Pastor Hagee says: Catholic Church is the Great WHORE

[amborin]

Los Angeles Times

May 14, 2008 Wednesday
Home Edition

CAMPAIGN '08: RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE;
Pastor says he's sorry for anti-Catholic rant

BYLINE: Maeve Reston, Times Staff Writer

SECTION: MAIN NEWS; National Desk; Part A; Pg. 15

LENGTH: 570 words

DATELINE: SEATTLE


An evangelical pastor who backs John McCain
tried to put his controversial remarks about the Catholic Church behind him, apologizing to the head of the Catholic League and expressing "deep regret for any comments Catholics found hurtful."

Pastor John Hagee, who heads the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, said in a letter made public Tuesday that he now knew the terms he used to describe the church, such as "the great whore," were "rhetorical devices long employed in anti-Catholic literature."

To win over evangelicals, McCain sought Hagee's support when he launched his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. But his campaign was caught off guard by the uproar over controversial comments Hagee has made about the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catholic League called on McCain to repudiate Hagee, saying that he had "waged an unrelenting war" against the church and had called it a "false cult system," among other derogatory terms. Hagee also said the damage Hurricane Katrina inflicted on New Orleans was "the judgment of God" on the city's "sin."

McCain called Hagee's apology helpful. "Whenever someone apologizes for something they did wrong, then I think that's a laudable thing to do," he said.

The Arizona senator had initially waved off the criticisms, asserting that just because Hagee endorsed him did not mean that McCain embraced "everything that he stands for and believes in." He later distanced himself from the remarks and, on a recent visit to New Orleans, he called Hagee's comments "nonsense."

McCain had also rejected any comparison with the criticism aimed at Sen. Barack Obama

for controversial statements made by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., who lead ObamaEnhanced
's church for 20 years. McCain noted that Hagee was not his pastor.

In his letter, Hagee said he had gained a better understanding in recent weeks of the Catholic Church's relationship to the Jewish faith. He wrote of his "profound respect for the Catholic people" and said he hoped to advance "greater unity among Catholics and evangelicals." The Catholic League said in a statement that it accepted the apology.

"Pastor John Hagee has demonstrated an improved understanding of the Catholic Church and its history," Catholic League President Bill Donohue said in a statement. "The tone of Hagee's letter is sincere. He wants reconciliation and he has achieved it."

McCain said he was pleased by the exchange. "That's the kind of reconciliation that I've been engaged in for many, many years," he said.

Asked whether he or his campaign was involved in brokering the reconciliation, McCain said: "I certainly wasn't."

McCain was on the second day of his environmental tour of the Pacific Northwest. In North Bend, Wash., he escalated his criticism of President Bush in what is becoming a pattern of distancing himself from the president.

"There's a long-standing, significant, deep and strong difference on this issue between myself and the administration," McCain said at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center above Rattlesnake Lake, with acres of dense forest as his backdrop.

McCain, who has sponsored a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said his rivals had "never, to my knowledge, been involved in legislation nor hearings nor engagement in this issue," even though both Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton co-sponsored his global warming legislation in 2007 and now back more aggressive measures.

--

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Yet David Green of NPR can't find ONE Catholic who supports Obama in all of Wilkes-Barre

That piece of shit NPR report this morning was more evidence for why no public radio station will be receiving a pledge from my family for quite some time, if ever again.

NPR national news is a cesspool of Republican propaganda.

[amborin]

2. McCain CHEATED during Saddleback Debate

The New York Times

August 18, 2008 Monday
Late Edition - Final

Despite Assurances, McCain Wasn't in a 'Cone of Silence'

BYLINE: By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE; Elisabeth Bumiller contributed reporting.

SECTION: Section A; Column 0; National Desk; Pg. 12

LENGTH: 314 words

DATELINE: ORLANDO, Fla.


Senator John McCain

was not in a ''cone of silence'' on Saturday night while his rival, Senator Barack Obama, Enhanced Coverage LinkingBarack Obama, -Search using:
Biographies Plus News
News, Most Recent 60 Days
was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California.

Members of the McCain campaign

staff, who flew here Sunday from California, said Mr. McCain was in his motorcade on the way to the church as Mr. Obama Enhanced Coverage LinkingObama -Search using:

was being interviewed by the Rev. Rick Warren, the author of the best-selling book ''The Purpose Driven Life.''

The matter is of interest because Mr. McCain, who followed Mr. Obama

's hourlong appearance in the forum, was asked virtually the same questions as Mr. Obama. Enhanced
Mr. McCain's performance was well received, raising speculation among some viewers, especially supporters of Mr. Obama, Enhanced Coverage LinkingObama, -Search using:

that he was not as isolated during the Obama Enhanced Coverage LinkingObama -Search using:

interview as Mr. Warren implied.

Nicolle Wallace, a spokeswoman for Mr. McCain, said on Sunday night that Mr. McCain had not heard the broadcast of the event while in his motorcade and heard none of the questions.

''The insinuation from the Obama campaign

a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous,'' Ms. Wallace said.

Before an audience of more than 2,000 people at the church, the candidates answered questions about policy and social issues.

Mr. Warren, the pastor of Saddleback, had assured the audience while he was interviewing Mr. Obama

that ''we have safely placed Senator McCain Enhanced Coverage LinkingSenator McCain -Search using:
in a cone of silence'' and that he could not hear the questions.

After Mr. Obama's interview, he was joined briefly by Mr. McCain, and the candidates shook hands and embraced.

Mr. Warren started by asking Mr. McCain, ''Now, my first question: Was the cone of silence comfortable that you were in just now?''

Mr. McCain deadpanned, ''I was trying to hear through the wall.''

Interviewed Sunday on CNN, Mr. Warren seemed surprised to learn that Mr. McCain was not in the building during the Obama

interview.

[apocalypsehow]

3. Well, not to defend that bag of shit but I hear that from some DU'ers all the time about my church.

So pardon me if I don't get all bent out of shape about it when some right-wing fundamentalist asshat joins the hate-Catholics crusade, too.