McCain Struggles To Explain Away Hagee Connection In Attempt To Criticize Obama, Ayers

Today on ABC's This Week, John McCain attempted to go on the offensive about Barack Obama's tenuous connection to Weatherman Bill Ayers because that was what all the cool kids were attempting to do. McCain said that those loose connections were indicative of Obama's overall attitude and he thought it was wrong for Obama to not condemn Ayers' actions of four decades ago.

The only problem for McCain is that a). Obama, did, in fact, condemn those actions, and b). McCain is chummy with bigoted scumdumpster extraordinaire John Hagee. How did McCain manage to navigate his way through this seemingly dense thicket of contradiction and hypocrisy? Not very well, if you must know! Not very well at all.

STEPHANOPOULOS: A lot of Senator Obama's allies and others say that you should condemn the comments of Reverend John Hagee, an evangelical pastor...

MCCAIN: Oh, I do. And I did. I said, any comments that he made about the Catholic church I strongly condemn, of course.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Yet you solicited and accepted his endorsement?

MCCAIN: Yes, indeed. I did. And I condemned the comments that he made concerning the Catholic church.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you're going to hold onto his endorsement? Your own campaign acknowledged that you should have done a better job of vetting Pastor Hagee.

MCCAIN: Oh, sure.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So was it a mistake to solicit and accept his endorsement?

MCCAIN: Oh, probably, sure. But I admire and respect Dr. Hagee's leadership of the -- of his church. I admire and appreciate his advocacy for the state of Israel, the independence of the state of Israel. I condemn remarks that are made that has anything to do which is condemning of the Catholic church, but -- so...

(CROSSTALK)

STEPHANOPOULOS: ... no longer want his endorsement?

MCCAIN: I'm glad to have his endorsement. I condemn remarks
that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything. But thanks for asking.

[WATCH.]

Comments

[Arguman]

Anti-anything? What about anti-alias?

[CivilDisobedient]

Anti-anything John???

[Chitown95]

John McCain is without doubt a horrible candidate for President. He has a horrible short temper do we need someone like that as President. John McCain was not endorsed for his senate job by the founder of the Republican Conservative movement the late Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was against McCain because McCain was NUTS and he knew it. McCain dumped his first wife who stood by him when he was a POW so he could marry "Ms. Bud" whose daddy was very well off and helped buy him his congressional seat. I find it funny that people have forgotten McCain was the leading figure in the Keating Savings and Loan scandal! McCain would be an absolute disaster as President. McCain lies so much one wonders if he ever told the truth!

[jollyelle]

Pattern: McCain is pressured to answer a question he wishes he didn't have to, he will say
" THANKS FOR ASKING" at the end of his answer.

sometimes if he can get away with it, he'll add,........"Thanks for asking, you little jerk"
i.e. the high school kid from NH who asked him if he thought he was too old to be president

He then, will flash his condescending gritted teeth grin
(which holds back the raging temper...."i will not explode, i will not explode......")
and laugh.....and laugh and laugh and laugh
Just what we need another chucklehead president, laughing off his ineptitudes.

All the while his press base just sits by and lets it happen.

[CivilDisobedient]

good post. The GOP only needs a figure-head in the white house. The same old people will be running the show if McCain gets in.
They need a president who is somewhat oblivious to his surroundings. Someone they can easily manipulate. McCain and bush fit that bill to a tee.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

... and thanks for asking. You little jerk.

[Tom95134]

Stephanopoulos is such a shill.

[gakabani]

Hagee and McCain are typical Neo-Nazis.

[Smunker]

Don't worry. The Dem 527s will be ALL over this once the primary season is over.

[CivilDisobedient]

Like the Chinese so wisely say...."A picture is worth a thousand words." The photo of McCain hugging bush says it all. That will be the most posted picture on the net, from now until election day. As well it should.

[Biracial1]

What does anti-anything mean?

[CivilDisobedient]

It means I condemn anything that may come back to bite me in the ass.

[Biracial1]

Hagee on African-Americans
"Hagee, pastor of the 16,000-member Cornerstone Church, last week had announced a 'slave sale' to raise funds for high school seniors in his church bulletin, 'The Cluster.'

"The item was introduced with the sentence 'Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone" and ended with "Make plans to come and go home with a slave." [San Antonio Express-News 3/7/96]

Hagee on Women
"Do you know the difference between a woman with PMS and a snarling Doberman pinscher? The answer is lipstick. Do you know the difference between a terrorist and a woman with PMS? You can negotiate with a terrorist." [God's Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, Sarah Posner]

"[T]he feminist movement today is throwing off authority in rebellion against God's pattern for the family." ["Bible Positions on Political Issues," John Hagee]

[CivilDisobedient]

Condemns any anti-anything remarks??? Typical example of McCain's avoidance to be himself.

[peggio]

It was just one more example of the press not "pressing" MCNutsy on much of anything. Tiny George tip toed around his question gave a shrug rather than a probe and told McWhacky how robust he looked. He never asked about Rev. Parsley and his belief that our country was in part founded to destroy Islam? He barely mentioned the temper issue which I think is vital and there are reams of written observances but none save the Post were cited.
One more free ride for McCain the insane after the free ride for our lady of the bad pants suit.

[Frederic]

Can anybody explain to me why a politician needs a "spiritual adviser"? It reeks of the astrologists former kings, emperors and other statesmen (Reagan's Nancy?) used to put their respective catastrophes into action.

[CivilDisobedient]

Spiritual advisors, as such, are just con men.

[sparkandy]

Pot, ketle. Kettle, pot. Obama's association with Rev Wright is much more disturbing than his almost peripheral association with Ayers. I'm not an Obama fan, but I really can't figure out how he's done anything wrong in regard to Ayers.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

John Hagee is a a man who prayed that God would give Bush the courage to bomb and destroy Iran.

[MajorKong]

The difference here is that Hagee, Dobson, Robertson and company are big players in the GOP power structure. I'd actually be surprised if John McCain actually agrees with John Hagee on much.

The problem is that no GOP candidate can get the nomination without kissing John Hagee's ring.

[jsrl317]

If this is the best he's got, he's toast during the general election. HE is a hypocrite, just like everyone else. Straight talk my ass.

-J