McCain seeks – and gets – the endorsement of a prominent Jew, Muslim, and Catholic hater

While Obama was fighting off implications that the unsought endorsement of Farrakhan somehow reflected poorly on him (despite repeated and clear denunciations and repudiations of Farrakhan and his past statements), John McCain was actively courting the endorsement of a right-wing pastor with equally disturbing views.

Hagee has offered some highly provocative views on a variety of subjects.

For instance, he linked Hurricane Katrina to the gay rights movement: ” … All of the city was punished because of the sin that happened there in that city.”

He has also denounced the Roman Catholic Church as “the great whore of Babylon” and “a cult.” He blames it for the Holocaust and predicts its imminent demise.

“This is the apostate church,” Hagee said. ” … this false religious system is going to be totally devoured by the anti-Christ.”

Rev. Hagee, who runs Christians United for Israel, has said this about Jews in the past:

“It was the disobedience and rebellion of the Jews, God’s chosen people, to their covenantal responsibility to serve only the one true God, Jehovah, that gave rise to the opposition and persecution that they experienced beginning in Canaan and continuing to this very day….

How utterly repulsive, insulting, and heartbreaking to God for His chosen people to credit idols with bringing blessings He had showered upon the chosen people. Their own rebellion had birthed the seed of anti-Semitism that would arise and bring destruction to them for centuries to come…. it rises from the judgment of God upon his rebellious chosen people.”

It should be clear that his militant support of Israel is about getting Jews to their position so Jesus can return and bring the Rapture, not about actually supporting Jewish people. What was McCain’s response to earning the endorsement?

Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored’’ by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.’’

Of course, the “liberal” talking head shows on Sunday barely even mentioned this, despite Russert hammering on Obama at the debate in Cleveland.

Now, as I’ve mentioned before, this is a free country; Hagee is free to endorse whomever he wants, and frankly I don’t care who he endorses. What is potentially alarming about this that McCain welcomes that support.