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]
