A prominent evangelical leader on Wednesday endorsed likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain as he tries to shore up his support among a powerful bloc that has responded tepidly to him so far.
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(Photo: AP Images / Gerald Herbert)Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a press conference with Rev. John Hagee, a televangelist from Cornerstone Church, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in San Antonio, Texas, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008.
The Rev. John Hagee, a televangelist and pastor of the 17,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, endorsed McCain at a news conference.
"John McCain is a man of principle," said Hagee, citing McCain's anti-abortion voting record and his support of Israel.
Hagee is a leader among Christian Zionists and has argued vigorously from the pulpit and in writing for Israel's right to settle disputed territories.
His endorsement of McCain follows grumbling among other conservative Christian leaders who have suggested possibly running a third-party candidate because of continuing discontent with McCain. Some hope that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist pastor, might still mount an improbable comeback.
But Hagee, who gave Huckabee his pulpit for a Sunday in December, said Wednesday he believes that if McCain emphasizes his support for Israel and his 24-year record against abortion, reluctant evangelical voters will be coaxed into the McCain camp.
Some conservative Christian leaders have been reluctant to back McCain because he supports relaxing restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research and has previously worked with Democrats on issues like a guest worker program for migrant workers.
In McCain's 2000 bid, he dismissed televangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell as "agents of intolerance." That rhetoric from the often blunt senator has been absent in this campaign.
Hagee said if McCain emphasizes his anti-abortion record and his support of Israel, evangelicals will "find enough common ground" to support him.
Huckabee has been campaigning heavily in Texas, hoping that a March 4 win in the delegate-rich state with a heavy faction of social conservatives could revive his campaign. He gained support from Dallas Cowboys legend Cliff Harris, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Huckabee campaign. The two share the same alma mater, Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark.
Despite the endorsement, he is far behind McCain in recent polls of Texas voters and in the delegate count nationally.
McCain said he respects Huckabee's desire to stay in the race and has not considered a running mate as a result. But "I hope we can close it out on Tuesday night," he said at midday Wednesday meeting with employees of USAA, a financial services company for military personnel and retirees.
McCain took questions from employees on issues ranging from the economy to health care, and again, he reiterated his support for the war in Iraq.
When asked about his position on the touchy issue of the border fence, he tried to sidestep it, saying he hopes federal officials and Texas landowners can agree on where to put it.
McCain's first responded by joking, "This meeting is adjourned," when asked how he would balance the need for border security with individual property rights.
The Arizona senator then promised he would look into the issue, which has border landowners fearful the fence will cut through their property, blocking them from the only fresh water source in the area. Texas's border with Mexico is far more populated than the border areas in Arizona.
"It seems to me that borders are borders and there should be agreements between the landowners and the federal government (for the fencing). At the same time, there has to be these barriers to illegal immigrants coming across the border," he said.
McCain said overall, he believes the first priority is border security and that after the border is secure, temporary work permits for those who want to come to the United States should be granted.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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If he can't come clean on his stand on marriage and birth, I may as well go democratic. I
think he needs to think it thru very carefully
And to you Huck fans, do you really believe Huckabee is the best the Evagelical Christian world can muster? If so count me even more happy to not be counted among you. Huckabee is a weak candidate.
citsonga - I'll grant you that Obama is intelligent and articulate. It isn't his abilities that worry me. It is his positions I have a serious problem with, as should any free-market conservative. He says "no one who works should be poor". Huh? really? See, in the world I live in, no one who works at a vlued skill IS poor. I've never met a poor doctor. I've never met a poor college professor. gain a valuable skill and you'll never bo poor. If you are poor, you're skills aren't valuable. It's that simple. But for Obama to try and subvert reality shows us his true colors. He's a socialist.
Huickabee still lacks the delgates of Romney. Mitt could rejoin after a feww weeks off and be ahead of Huck. That's pathetic. Huck jumped the shark long ago. Conservative need to get behing McCain or live through four years of Obama's bizarro world policies, where reality is suspended in favor of lollipops and rainbows.
