McCain’s televangelist ally believes God damns America

[usaftmo]

“New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God,” Hagee said, because “there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came.”

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/04/24/mccains-televangelist-ally-believes-god-damns-america/

Hmmm...let's see if I understand this correctly...Katrina came because there's sin in New Orleans and a parade that the right wing-nuts don't approve of was scheduled for that Monday.

Not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but in late April New Orleans normally has a Jazz Festival with a wide variety of activities...not sure if that Festival is connected with this parade that Hagee is complaining about.

:wtf:

[BayouBengal07]

1. Southern Decadence Festival

And for the record, a few people still held it.

[MADem]

2. McCain's got teflon with that guy, though, for several reasons.

He flat out said "I don't agree with a lot of my supporters" in reference to that idiot, and he didn't sit in the pew listening to that asshole for twenty years. Isn't a member of his flock, hasn't given any dough to his church. Gave a categorical rejection of most of the guy's extreme and vicious views--while STILL hanging on to the endorsement.

The guy is a dispicable jerk, but McCain has successfully sloughed this off. The whole back and forth can be found in this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/29/john-hagees-mccain-endor_n_89189.html

What's interesting about this whole event is how McCain, and his "team," handled this business. If you step back and look at it from a purely POLITICAL standpoint (don't waste time with 'sincerity' or 'truthfulness'--look at it with 'truthiness' glasses firmly affixed), they handled it ARTFULLY. Talk about managing to have your cake and eat it too! Now, granted, it's craven and opportunistic, but that bastard got away with it.

You can try to play the "compare and contrast" game, but I don't think it will stick. His response will be "Asked and answered....my FRIEND."

Don't underestimate that old man. He was born at night but plainly not last night.

[johnnydrama]

4. when Obama first met Wright

Had Wright already made his statements? So unless you have evidence that Wright said anything like we've seen 20 years ago, he said them 15 years after Obama already knew him. So at least you have a 15 year relation in context with the reaction to the remarks.

What is McCain's excuse? Hagee said all these things, McCain never knew the guy, and now McCain goes out of his way to reach out to him.

I'll tell you the compare and contrast game. McCain's is worse. He specifically went out of his way to court a guy he didn't know who said things just as bad or worse than Wright.

And there's easy 527's out of them. McCain's statements this week were lame. I reject it, but i don't reject it, and i denounce him but i'm glad to have his endorsement.

Puh lease.

McCain has succesfully managed this, because there's no general election race yet.

[MADem]

5. It depends on which statements you're talking about.

Those "greatest hits" sermons happened while Obama was a member of the church, not before. In fact, the one that everyone has a bug up their ass about, the "God DAMN America" one, happened AFTER Nahn Wun Wun. That whole God Damn America/Chickens coming home to roost riff was ABOUT 911.


But Wright is different from Hagee--he was Obama's PASTOR. McCain can't be expected to read every damn sermon Hagee has given, but Obama has said that he was "aware" at some level about Wright's controversial remarks--that's why he shitcanned the guy from his candidacy announcement ceremony.


Wright, however, was ALWAYS controversial. He has made "controversial statements" for his entire tenure. It was his "shtick." His church's philosophy was very "activist" in nature, and it wasn't just "Jesus Loves Me" and Ladies' Bake Sales at all. It was confrontational AND political. Here--peruse their website, it'll give you an idea of their approach: http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

Again, you might not like what I am saying, but McCain covered his ass brilliantly. He is NOT a member of that Hagee church. He never gave Hagee money. He never sat his ass in the pew and listened to the guy ramble on. He has categorically stated that he doesn't agree with everyone who supports him. He has denounced every offensive thing Hagee has uttered while still hanging on to the endorsement, "my friend." Like I said, craven...but brilliant.

You might want to think that this will be a big deal in the general, but it won't--McCain HAS, like it or not, expressed himself clearly on the matter, and the potential for blowback on the Democrat is ENORMOUS. Wright and Hagee, they just aren't the same, because one is a PASTOR, the other is just an endorser.

And Obama isn't going to bring it up if he is the nominee, because all that would do is bounce "God Damn America Wright" smack dab back into the headlines. Then, that would bring up other little "talking points" to fuel the fire--like this little charming affirmation from Obama's church, that would only serve to raise questions about "loyalty" to America, which is already a fun favorite issue of the GOP:

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization.

That "native land" isn't Chicago and that "Mother Continent" isn't North America. He just doesn't NEED this kind of shit. Now, if he'd attended a conservative, no-rocking-the-boat, quiet liturgical church for his whole time in Chicago, he'd be fine and he might have room to gripe. But not with his affiliation with Trinity. Fuggedaboutit. It would be self-destruction if he took it on.

And if Clinton is the nominee, I doubt she'd poke that hornet's nest either. It's just not worth it, and it would make her appear to be "picking on" fundies.

There's no winning going after this topic.

[guyanakoolaid]

3. If they push Wright, a few Dems need to start fighting it with their own 527 to attack about Hagee

Seriously. Obama can stay above it himself, but we need some fighters who are willing to sling Repug shit back at them.

[annabanana]

6. God hates Jazz too

apparently.

[PVnRT]

7. No, just smooth jazz

Why He doesn't send a hurricane to Kenny G's house, I'll never know.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. I Support That Prayer

Kenny doesn't have to be home, but all his instruments should be in there. Even if he has insurance, it will silence him at least for a while. Come on, god. Give us all a break.
The Professor