Hagee apologizes to Catholics
May 13th, 2008
By Gerardo Orlando
This will help McCain minimize the damage done by his enthusiastic courting of Hagee in getting his endorsement. Bill Donahue has accepted the endorsement, clearing the way for him to support McCain in the fall. Democrats will still bring this up, especially if McCain raises the Wright issue, but this will quiet Donahue and other Catholic commentators.
May 13th, 2008 15:38
Catholics welcome the apology but before accepting it most of us want to know the details.
May 13th, 2008 20:31
I agree. This is pure politics, and Hagee has said other crazy things, but there is clearly some attempt to moderate his views.
The real issue is that McCain sought his endorsement, which showed he will seek out anyone that will help him with the far right of his party.
This shouldn’t be the end of the story, but as a pure political calculation it helps McCain that Bill Donahue, a very vocal Catholic talking head, will no longer be taking shots at McCain.