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.
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.
Re: McCain Gets Endorsement of Texas Evangelical Leader the reverend is a real doozer.One of the blog comments at Mike's official site summed it up:
Gov. - Don't be disappointed with Rev. John Hagee's endosement of John McCain. Hagee is the man who called the Catholic Church "the Great Whore" and he called Hitler a Catholic who murdered Jews while the Catholic Church did nothing. To the contrary Israeli diplomat Pichas Lapide credited the Catholic Church with saving 860,000 Jews. No religion can match that.
You are fortunate Hagee did not endorse you. I have promoted you since I first heard you speak. Your message is universal & right. Do not get in bed with a bigot you are too good for that.
And this Catholic Blog REALLY told the story:
ALL ABOUT HAGEE AND McCAIN-yccck! See,now you know why we should back Huckabee.
McCain thinks he has a real find in this one(NOT)!
God Bless,
p4p
Re: McCain Gets Endorsement of Texas Evangelical Leader
quote:
Gov. - Don't be disappointed with Rev. John Hagee's endosement of John McCain. Hagee is the man who called the Catholic Church "the Great Whore" and he called Hitler a Catholic who murdered Jews while the Catholic Church did nothing. To the contrary Israeli diplomat Pichas Lapide credited the Catholic Church with saving 860,000 Jews. No religion can match that.
You are fortunate Hagee did not endorse you. I have promoted you since I first heard you speak. Your message is universal & right. Do not get in bed with a bigot you are too good for that.
The thing is Gov. Huckabee made an appearance at Hagee's church back in December and preached there so he was seeking Hagee's support. The Catholic League asked him not to go there in view of Hagee's anticatholic views but he went just the same.
Consequently some were question whether Huckabee himself is anticatholic.
quote:
But Huckabee’s appearance at the church undoubtedly brought with it an undercurrent of a man seeking the approval of influential opinion-makers. Cornerstone is run by evangelical leader Pastor John Hagee, frequently a spokesman for the 50-million strong movement. Hagee, a well-known defender of Israel, has received criticism from the Catholic League for statements he’s made about the Catholic Church’s connection to the Nazis in World War II Germany. “I want to thank your pastor, Pastor Hagee, for having me here today. (He is) one of the great Christian leaders of our nation,” Huckabee said.
Re: McCain Gets Endorsement of Texas Evangelical Leader been looking into all this-the article was good.I feel satisfied that Huckabee is not anti Catholic based on his connections with various Catholic groups that he mentions.And that he did NOT get an endorsement from Hagee.
He's also listed several Catholic blogs on his official site and had conferences with Catholics who raised these questions.I concluded that i can support Huckabee and that he's NOT anti Catholic.
I'm not sure why he refused to listen to the Catholic League but feel he was free to speak at this church(it is Baptist)because they asked.Would it have been better if he hadn't? I definitely think so.But he was certainly free to do so.The topic was Christmas-i didn't note any anti Catholic comments and so far haven't been able to find any anti Catholic comments or sentiments in ANY of Huckabee's statements.In fact none of his supporters who are non Catholic have been anything but kind to me.
Some reservations about Huckabee? Yep.To be sure.But he's also,so far,the best candidate based on Catholic teachings re marriage,family and abortion.
And McCain DID get Hagee's endorsement.i think that speaks volumes.
God Bless,
p4p
Re: McCain Gets Endorsement of Texas Evangelical Leader
quote:
And that he did NOT get an endorsement from Hagee. And McCain DID get Hagee's endorsement.i think that speaks volumes.
My point is only that McCain didn't go to Hagee's church campaigning for the endorsement. He didn't ask for it. Huckabee did go there, obviously seeking the support of Hagee and his congregation. If he was asked he could have turned down the opportunity. IMO, it's not fair to criticize McCain for receiving an endorsement he did not seek and give Huckabee a free pass for seeking the endorsement in the first place. That's all I'm saying.
Hagee endorsed McCain because of his strong pro-Israel stance. Fundamentalists generally think the rapture is around the corner and because Israel will play prominently in end time events they are also strong supporters of Israel.
As for whether Huckabee is anticatholic, I really have no idea. I kind of considered it irrelevant in light of his prolife views. I certainly agree that he, along with Paul, are the two best prolife candidates.
Oh, one thing to note, however, is that Huckabee also has an exception to being completely against abortion. He believes that abortion should be allowed when the mother's life is in danger.
quote:
"In keeping with my consistent support for life, I believe in the 'one exception' clause for the life of the mother and I support the Georgia Personhood Amendment. I also support, and have consistently done so, the Human Life Amendment to the United States Constitution".
