful commentary when he sought out his
endorsement, how can voters trust him to be a leader for all Americans? If
McCain expects to lead this country, he needs to do the right thing and
reject the brand of hateful and divisive politics that John Hagee
represents."
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 African Americans:
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]
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
http://www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.
|
