McCain Not Tainted by His Crazy Ministers

Republican presidential nominee John McCain actively sought the endorsement of a minister who advocated for the murder of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez merely because Chavez had the audacity to disagree with U.S. policy.

McCain also sought an endorsement from another minister who proclaimed that Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans because of the sins committed by gay men during the annual Southern Decadence festival held there each autumn.

And McCain once visited and accepted an honorary degree from a third clergyman who frothed at the mouth two days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, blaming the destruction on feminists, abortionists and gays who made God angry at an increasingly secular nation.

For those unfamiliar with the ranting of the Religious Right, the ministers mentioned above are, respectively, Pat Robertson, John Hagee and the late Jerry Falwell.

Although McCain later criticized the statements made by the trio, he never renounced them as individuals. In fact, he still touts their endorsements when trying to woo evangelical Christian voters.

The statements and their ramifications for McCain barely warranted a blip on the mainstream media’s radar, and no pundit seriously questioned that they would sink the Arizona senator’s presidential aspirations. Yet the media furor over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s fiery ex-pastor, has been so non-stop during the past few months it’s unavoidable even if you’re only vaguely interested in politics.

I wrote more than a month ago about the apparent double standard for Wright and how his infamous “God damn America” line had been taken out of context (see Porkopolis, issue of April 2).

To be sure, Wright himself is largely responsible for the latest flare-up.

After providing a thoughtful and expansive interview April 25 to Bill Moyers on PBS, Wright gave a defensive, over-the-top performance during a speech at the National Press Club a few days later.

Perhaps giving into anger over his recent treatment, the minister launched into a barrage that was borderline absurd. The display was so off-kilter Obama finally parted ways with him.

But was Wright’s outburst really all that different from the crude and offensive remarks made regularly by some white, conservative evangelical ministers? When McCain, George W. Bush and others cozy up to the likes of Hagee and Bob Jones, they don’t suddenly become responsible for all the crazy talk coming from their pulpits. In a sense, it’s as if the outrageous comments are expected from white ministers and the politicians give a knowing “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” that it’s not to be taken too seriously.

Wright’s remarks got traction with some pundits because he doesn’t look like most of those ministers. He’s black and angry, and that scares many people.

At least Wright’s venom is mostly aimed at the government; Robertson and his ilk like to criticize the disenfranchised and underdogs — minorities, subcultures and other easy targets that don’t wield as much influence or power. For that, Wright displays more courage than his white counterparts.

This article appears in May 7-13, 2008.