Huck states he wants to amend the US constitution to make it a more "christian nation" huck has no chance after making statements like that. The vast majority of Americans are not interested in the establishment of a theocratic "Christian States of America"
.......Go OBAMA
profX "we will be living in the age of antichrist right smack through the tribulation to the horror of many "
Yeah, they were saying the same thing about JFK. Whenever an intelligent, articulate leader comes around the world, Christians bring up the mythical antichrist. Good luck with that professor
Truly, truly I say unto you, if Mike Huckabee's voice is not heard somewhere in the white house, Barak Hussein Obama will be the next president of the United States. (period) And thus we will be living in the age of antichrist right smack through the tribulation to the horror of many and especially to the horror of John Hagee.
Truly truly I say unto you. If Mike Huckabee's voice is not heard somewhere in the white house, Barak Hussein Obama will be the next president of the United States. (period) And thus we will be living in the age of antichrist right smack through the tribulation to the horror of many.
You know what? I am so displeased with the republican party right now about how they have not paid closer attention to Mike Huckabee's Campaign and strategic plan to help this country that I by conviction must vote for Mike Huckabee as my write-in candidate if he is at the very least not selected as McCains running mate. Mow our nation is headed either to more war or socialism all because we have allowed the arrogant media and political masons to cherry pick the variour nominees of the two largest political parties. Meanwhile, various interest groups who once detested McCain are now jocking for position to be his "lap dog." I have always liked John McCain and never had anything bad to say about him. But I like Mike Huckabee a bit better. Texas and Ohio just vote for Mike Huckabee just this one time.
Please do not promote Hagee as an evangelical. He is passionate. He is pro-Israel. He is whatever. But he is not evangelical. To lump him in with evangelicals both is uninformed and misleading. Many evangelical leaders would never share a platform with the dude and consider him to be heretical in some of his teachings. Don't lose readers by not knowing your stuff.
RBB "Since you know nothing about me, or my views (I have expressed none, only tried to answer your questions) perhaps you could tell me in what way I have shown hatred."
I was mocking you. You are the one that started the character attack with "How sad that you can't see past your hate" I would like to know from you where I express hate.
you stated "You on the other hand have been quite venomous and nasty about Christians and about a president that you evidently know little about. "
I have not, I do say I generally disagree with christians (and other religions) and at times I do go on the attack when I am told that I am inferior because I am an agnostic and not a christian and that me and my family are going to the an eternal torture because we dont "beleive" the right stuff. As far as bush is concerned, I know plenty about him as do the majority of Americans (at long last). Majority of Ameircans and I see that he has been a disaster as prez, he is arrogant and ignorant- his record shows that.
you stated "Making false accusations against me isn't going to change any of that. It will however keep me from reading or responding further. "
remember, you are the one that started the personal attack, I was simply mocking you......
citsonga - Since you know nothing about me, or my views (I have expressed none, only tried to answer your questions) perhaps you could tell me in what way I have shown hatred. I simply asked you to give reasons to vote for Obama. You on the other hand have been quite venomous and nasty about Christians, and about a president that you evidently know little about. It isn't my fault that you can't name even one reason for voting for Obama, one thing that he's accomplished, or any atheist-based charities. Making false accusations against me isn't going to change any of that. It will however keep me from reading or responding further.
thoughtful in washington "We Conservatives ought not to let others tell us what to do. We should join forces behind Huckabee and make sure McCain does not garner the 1191 delegates needed to win."
Its a bit late for that, mccain will be the nominee but not to worry, Sen Obama will be the next president.
How sad that the evangelical leaders are backing someone whose history, language, and life do not support Conservative Republican Christians. As the article says, McCain has called evangelicals "agents of intollerance." This was referring to Pat Robertson who has also come out in support of McCain. It is quite obvious that these so-called leaders are more concerned about the Party than their Faith. A truly sad commentary.
All the endorsements in the world will not help the true conservatives vote for McCain. Those of us who vote for principles just can't do that. If the "presumptive" candidate wins, you can predict that the Democrats will take over in November. I will not vote for McCain out of fear. I vote to match my beliefs. And I am sure I am not alone.
As opposed to McCain who has to "look into" what to do about our borders, Mike Huckabee has a strong, firm, plan that is as kind as possible. Have we forgotten that just last summer all the conservative talk shows were going crazy about the immigration bill that McCain helped write and supported. It was amnesty for 12 to 20 million people. Think of what that will do to Social Security and our welfare rolls. Please don't think McCain has changed his mind. Now these conservatives are trying to put him into the White House.
