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McCain really wanted the endorsement but had to throw the Rev. Hagee back
By Gary | May 22, 2008
Sen. John McCain reminds me of a kid offered a giant bag of candy, then told he can't have the candy after all because it'll make him sick and ruin his dinner appetite.
Just like that kid, he tries his best to have the candy AND avoid the stomach ache AND have a hearty dinner too. Then at the last minute, he grudgingly gives up the candy -- while crowing proudly of his self-control and wisdom.
First, McCain gains a heavy-weight Pentecostal/evangelical/fundamentalist religious endorsement from the Rev. John Hagee. Then he's told Hagee has made anti-Catholic statements and offended a lot of people. So, McCain tries to keep Hagee's endorsement while disavowing any specific anti-Catholic rhetoric. McCain hangs onto that position for awhile and things look good for him. In fact, Hagee even makes conciliatory remarks apologizing for any anti-Catholic statements that may have hurt people.
Everything looks good to go for Sen. McCain and the big-time conservative preacher's endorsement -- then, oops, clips of sermons in which Hagee appears to be anti-Jewish come to light. Hagee's anti-Jewish remarks were offensive in themselves, but when he made what could seem to be favorable comments about Hitler -- end of story. McCain grudgingly decides he has to reject Hagee's endorsement.
One wonders, though, would McCain have happily continued in the Rev. Hagee's fold if the anti-Jewish remarks had never surfaced? Of course he would have -- it's politics. And John McCain is proving himself a master of the "shape shifter" philosophy of garnering votes.
All aboard the Straight Talk Express! Or has he changed the name of the bus? Maybe he should dub it "The All Things to All People to Win the Most Votes Bandwagon"?
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