Endorsed by an influential Texas televangelist, Republican John McCain endeared himself to one group of voters but risked alienating another with the pastor's anti-Catholic views.
The controversy has been mild so far, but still, every vote counts in a presidential election that is expected to be closely contested.
Evangelical or born-again Christian voters were key to George W. Bush's victories, but so were Roman Catholics, who chose Bush over their fellow Catholic John Kerry in 2004 and over Al Gore in 2000.
The televangelist, San Antonio megachurch leader John Hagee, has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and called it a "false cult system" and "the apostate church"; the word "apostate" means someone who has forsaken his religion.
He also has linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism.
McCain said he does not agree with some of Hagee's past comments. "It's simply not accurate to say that because someone endorses me that I therefore embrace their views," McCain told reporters at a news conference Monday in Phoenix.
Catholic groups are pressuring McCain to go further and reject the endorsement, which he announced at a news conference with Hagee last week. The Democratic National Committee also is publicizing Hagee's views.
"Indeed, for the past few decades, he has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue.
"Senator Obama has repudiated the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, another bigot," Donohue said. "McCain should follow suit and retract his embrace of Hagee."
He was referring to Barack Obama, who said he would "reject and denounce" any help from Farrakhan when pressed in last week's Democratic presidential debate.
It remains to be seen how much Hagee's views may hurt McCain's standing among Catholics, a group that can hardly be considered monolithic. Though they lean Republican, their views span the political spectrum and split nearly evenly along party lines.
Despite the recent publicity, Hagee is not well-known outside his sphere of influence, which includes a congregation in the tens of thousands and an even wider television audience.
"What he holds about Catholicism in my mind is despicable," said the Rev. James Heft, religion professor at the University of Southern California. "I totally reject Hagee's view of Catholicism, but I don't know how widely known it is."
If Hagee's views become well-known, the endorsement could hurt McCain among some Catholics.
"If you offend even a small percentage, that could make the difference in an election," Donohue said in an interview Sunday.
Democrats are doing their best to keep the fracas alive, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean raising it Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."
"What about a guy who is a vicious anti-Catholic, who is supporting John McCain, and John McCain does not denounce or reject him?" Dean said.
So far, McCain has enjoyed strong support from Catholics, who make up about a quarter of the electorate.
He won far more of the Catholic vote, 47 percent, than any of his Republican rivals thus far, according to exit polling. Mitt Romney won 30 percent and Mike Huckabee won 9 percent, doing well among Catholics in states where they did well overall, according to exit surveys in 21 presidential primary states.
McCain has been less popular among evangelical or born-again Christians, which is where Hagee comes in. Huckabee, himself a Baptist minister, courted Hagee last year by delivering a sermon at his church. McCain has lost or split support from those voters and is working to bolster his standing.
And McCain is not guaranteed support among Catholics, even though he opposes abortion and the two Democratic candidates, Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, support abortion rights.
While the church places utmost priority on its opposition to abortion rights, U.S. bishops issued voter guidelines last November saying Catholics may vote for someone who favors abortion rights — so long as the voter is not making his or her choice because of the candidate's position on abortion, and if the candidate supports other positions that substantially further the church vision of the common good.
Incidentally, McCain, Obama and Clinton belong to the Protestant faith; McCain was raised Episcopalian but now attends a Baptist church in Arizona.
McCain's response to the controversy has been tepid, Heft said. Following two days of criticism, McCain issued a statement saying only that he doesn't agree with everything Hagee says.
"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," McCain said. Before issuing the statement, he told reporters he was "proud" of Hagee's spiritual leadership of his congregation.
The Arizona senator's reaction stands in contrast to President Bush, who specifically apologized to Roman Catholic leaders for "causing needless offense" when he visited Bob Jones University during the 2000 election. The Greenville, S.C., school teaches that Catholicism is a cult.
McCain's reaction also stands in contrast with his own swift and unequivocal denunciation of a radio talk show host who denigrated Obama last week in Cincinnati. McCain immediately apologized and said he repudiated the statements of the radio host, Bill Cunningham.
Of course, there are differences between the two figures. Hagee is a religious leader; Cunningham is a talk show host. Cunningham made his comments at a campaign event; Hagee's intolerant words and views have come outside the presidential campaign.
Regardless, Heft said McCain should be more specific and more emphatic, and soon.
"You don't want to blow it on simple matters that you could correct," Heft said. "He probably would be wiser just to say he rejects his views on Catholics."
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments
I was thinking more like SpongeBob or Patrick for president.
"Im ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!"
This year, there's only ONE choice left:
BOZO FOR PREZ ! ! ! !
Who's with me???
http://www.pfo.org/jonhagee.htm Rev. 20:10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Is John Hagee and false prophet? I encourage all to read the article and put the information before the Lord to answer that question.
to harald - oh really? just because people oppose the conservatives, they are quickly labeled a liberal leftist communist. and by the way, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil & isn't the conservatives value money more than human life that is why there are wars that are killing thousands.
the anti-christ is not only behind islam or atheism, an anti christ can claim to be god, & he can be a christian too & he will use christianity to deceive many. like bush he profess to be a 'christian' yet he thinks he is above the bible. good night & good luck
calean007,
Wow you have come up with something that the Catholic Church has never responded before (sarcasm, drip, sarcasm). Here are a few and I'm sure there are a lot more:
Online4Him is going to be happy I'm using revelations: Rev. 5:8; Rev. 8:3–4; I'm sure there are a lot more. You even use 1Timothy 2:5 did you read the 1-4 before that statement? if you did then you would know God encourages fellow Christians to pray with us and for us.