We Conservatives ought not to let others tell us what to do. We should join forces behind Huckabee and make sure McCain does not garner the 1191 delegates needed to win.
RBB "citsonga - "How sad that you can't see past your hate, you have my sympathy."
right back at you jack, no more hate than you have shown, you have my sympathy too.
1man "concerning Hagee.. I was referring to having to deal with people...in any given field this would be difficult"
sure, I agree with that. Fact of the matter though hagee is made a real nice business for himself peddling religion.
citsonga - How sad that you can't see past your hate, you have my sympathy.
I disagree with the way a lot of evangelics portray the gospel, that doesn't mean I give up on the gospel...Paul said that some preach Christ for gain or other ill reasons and some for purely righteous reasons, if the message is pure Paul said he rejoiced that Christ was preached.
concerning Hagee.. I was referring to having to deal with people...in any given field this would be difficult....concerning Bush...why did the democrats give him so much trouble concerning judicial nominations but not concernig wnything else?
1man, "One remark on John Hagee. . .I don't know if there are any ministers in here but how much would you charge to run a 17,000 member business or day care?"
good point, after all hagee is just a business man- selling religion to the masses, he has plenty of customer. "There's a sucker born every minute" ..... P.T. Barnum
1man, "to citsong. . . . for a man with no speaking ability and no intelligience he sure managed to convince enough democrats to join in on things with him didn't he? the president doesn't write bills and pass them. . . he approves them or vetos them and even that can be overturned."
bush had republican majorities in both houses of congress until 2006 elections. in that time bush didn't veto a single bill in that time, thats why he and the republican congress just about doubled the cummulated US national debt to about 9.5 trilion dollars. bush has basically been a puppet for the neocons, thats why he was selected by the republican party- he would be their ignorant puppet.
RBB You failed to mention the destruction of Iraq as one of bush's accomplishments
One remark on John Hagee. . .I don't know if there are any ministers in here but how much would you charge to run a 17,000 member business or day care?
citsonga -
You asked what President Bush had accomplished before becoming president, I responded. Of course while in office, he's also spent more than any other president on fighting AIDS, even more than Clinton who ran on having compassion for those suffering from it. He has also done more for children with Headstart, and those in need by backing faith-based initiatives.
By the way, just out of curiosity, since atheists have such great morals could you please tell me where to find the atheist based non-government charities.
It is regrettable that you still can not list one accomplishment of Obama's, or real reason to elect him.
john hagee may be a millionaire pastor, but if u have ever watched him on tv, he doesnt preach any "your best life now" gospel, he preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he challenges Washingtion continually, money aside, i thank God that his ministry is on television. You know, the gospel does need to be preached on television, it has to be, people need to be reached in every way, somehow, and it takes money to be broadcast on tv, plus who are we to judge his heart, God knows john hagees heart i dont, but as the apostle paul said as long as Jesus Christ is being preached Praise God.
to citsong. . . . for a man with no speaking ability and no intelligience he sure managed to convince enough democrats to join in on things with him didn't he? the president doesn't write bills and pass them. . . he approves them or vetos them and even that can be overturned.
kunokiko: carried out by God? I think your wrong on this one. Genesis when God was speaking with Noah He required such a thing from man;before the law, during the law there were religious duties of justice to be carried out by people, new testament Paul states that those in authority bear not the sword in vain, and we know that a sword is not for spanking someone, it says that he is placed there by God for the punishment of evildoers.
RBB Yeah I see what bush experience has brought to the world, doubled US debt, weakened the US military through over extension in the Iraq war without end and made a mess out of Afghanistan because of the Iraq debacle. He has made the US into the largest debtor nation in history and has made the US a pariah nation. Thats why the US will not get meaningful help in Iraq nor Afghanistan from other countries. The Iraq debacle will continue to cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars for years and years to come. In the mean time millions of Amercicans are without healthcare, US infrastructure is falling apart and our debt contiunes to grow without end. bush is an indiot when he was made president, can't pronounce the names of world leaders or know where the various countries of the world are. Intelligence in our leaders may not be important to you, but its important to most educated people, the rest of the world and the future of the US. bush will go down in history as the first US president to lose two wars. Obama has the best chance of bringing the US back from the brink. bush gives christianity a bad image- bush is a war monger, and evanglicals support him. It is interesting that the christians I know were almost all in favor of the Iraq war. The agnostics and atheists, including myself, were opposed- on moral grounds.
