...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.
Catholic groups are pressuring McCain to 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."
...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."
Hagee's views aren't well-known. That's why the DNC and Howard Dean and
the
lib media are doing their best to get the word out.
...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 re****ters he was "proud" of
Hagee's spiritual leader****p of his congregation.
http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2008/03/hagee-endorses-mccain.html
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