McCain renounces Hagee after pastor's hateful remarks come to light

Well, well, well:

In the face of mounting controversy over headline-grabbing statements from the Rev. John Hagee, CNN has learned that presumptive Republican nominee John McCain decided Thursday to reject his endorsement.

McCain told CNN's Brian Todd that he rejected the endorsement after Todd brought to his attention Hagee's comments that Adolf Hitler had been fulfilling God's will by hastening the desire of Jews to return to Israel in accordance with biblical prophecy.

"God says in Jeremiah 16: 'Behold, I will bring them the Jewish people again unto their land that I gave to their fathers. ... Behold, I will send for many fishers, and after will I send for many hunters. And they the hunters shall hunt them.' That would be the Jews. ... Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone who comes with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter," Hagee said, according to a transcript of his sermon.

In a statement to CNN on Thursday, McCain said "Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them. I did not know of them before Rev. Hagee's endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well."

Of course, before Talk2Action's Bruce Wilson unearthed this latest clip, McCain was happy to have the Texas theocon's support. Now McCain is trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and Hagee.

Years ago, John McCain denounced the religious right for peddling division and bigotry, and trying to instigate a culture war. Lately he's been kissing the rings of top fundamentalist leaders, seeking the endorsement of pastors like Hagee.

It's been said that power corrupts... McCain's courting of the theocons is convincing evidence he'll do whatever it takes to get into the White House.