OH pburwell, I totally believe in justice. But Justice is to be carried out by God and not by man. So...I think you are wrong about the Death Penalty being carried about by man being Biblical. Any true Christian should understand that we are not to carry out Justice by our own hands, Justice will be determined and carried out by God.
citsonga -
In other words you can't think of any. Don't feel badly, they had a group of Obama supporters on the news a few days ago and none of them could think of any either.
While George Bush isn't running for president...........
During his time as governor of Texas he successfully increased education funding, passed higher standards for schools, and successfully reformed the criminal justice system while also sponsoring tort reform. He pioneered the support for many faith based programs, supporting social services to those in need which were not covered by other social service means. He also used a tax surplus the state had to fund a two billion dollar tax-cut plan, the largest in the state's history.
In other words he governed, something that Obama hasn't. When you say that Obama will make a fine leader, you really have no idea as he has no track record of leading anything evidently, and seems to have no plan for this country other than "change".
By the way you say that Obama has two things going for him, "he is a good communicator which is important to be an effective leader and he is highly intelligent". Hitler had these things going for him too, and the fainting and weeping at his rallies too. Oh and before I get any responses, accusing me of calling him Hitler, I'm just saying that none of these "qualifications" made Hitler a good world leader, what makes people think that it will automatically make Obama one.
Hagee is doing some serious pocket pickingg....keep that money going to the good pastor, I'm sure your salvation wil be right around the corner if you send enough.....LOL
+++++++++++
According to income tax statements that GETV filed with the Internal Revenue Service, the nonprofit organization drew $18.3 million in revenue in 2001, the most recent year the organization submitted a return to the IRS. That year, Hagee's total compensation package amounted to more than $1.25 million.
Like most nonprofit organizations, GETV is obligated to disclose its finances by making IRS income tax statements, called 990 forms, available to the public. In return for complying, it isn't required to pay income taxes on revenue, business and operation taxes and property taxes. It also receives a discount on bulk mailing.
And it is also able to sell products tax-free and at a 50 percent profit because selling religious books, tapes and albums fits within GETV's broadly stated mission, which is to "spread the gospel of Jesus Christ."
According to the 990 forms for GETV, the organization in 2001 netted $12.3 million from donations, $4.8 million in profit from the sales of books and tapes, and an additional $1.1 million from various other sources, including rental income.
As the nonprofit organization's president, Hagee drew $540,000 in compensation, as well as an additional $302,005 in compensation for his position as president of Cornerstone Church, according to GETV's tax statements.
He also received $411,561 in benefits from GETV, including contributions to a retirement package for highly paid executives the IRS calls a "rabbi trust," so named because the first beneficiary of such an irrevocable trust was a rabbi.
The John Hagee Rabbi Trust includes a $2.1 million 7,969-acre ranch outside Brackettville, with five lodges, including a "main lodge" and a gun locker. It also includes a manager's house, a smokehouse, a skeet range and three barns.
Taken together, his payment package, $842,005 in compensation and $414,485 in benefits, was one of the highest, if not the highest, pay package for a nonprofit director in the San Antonio area in 2001.
The one thing I do like about Sen. Mccain is he doesn't have much time for pushy evangelicals.
Pastor Hagee- Another televangelist millionaire selling religion to the masses........LOL
Actually Ralph Nator has some really good ideas. One thing I agree with him 100 % on is that both the dem and rep parties are corrupt and are bringing the USA and the American people down.down. If Obama is NOT the candidate, i will vote for Ralph.
RBB " please give one example of something he has accomplished while in office that might make me want to vote for him.
Sen Obama is the sponsor of over 150 bills in the Senate, many will never see the light of day, as is the case for most bills. Freshmen members of congress rarely accomplish anything meaningful until they move up the ranks after a couple of terms. See the link below for Sen. Obama's senate bills. Two big things he has going for him is he is a good communicator which is important to be an effective leader and he is highly intelligent, neither characteristic does the current occupant of the WH have.
