I will say that he said that his words were taken out of context, he defends his position. I hope that maybe you'd give him a chance to respond. He says he has never been anti-Catholic, but I repudiate the words that create that impression.

Of course, McCain courted Hagee for more than a year before gaining the coveted endorsement, and has wanted to limit the damage to his campaign.

Now perhaps Hagee can apologize for his efforts to whip up war with Iran; and for his numerous anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim and anti-gay remarks, that are part of a host of extreme views and statements that each epitomize the worst, most dangerous features of the politics of the religious right. Unless of course, John McCain feels that he has nothing to apologize for.

The Journal wrote:

"Out of a desire to advance greater unity among Catholics and Evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful," Hagee wrote, according to an advanced copy of the letter reviewed by Washington Wire. "After engaging in constructive dialogue with Catholic friends and leaders, I now have an improved understanding of the Catholic Church, its relation to the Jewish faith, and the history of anti-Catholicism."

In the letter, addressed to Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League and one of Hagee's biggest critics, Hagee pledges "a greater level of compassion and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ."

Hagee met with 22 Catholic leaders in Washington, D.C. on Friday to apologize for his comments, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Despite the McCain's condemnation of Hagee's anti-Catholic remarks, the campaign had no role in that meeting or Tuesday's apology, according to the source who said it was something Hagee did because he felt it was necessary.

Donohue is expected to release a letter in response today, accepting Hagee's apology. The Catholic leader slammed both Hagee and McCain in February, releasing a statement titled "McCain Embraces Bigot."

"For the past few decades, [Hagee] has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church," Donohue wrote then. The Catholic League also compiled a bullet-point list on things they object to about Hagee titled "Veteran Bigot."

Of course, veteran bigot Bill Donohue, as Frank Cocozzeli has pointed out often turns a blind eye to the anti-Catholicism of his religious right co-belligerants.

And then what about McCain backer, televangelist and religious right organizer Rod Parsely of Ohio?

The Columbia Journalsim Review wrote back in March that the media have pretty much given it a "free pass."

At a rally in late February, McCain appeared with Rod Parsley, the pastor of an Ohio mega-church, and called him a "spiritual guide."

Parsley has his own history of controversial statements. As David Corn reported this week for Mother Jones, Parsley has called for Christians to wage war against the "false religion" of Islam, in order to destroy it. He does not distinguish between Islamic extremists and ordinary Muslims. "What some call `extremists' are instead mainstream believers who are drawing from the well at the very heart of Islam," he has written.

And it's not just Muslims he's got it in for. Last year, Parsley's organization called for people who commit adultery to be prosecuted, and in January he compared Planned Parenthood to the Nazis.

And that, of course, is just for starters.

David Corn of Mother Jones magazine posted a video clip of Parsley and McCain under the title, McCain's Pastor Problem.  Parsley may be among the most dangerously, and demagogically anti-Muslim men in America, as Corn details in his article.

During a 2005 sermon, a fundamentalist pastor whom Senator John McCain has praised and campaigned with called Islam "the greatest religious enemy of our civilization and the world," claiming that the historic mission of America is to see "this false religion destroyed." In this taped sermon, currently sold by his megachurch, the Reverend Rod Parsley reiterates and amplifies harsh and derogatory comments about Islam he made in his book, Silent No More, published the same year he delivered these remarks. Meanwhile, McCain has stuck to his stance of not criticizing Parsley, an important political ally in a crucial swing state.

In the 2005 sermon, Parsley repeatedly blasts Islam. "It is not a God of love that is presented to those of the Islamic faith," he tells his parishioners. He notes that 9/11 was not "anything new," describing the terrorist attack as merely the latest battle in "a war between Islam and Christian civilization...raging for centuries." Speaking from the pulpit, and wiping sweat from his brow, Parsley exclaims,

I can't begin to tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam. That we see it for what it really is. In fact...I do not believe that our nation can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam...I know that this statement sounds extreme. But I am not shrinking back from its implications. The fact is that...America was founded in part with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed. And I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we no longer can afford to ignore.

The official sort of apology by Hagee and its immediate acceptance by Donohue, is a rather transparent effort to limit the many issues of religious and anti-gay bigotry and fear and war mongering by Hagee to one of one bigot forgiving another over anti-Catholicism.

It was a nice try. But I don't think it is going to work.    

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