Posted on 05/23/2008 7:53:47 AM PDT by SmithL
Union City -- Facing a pile of controversial campaign troubles - including incendiary comments by televangelist John Hagee that forced him to reject Hagee's endorsement - Sen. John McCain tried mightily to shift the focus to economic issues and his Democratic opponent Barack Obama on Thursday during a California campaign swing.
McCain, speaking at a Silicon Valley forum on economic issues alongside Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, issued a renewed call for "comprehensive immigration reform" as a top agenda item for the next president. He called for a "temporary agricultural program," saying, "We need a way for an ordinary person to apply for citizenship in this country in a way that they can count on and trust."
Later, at an evening rally in Stockton, the Arizona senator and presumptive Republican presidential nominee launched into a slashing attack on Obama. He said the Illinois senator "doesn't have the knowledge, background or judgment to lead this country in these dangerous times," adding sarcastically that "for a young man with very little experience, (Obama) has done well."
But at the start of his Northern California fundraising and campaign trip, the dominant news of the day was not on McCain's official agenda: The controversial Hagee had, in the 1990s, said Adolf Hitler had acted as an agent of God to cause the Holocaust to send more Jews to the Holy Land.
Minutes after the Union City event, McCain issued a statement rejecting the influential Texas pastor's endorsement - one he had eagerly sought in order to win the support of churchgoing conservative voters.
"Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them. I did not know of them before Rev. Hagee's endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well," McCain said in a statement. Hagee withdrew his endorsement as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
unless he sat in Hagee’s pew for 20 years, they cannot associate the two situations. Obama had to agree with Wright or he would not have selected the man’s church.
Consider the source. The San Freakcisco commie rag. Just more MSM hypocrisy. My dog will not even Pee on a newspaper any more.
Divide and conquer.
I would hardly call Hagee a televangelist.
Oh brother! These lib-journalists are desperate.
Hagee is not McCains pastor. The MSM is trying to pass another lie.
Republican presidential candidates have their crushes on California, the girl they can’t get, but they spend fortunes trying. I could care less about where McCain campaigns, whether or not he wins or loses or how his own media party turns on him, but I can’t help wondering why he isn’t campaigning where it might make a difference. Is there internal polling that makes California look like it is in play?
Controversial campaign troubles? To liberals? I have never heard of such a thing.
We already have it...its called apply for immigration and wait in line with everybody else.
Then he could put them all in a big bathtub, grab his little rubber ducky and play his games without threatening the U.S.A..
Have these people ever read the transcript of Lincoln’s second inaugural address? Trying to see the hand of God in even the most tragic of circumstances is a long standing Christian tradition and is hardly controversial.
“...McCain issued a statement rejecting the influential Texas pastor’s endorsement - one he had eagerly sought in order to win the support of churchgoing conservative voters.”
I don’t remember McCain “eagerly seeking” crap. Jeez, what a lie-fill rag.
Hagee is not now nor has he ever been McCain’s pastor.
By this standard should not Barack Obama be accountable for Louis Farrakkhan and a host of jihadist middle eastern imams?
It’s always important to remember that these people thought that BJ’s in the Oval Office was perfectly acceptable. Hypocrites all.
Just another example of McCain following the RINO playbook - just hurry to throw anybody under the bus to appease the libs. Of course it never works, because the RINOs just give the libs ammo to continue the beatdown.
I’m still looking for a candidate with backbone and conviction.
Back in the winter, when you were a liberal running against conservatives, your pals in the MSM luuuvvvveeeeddd you!
Now, you're a liberal running against extreme liberals, and whaddya know, the MSM is finding "troubles" that are "piling up"!!!
Surprise, surprise!!!
He can still raise money there...
My hope is McCain goes home in November a bitter and broken man with conservatives NOT voting for him.
So, President Barack Hussein Obama along with a sympathetic congress is more to your liking??
As in high taxes?
As in Iraq surrender even after the success of the surge?
As in nationalized health care?
Sorry, it's just too high a price to pay for humiliating McCain, IMHO.
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