Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee expressed dismay Thursday over the Rev. John Hagee’s endorsement of frontrunner John McCain, accusing the evangelical leader of putting politics ahead of principle.
“He just thought that the political rationale was he wanted to get on Sen. McCain’s team, and he thought he was gonna win the nomination,” Huckabee said after a Texarkana rally on Thursday, according to MSNBC. “I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion, and even if I did, I would stand on principle more than I would politics.”
Huckabee said Hagee told him he endorsed McCain because he assumed he’d win the nomination.
“I felt that it was totally out of character for what I knew he believed,” Huckabee said, “or at least I thought he did.”
The former Arkansas governor said he was surprised by Hagee’s endorsement because he claims McCain lacks the commitment to the abortion issue. McCain has a 100 percent anti-abortion voting record, but he supports stem-cell research, which some pro-lifers equate with abortion because the embryo is destroyed during the extraction process.
Huckabee said he spoke with Hagee and expressed his “disappointment and surprise” and asked him to delay publicly supporting McCain. But the televangelist announced his endorsement of McCain at a news conference Wednesday.
Hagee, the pastor of the 17,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, is considered helpful to McCain’s image among evangelicals – who have overwhelmingly rallied behind Huckabee, a former Southern Baptist pastor.
Thus far, evangelicals and Christian conservatives have been reluctant to back McCain, citing many instances where he strayed from the “right” agenda. Prominent Christian conservative leaders, such as Tony Perkins of Family Research Council, have criticized McCain as undependable on key conservative issues.
But Hagee defended McCain, citing his anti-abortion voting record and his support of Israel. The Texas megachurch pastor is arguably the nation’s staunchest pro-Israel Christian leader, having helped found Christians United for Israel, a lobbying group aimed at pressing Congress to support Israel.
Hagee’s endorsement could end up hurting Huckabee in the Texas primary on Mar. 4, which is critical for him to win to stay in the race.
Comments
I think Hagee is drilling a dry well by his endorsement. To me he's sort of voting against the
body of Christ. Anyway he may have done Huckabee a favor, as God may have already weighed America in the balance and found it wanting.
cute wittle ep person,
It's a good thing that I am not concerned about your position then, huh?
I've been called a lot in this life, but never a "mouth-piece". *shrugs* First time for everything!
I did not realize you are the Christian Post's Editor? Shall I run any further postings I may do by you first? Naaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Get over yourself Babe.
*Schmoochie Woochies*
schmippie - Funny thing is, you and I agree on all principal points, but methinks you overplay your hand just a bit.
I'm a believer. I think atheists are wrong. But your threats of damnation seem a bit paranoid fanatic rather than concerned believer.
And while I won't be voting for Barack, your subjective, non-specific problems with him (saleman smile & LIES) seem to mask a more specific reason for not liking him.
I am with you on the whole progay unions, pro-abortion, etc. but you aren't a very effective mouthpiece for my position.
Hey Agent Orange,
Why are you upset that someone stated Barack's middle name? It was indeed stated correctly.
I happen to NOT be for B. Hussein Obama because of MANY more reasons than his birth name. (Such as his pro gay- unions, pro-abortion and now siting the bible to approve of gay rights?) Are you kidding me? Can people truy NOT see through this guy's saleman smile & LIES? Barack, don't pick points out of the bible to suit your needs . You are either FOR or against GOD. Fence sitting does NO GOOD for you, little man.
Agent Orage, just because YOU don't believe in God does not mean you won't stand before HIM when you die. And you, my little atheist friend, will not seem to have such a happy ending.
Makes me shiver to think what you will go through. I hope some day your eyes will open before it is too late.
Signing off now,
Someone NOT made out of molecular, evolving pond scum but in FACT made from the Heavenly Father, HIMSELF. Oh, silly me,... NO ONE is made out of pond scum. I will never understand those silly lil' atheists.
Cheisa - Let me clarify my point. I never said there aren't other fields that are valuable. I merely picked a few obvious examples of valuable skills. No one can dispute that being a thoracic surgeon is a valuable skill. But there are many other skills that are valuable. However, I would completely dispute your claim that my "view of what's valuable needs some serious rethinking." I was speaking in context to Obama's claim that no one who works should be poor. If we can assume that salary and poverty are correlated in some way (a fairly safe assumption), then Obama is saying that any working person deserves a good salary. However in the worls I live in, the market determines what salaries are paid. If, as you claim, many hard-working people are underpaid, I would absolutely claim that the marketplace does not value their skills. It's very simple. Here's an example. Almost every Friday night I get a take-out pizza for my families dinner. If you go to a pizza joint on a Friday you see people working very hard. But they aren't generally paid well to make pizzas. Why is that? Because it is easy to make a pizza. And despite the fat that Obama doesn't like that reality, the marketplace will continue to not value those skills highly.
You mentioned many examples of other hard-working professions. Funny thing is, many of these are well paid, valuable skills. Bot as valuable as a thoracic surgeon but many crane operators make six-figure slalries and I do not. Becuase, as you said, I can't operate a crane and few people can. I didn't claim that only highly educated fields are valuable. But that is often true. All I calimed is that if you are poorly compemsated, then obviously your skills aren't valued. And no amount of Obama farting lollipops and rainbows will change that reality.
ep1433
You couldn't be more wrong about the way you value skills. You don't need to be a doctor or a college professor to be paid for your skills or have them considered valuable. That's a pretty elitist view. Can you wire a house or keep a power plant running? Do you know how to rig and secure a 10 ton container for unlaoding at the shipyard. Can you safely operate a 250 ton overhead crane ? How about teachers, sociial workers, truck drivers, machanics and welders and all the other people who, actually, make our world function? There are valuable, yet underpaid people outside of the comfortable little bubble of acedemia who deserve the American dream as much as doctors or professors do. They work just as hard, put in as many hours and, often are just as dedicated to their professions. Your view of what's valuable needs some serious rethinking.
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.
"Barak Hussein Obama "
Had to throw in the middle name huh X, it's all you biggots have against him. Go back to Fox News and lap up some more kool aid.
Well Mr. Citsonga,
Mike Huckabee is an intelligent, articulate leader that has come about on the world scene but I don't consider him an antichrist figure. My question to you is how many more babies will we allow to be butchered at the pagan altar of convenience in America, because the average self-absorbed citizen votes for candidates who make vacuous speeches full of meaningless rhetoric preparing the unsuspecting public for sociallism and becoming governmental chattel. H.G. Wells book "1984" is advised reading.
http://atheistsareimaginary.blogspot.com
I can't believe Huckabee is disappointed that he didn't get the backing of this ill informed bozo. Hagee regularly denigrates other Christians, namely Catholics, so I wouldn't be upset losing out on the endorsement of an intolerant, ignorant egomaniac.
Hagee's endorsement might swing a few voters, but its not worth sullying your reputation by associating with like Hagee. Until Hagee cansee his way into the light and recognize that ALL people who worship Christ are brothers, its best to avoid contamination and steer clear of him.
My heart goes out to Mike Hucabee whom is my favorite for president
Professor X I can see why you would consider writing Hucabee in if he isnt McCains running mate. I admire Hagee and understand that he is enndorsing The pick with the most chance of winning the election (the lesser of the 2 evils). Its getting down to the wire . the time for christian conservitives to unify and rally behind one canidate is now. Pie in the sky dreaming of what could have been and what should have been is over. In just a little while we will be looking deciding , to vote for McCain or Obama or fill in that that blank line -that more than likely ='s an Obama vote. God help us all.
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.
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.