Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Dumping Pastors Is Gamble For McCain

In casting aside Hagee and Ohio's Parsley, Republican stands to alienate evangelicals

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted May 29, 2008 4:41 PM CDT

(Newser) – By rejecting endorsements from influential pastors John Hagee and Rod Parsley, John McCain might have alienated evangelical voters, a key Republican electoral bloc. If they “feel this is an attack on them,” one consultant told the Washingon Post, “even if they don't agree with Parsley and Hagee or follow them, it could galvanize them against McCain."

Said one bishop who advises ministers on political issues, “He wants us to support him, but as soon as his back was against the wall, he overreacted. He is now less likely to get the evangelical vote and will have a difficult time getting strong endorsements from other ministers.”

In this Jan. 20, 2006 file photo, The Rev. Rod Parsley. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

Hagee (KRT Photos)

In this Feb. 27, 2008, file photo Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a news conference with Rev. John Hagee. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Quietly, McCain Makes Overtures to Evangelicals

But leaders are skeptical, wounded by Hagee, Parsley slams

(NEWSER) - John McCain faces a challenge uncommon among GOP presidential candidates: rallying evangelical Christians to vote for him. As the New York Times reports, the McCain campaign is holding meetings with evangelical leaders and blasting them with emails, but many are still taking a wait-and-see approach. And McCain's lack of rapport with religious conservatives was exacerbated by his recent rejection of endorsements of the Rev. John Hagee and the Rev. Rod Parsley. More»

Obama Wants Truce Even as McCain Spins Pastors' Ties

McCain says his link to Hagee neither long nor strong as Obama's to Wright

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama is tweaking John McCain for slinging muck on Rev. Jeremiah Wright on one hand while distancing himself from Rev. John Hagee on the other, the Chicago Tribune reports. “Nobody thinks that McCain believes that stuff," Obama said. "For McCain to then suggest that every single statement that was made by somebody is somehow attributable to me is just wrong.” More»

McCain May Pray For Pastors to Zip It

Hagee not talking, but another high-profile preacher may be in news soon

(NEWSER) - John McCain may be heading for his own preacher problems, but at least one of his problematic pastors is clamming up for now, Newsweek reports. John Hagee, who called Hurricane Katrina “the judgment of God,” and Catholicism a “false cult system,” recently answered a request for comment by saying, “It's better that I don't.” More»

GOP Will Bounce Back: Rove

Democratic wave was aberration caused by unusual factors

(NEWSER) - Voters didn’t so much choose liberalism or the Democratic Party as they did Barack Obama, writes Karl Rove in the Wall Street Journal. And that’s potentially good news for the GOP in the 2010 midterm elections, Rove says: “In politics, good years follow bad years. Republicans and Democrats have experienced both during the past 15 years.” If the GOP plays it right, it could be ripe for a comeback. More»

Amish Could Give McCain Crucial Swing-State Support

Many members of sect, concentrated in Ohio, Pa., voted Bush in '04

(NEWSER) - With John McCain now focused on winning Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania, he could get help from a group that has traditionally avoided politics: the Amish. When they do vote, Amish are thought to be 100% Republican because of their views on abortion, Benjamin Sarlin writes in the Daily Beast; George W. Bush was able to mobilize the reclusive Amish vote in 2004. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Dumping Pastors Is Gamble For McCain

In casting aside Hagee and Ohio's Parsley, Republican stands to alienate evangelicals

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

John McCain • John Hagee • Rod Parsley • the religious vote

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Quietly, McCain Makes Overtures to Evangelicals

But leaders are skeptical, wounded by Hagee, Parsley slams

Obama Wants Truce Even as McCain Spins Pastors' Ties

McCain says his link to Hagee neither long nor strong as Obama's to Wright

McCain May Pray For Pastors to Zip It

Hagee not talking, but another high-profile preacher may be in news soon

GOP Will Bounce Back: Rove

Democratic wave was aberration caused by unusual factors

Amish Could Give McCain Crucial Swing-State Support

Many members of sect, concentrated in Ohio, Pa., voted Bush in '04

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Dumping Pastors Is Gamble For McCain

In casting aside Hagee and Ohio's Parsley, Republican stands to alienate evangelicals

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

John McCain • John Hagee • Rod Parsley • the religious vote

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Quietly, McCain Makes Overtures to Evangelicals

But leaders are skeptical, wounded by Hagee, Parsley slams

Obama Wants Truce Even as McCain Spins Pastors' Ties

McCain says his link to Hagee neither long nor strong as Obama's to Wright

McCain May Pray For Pastors to Zip It

Hagee not talking, but another high-profile preacher may be in news soon

GOP Will Bounce Back: Rove

Democratic wave was aberration caused by unusual factors

Amish Could Give McCain Crucial Swing-State Support

Many members of sect, concentrated in Ohio, Pa., voted Bush in '04

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?