Word: pastor
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...these right-wing Christians will probably cast their ballot depending on other factors - a candidate's views on the failing economy or the Iraq war - but McCain's support of Israel may tip the balanced in his favor. Recently, McCain sought and obtained a controversial endorsement from Texas televangelist, Pastor John Hagee, a key figure in the Christian Zionist movement backing Israel and its expansion of settlements in Palestinian territories. Hagee is instrumental in drumming up funds and political support in Washington for Israel...
...that is the breathtakingly unconventional speech Obama gave today. Rather than disown his former pastor and spiritual adviser, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., as well as denounce Wright's controversial sermons, Obama declared that he could denounce but not disown. "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community," he said. He castigated Wright, but did not cast him off. Obama refused to add his voice to the chorus vilifying Wright. Acknowledging how disingenuous that would have been, and how craven, Obama instead pulled Wright back and re-owned him, saying, "As imperfect...
...Senator Obama had to walk a very thin line, both rebuking and distancing himself from his former pastor as well as reminding people of the long march toward the more perfect union...
Despite retracting his earlier description of the religious right as "agents of intolerance," John McCain still displays a religious tone deafness. Witness his campaign's recent enthusiastic reaction to the endorsement from Christian Zionist John Hagee. The Texas pastor has alluded to the Catholic Church as "the great whore" and has linked it to Hitler. It seems no one in McCain's camp was prepared for angry blowback from Catholics. The conservative Catholic League says McCain "has shown horrendous judgment in buddying up to this bigot." McCain will only say, "I obviously do not" agree with "all of Pastor Hagee...
...Senator's moment came in the Ohio debate when he played political word games before rejecting the support of the bigot Louis Farrakhan. The hesitation was noticeable - and unacceptable. There are other guilt-by-association problems floating out there: the occasional over-the-top racial statements by Obama's pastor Jeremiah Wright; the fact that Obama has been described as "friendly" with 1960s dilettante-terrorist William Ayers. It seemed clear on primary night that Obama was aware of this potential problem, as patriotism replaced hope as a theme of his concession speech. He echoed John McCain in citing Abraham Lincoln...