Equal Opportunity Bashing

I must admit that I found it passing strange when I read about John McCain rejecting the political endorsement of an influential Texas evangelist whom he had actively courted after an audio tape surfaced in which the preacher stated that God had sent Adolph Hitler to help the Jews reached the promised land.

Strange because, even though it's most definitely not of the same calibre of connection as that to a preacher who has been your family's minister for 20 years, who has officiated at your marriage and baptized your children .. .still, you would think one might more closely check out those whose political endorsement they actively seek.

And without question Hagee's views - such as referring to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and linking Hitler to the Catholic Church, suggesting that it helped shape his anti-Semitism - were pretty well-known even before McCain accepted his endorsement.** Oh yeah, and let's not forget the bit about Hurricane Katrine being God's retribution for homosexual sin. Thrown in just for good measure, I suppose.

I have no particular problem with McCain, no axe to grind with him. And just for the record I am neither Catholic nor am I completely "okay" within homosexuality. But I do find it a trifle odd that I have yet to see anyone making much "hay" about McCain's gaffe. Or perhaps they have and I have just been fortunate enough to miss that particular slimy side of the blogosphere and the mainstream media. In which case, all I can say is 'Lucky me!'.

But you know, I think it was the very last line in this story that disturbed me most of all.

McCain has tried to distance himself from Hagee’s views, saying he strongly condemned anti-Catholic rhetoric. Yet he never rejected the endorsement.

"I’m glad to have his endorsement," he said on ABC’s This Week in April. "I condemn remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything."

"Condenm remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything"? Really??

Wow, if it weren't for the calibre (or lack thereof) of his competition, that would seriously make me reconsider casting my vote for someone to hold an elected office, in any capacity, let alone as President of the United States. I mean it's not like it's important for our politicians to actually believe in anything, is it?

** Of course, if Hitler was actually sent by God and if the Catholic Church did help shape Hitler's hatred for the Jews, wouldn't that mean "the great whore" is actually God's instrument, too? And, just speaking out of curiosity here, I wonder where Hagee was inculcated with his anti-Seminite views. At the same Catholic Church, perhaps?