McCain Should Denounce John Hagee Endorsement, Discriminatory Remarks
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In his struggle to shore up his
base, John McCain has once again cast aside his principles by embracing Rev.
John Hagee, saying he was "pleased to have the endorsement of Pastor John
Hagee," despite his intolerant comments about Catholics, women, African
Americans, Muslims and LGBT Americans. He repeated his support today, saying
"I am very proud of the Pastor John Hagee's spiritual leadership to thousands
of people...I am not endorsing some of their positions." [McCain Media
Availability, 2/29/08]
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." Or his position that "all Muslims have a mandate to kill Christians and
Jews." [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]
Hagee has already come under fire for his anti-Catholic remarks. Bill Donohue,
president of the Catholic League, said McCain should "retract his embrace of
Hagee," and said Hagee "has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic
Church." Chris Korzen, Executive Director of Catholics United, said "We hope
Senator McCain will take the principled position of publicly and unequivocally
distancing himself from Pastor Hagee's anti-Catholic comments. Intolerance and
bigotry do not belong in American politics."
"As a Catholic, I am personally offended by John McCain's embrace of such a
divisive figure. I join many others in the Catholic community calling on Sen.
McCain to immediately distance himself from Hagee and denounce his remarks,"
said DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon. "As an American, I'm also offended by
Hagee's denigration of African Americans, Muslims, women, and LGBT Americans.
Hagee's hate speech has no place in public discourse and McCain's embrace of
this figure raises serious questions about John McCain's character and his
willingness to do anything to win."
McCain on John Hagee
"Well I think it's important to note that pastor John Hagee who has supported
and endorsed my candidacy supports what I stand for and believe in. When he
endorses me, it does not mean that I embrace everything that he stands for and
believes. And I am very proud of the Pastor John Hagee's spiritual leadership
to thousands of people and I am proud of his commitment to the independence
and the freedom of the state of Israel. That does not mean that I support or
endorse or agree with some of the things that Pastor John Hagee might have
said or positions that he may have taken on other issues. I don't have to
agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy. They are supporting my
candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions." [McCain Media
Availability, 2/29/08]
John Hagee on the Issues...
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 Islamic Beliefs
Fresh Air host Terry Gross asked if Hagee believed that "all Muslims have a
mandate to kill Christians and Jews," to which Hagee replied, "Well, the Quran
teaches that. Yes, it teaches that very clearly." [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]
Hagee on Catholicism
"Most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf
Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews."
[Jerusalem Countdown by John Hagee]
Hagee on Women
"Do you know the difference between a woman with PMS and a snarling Doberman
pinscher? The answer is lipstick. Do you know the difference between a
terrorist and a woman with PMS? You can negotiate with a terrorist." [God's
Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, Sarah
Posner]
"[T]he feminist movement today is throwing off authority in rebellion against
God's pattern for the family." ["Bible Positions on Political Issues," John
Hagee]
Hagee on LGBT Americans
"The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried
nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that
the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to
reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay
Pride parades. So I believe that the judgment of God is a very real thing. I
know that there are people who demur from that, but I believe that the Bible
teaches that when you violate the law of God, that God brings punishment
sometimes before the day of judgment." [NPR Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
Hagee on Iran
"The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty," Hagee wrote [in 2006]
in the Pentecostal magazine Charisma. "Israel and America must confront Iran's
nuclear ability and willingness to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. For
Israel to wait is to risk committing national suicide." [The Nation, 8/8/2006,
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060814/new_christian_zionism]
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www.democrats.org.
This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.
SOURCE Democratic National Committee
Stacie Paxton or Caroline Ciccone, both of DNC, +1-202-863-8148
