Political Insider: McCain's Own Endorsement Controversy
Posted By James BesserPolitical Insider: McCain's Own Endorsement Controversy
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While Sen. Barack Obama continues to face questions about the unsolicited endorsement by Minister Louis Farrakhan, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, faces his own endorsement controversy - one that will put pro-Israel leaders in an awkward spot.
This week McCain was endorsed by Texas megachurch pastor John Hagee, an open advocate of preemptive war with Iran who believes that will start the ball rolling for a great apocalyptic conflagration that will engulf the Middle East.
Hagee is a particularly controversial figure among Catholics because of his views on the role of the Church in "end-time" prophecy.
And it's not just Catholics; New Orleans residents may have some concerns about the fiery preacher. After Hurricane Katrina, Hagee preached that the catastrophe was divine punishment because "New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God."
Last year, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) said Hagee has demonstrated "extremism, bigotry and intolerance that is repugnant."
But Hagee is also the founder and president of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), a group that is trying to organize "Christian Zionists" around the country into a coherent political force to support Israel.
Although most major Jewish leaders disagree with Hagee's domestic views and many with his "not one inch" view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they have generally been restrained in their criticism because he represents a growing source of political support for the Jewish state.
The appeal of groups like CUFI has increased as "mainline" Protestant churches continue to single Israel out for economic sanctions and, sometimes, consort with openly anti-Semitic pro-Palestinian groups.
But the McCain endorsement could stir up controversy among the groups that claim Hagee has slurred him and that he is an extremist on both domestic and international issues -- and thrust the Jewish community into an uncomfortable position.
One thing's for sure: when Republicans use the Farrakhan endorsement of Obama - even though he has denounced the Nation of Islam leader -- as a blunt instrument in their appeals to Jewish voters, Jewish Democrats will find ways to use Hagee, whose endorsement McCain welcomed, in their effort to keep Jews on the Democratic reservation.