Name something bush accomplished before he was made prez. i know he bankrupted a few companies and got a sweetheart deal with a ball team that the tax payers payed . He had no knowledge of foreign affairs and couldn't pronounce the name of world leaders- he still cant. Obama has the potential to bring fresh change to the US which it is in need of. clinton and mccain are just more of the same BS. Obama can think on his feet, is well spoken and I think will be well respected around the world which will be good for all- USA and the world.
Anyone would be an improvement over the fool thats in the WH now. Obama will make a fine leader.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d109&querybd=@FIELD(FLD003+@4((@1(Sen+Obama++Barack))+01763))
I'm surprised at you cit. I would have thought you would vote for Ralph Nator.
citsonga - Since you've voted for him, please explain where he stands on the issues, since he seems reluctant to say. While you're at it please give one example of something he has accomplished while in office that might make me want to vote for him.
I am extremely disapointed in Pastor Hagee. John McCain is not the man that Chrisitans should be supporting!!
"kunokiko" there is NO conflict between being Pro-Life and for the Death Penalty. In fact the position is Biblical. The commandment is to not murder not kill (or else all war, self defense and justice would be wrong). The Death Penalty is God ordained justice not murder. And don't let's try the whole 'use the exception to make a rule' ploy either ok to argue against the Death Penalty.
I am sorry to See Pastor Hagee support such a God-dishonoring candidate as John McCain. John has stood for so many God-less laws that it staggers the mind to try and comprehend why Hagee would so betray our nation's Christians. Mike Huckabee is the only Godly choice.
If every Christian voted for the Biblical candidate then he would WIN.
Doesn't McCain support the Death Penalty? Last time I checked "Thou shall not kill" as still part of scripture. So...how does a televangelist go about endorsing a candidate who believes in killing people?
to song2vs4 - well, eight years of bush destroyed this country. the country is headed for a recession, wasted $1.8 trillion on a war that did not have anything to do with 911 that caused the devaluation of the dollar, at least 4,000 dead soldiers & thousands wounded physically & psychologically, high prices of gas, corruption left & right, deficit in the trillions, the tax dollars of the american people is mismanaged & wasted on fraud & corruption, the executive & the courts are ruled by men & not by laws, americans including children do not have any health insurance, the housing market is devaluating, unwarrented surveillance, & by the way this president has plenty of scandals. the conservative right wing evangelicals endorsed bush in 2000 for the president to restore moral values in the US. 'MISSION ACCMPLISHED!' bush professed to be a christian but a ignorant, incompetent leader that plunged this nation that served only his party.
these tele evangelist did not give any assistance to people who lost their job, insurance or homes.
reply to JHS
Who do you suggest people vote for, the Marxist democrats running? No Thanks! I'll pass.
reply to FullGospel:
YOU GUYS NEED TO WAKE UP....I DO NOT LIKE ABORTION EITHER......BUT WHEN BUSH CONTROLLED THE WHITE HOUSE, THE REPUBLICAN THE CONGRESS AND THE SUPREME COURT IS CONTROLLED BY THE BIG BUSNESS RIGHT WING, AND NOT 1 TIME DID THEY OVER TURN ROE V WADE..... HE IS A NEWS FLASH THE CONTROLLING ELITE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS USED EVANGELICALS TO GET THEIR UN FAMILY FRIENDLY PRO RICH ECONOMIC AGENDA, AND THEY NO MORE WANT TO GET RID OF ABORTATION THAN THEY TO STOP CHEAP LABOR FROM ACCROSS THE BORDER, OR SEND THIER KIDS TO ALL THE WARS THEY START FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO FIGHT......YOU PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP IF YOU KNEW WHAT THE COUNTRY CLUB REPUBLICANS REALLY THOUGHT OF EVANGELICALS YOU WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR ONE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Go Obama, I voted for him in the Illinois primary, I will vote for him in November 2008. He is the best person for the job..............
Christian brothers and sisters, pro-choice Obama is leading in national polls against everyone else. He didn't support Terri Schiavo, he's for civil unions, nothing that Christians believe in. The only alternative we have to an Obama Presidency is McCain. I'm putting my personal feelings aside for how I wanted the Republican race to turn out and casting my vote for the only candidate that has a chance of stopping an Obama Presidency: McCain.
We need to unite the Republican party and make sure there are more pro-life votes cast for McCain than pro-choice votes for Obama.