Hagee:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwPjYgfbjDc
I rest my case using his own words
Brilliant that my comments are flagged as inappropriate. I've yet to see one person on here refute that Catholics do not pray to saints even though there is no bilbical foundation or justification for doing so when clearly Jesus says "No one comes to the Father but through Me."
Astounding, but then this is the world we live in today. You cannot tell the truth, especially to old world, outdated and heretical religions like Catholicism. Amazing.
Hating false doctrine, error, or heresy, should not always be interpreted as hating the person that is deceived and bound to such teachings.
People who are bound in false doctrine, when hearing their false doctrine rebuked with truth, may sometimes try to silence the speaker of truth, by saying that the speaker is being hateful, judgmental, or abusive against the people. This tactic may be an immature reaction or a calculated attempt to manipulate and redirect.
Regardless, let the speakers of truth remember to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
The hour is dark, let us be very careful not to let men lead us away from the written word of God, towards vain traditions, idolatry, fables, or commandments that turn from the truth.
You know, it's interesting, before we can post something, we read that anything that contains flames or personal attacks will be deleted. Then, we turn around and without gentleness or reverence, slam one anothers beliefs as full of heretical teachings.
I'm sorry that many of us didn't learn our faith well enough growing up, and it led to anyone's claim to the faith sound plausible. There are almost 40,000 conflicting versions of Christianity out there now because of it, with five new ones a week being created.
I'm sorry that there's a lot of misunderstanding out there about what each of our beliefs are, and too often times, we're not open to believing that someone may be right and we may be wrong.
Yes, there are lots of converts/reverts to Catholicism: Sam Brownback, Randall Terry, Scott Hahn, Tony Blair, educated people who went back and read the writings of the earliest Christians and said "uh oh...everyone sounds C-C-C-Catholic..."
In place of animosity, why don't we insert curiosity? Read Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp any of the earliest Christians, then have an open heart.
Mikehow,
Just because as you say the "the liberals, leftist, gays, & homosexuals did not hijack the 4 planes that murdered 3000 on 911" does not mean that you should forget that the liberal leftist communists and socialists have murdered over 100 million people over the course of establishing their "secular utopias" on earth. Also don't forget that the anti-Christ spirit is behind both islam(which denies the divinity of Christ) and atheism (who deny the divinity of Christ)!
"Evangelical or born-again Christian voters were key to George W. Bush's victories, but so were Roman Catholics, who chose Bush over their fellow Catholic John Kerry in 2004 and over Al Gore in 2000."
the evangelicals were too blind by Bush's lies about his 'christ'likeness'. BOOM! look what it did to this nation! You evangelicals (including Pat Robertson) are partly to blame for the mess of this country for supporting a professing christian who is more interested in money & power than being a christian.
by the way, the liberals, leftist, gays, & homosexuals did not hijack the 4 planes that murdered 3000 on 911. Somebody DECIDED to ignore the PRESIDENTIAL DAILY BRIEFING titled 'BIN LADEN DETERMINED TO ATTACK US' AND THE REST IS HISTORY!!!!
Here's an idea straight from the enemys handbook: Lets create strife and division for the christians. Sow exagerations, gossip, bait. The presidential election is the target. Will Christians unify and have a victory or will they fingerpoint, argue over baited topics put our by the media and the religious. Wake up, and be attentive church, before its too late with the result of this election becomes a victory for the enemy of our souls.
Why did the president of the Evangelical Theological Society shock evangelicals and convert to Catholicism last year??? because after much research he decided: "I think the Catholic view has more explanatory power to account for both all the biblical texts on justification as well as the church’s historical understanding of salvation prior to the Reformation all the way back to the ancient church of the first few centuries". As he noted to evangelicals after years of researching the early Christian fathers...they were Catholics and the Church then is the Church that we continue to call the Catholic Church. As for Hagee, anybody ever see his 40 second commercial where he denies that Jesus is the messiah? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwPjYgfbjDc
You can listen to a person like him if you want, but I'm happy to be a Roman Catholic. Can some one please find me a clip where the Pope denies Jesus is the messiah? thanks
'jesus4me' and 'dgnymn' are exactly right. People are flagging because they are upset the truth is getting out. What I don't understand is why they won't back up their statements with facts like the rest of us. That is very childlike.
'jreed831'... Can you provide some facts to back up your statements, or do you simply want to throw accusations around that are unfounded?
SO...we are afraid of the Truth, here??!!?? "Jesus4me" is absolutely correct in his assessment. Like him, I, too grew up and was raised in a Catholic household, UNTIL I God drew me to Christ!!! NOT to Mary or the Saints or the Eucharistic Christ, or to all the other trappings - but to Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life!!! Read the Book of Romans or the Book of Hebrews!!! The Catholic church has many heretical teachings, not to mention the Papacy!! But why....why...can't we speak the truth, here? What, we have no backbone!!! Go to the Scriptures. Jesus said it Himself...you think you have life, but go to the Scriptures to learn what that means!! Christ died for our sins, not Mary. She was a sinner saved by grace as well, and her children were sinners, saved by grace, all except for Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father. His blood was shed for her sins as for all of ours.
Another thing...if you think that Barak Hussein Obama will repudiate Farrakhan, think again!!! He is dependent on the Islamic influence in this country and Barak Hussein Obama will not be doing this any time soon!!!
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!!!