March 5, 2000

McCain Falls on His Sword Attacking Religious Right

Politics and religion are two subjects you don’t discuss in polite company – let alone in a political campaign or a religious revival.

If you don’t believe this old adage I just made up, consider the current flap over religion in the Republican primaries involving Gov. George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain.

McCain won decisively in New Hampshire with a plurality of Democrats and non-affiliated voters cutely called “independents.” He invested heavily in money and time in South Carolina – expecting to cash in on the “momentum” of New Hampshire. He failed to realize that one mixed-bag win does not big mo make.

In South Carolina, as a conservative, Bush did what he had to do. That is, make a pro-forma appearance at Bob Jones University -- as Bush the elder, Reagan, Quayle and black Catholic Keyes had done before him.

McCain raced to the TV cameras to denounce George W. as anti-Catholic. Surely it was coincidental that the next primary was Michigan which is strongly Catholic.

The BJU founder and his successor son are unabashedly anti- Catholic. They frown on inter-racial dating. It can be stipulated that such attitudes are prejudicial – while acknowledging that most South Carolinians do not embrace them. The school abolished its dating rule Friday.

Politicians frequently speak to contrary groups that have large, organized adherents. The objective is not to offend them. Hopefully a few stray votes may be gathered.

It is interesting to note that exclusive speaking invitations by African-American churches to Democratic candidates are not considered racial. Or participation of Vice- president Al Gore and Bill Bradley in a debate arranged by radical racist Rev. Al Sharpton at a Harlem theater. Or deferential visits by Democrats to Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farakan who publicly condemns Jews.

When politicians speak to the American Jewish Committee, no one calls it anti-Christian.

It is ludicrous to call Bush anti-Catholic. His brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is Catholic with a Mexican Catholic wife. As the popular governor of Texas, George W. Bush consorts with Hispanic Catholics.

Well, yes; but McCain asserts George W. did not use the university visit to denounce his host. Bush may not be as swift as McCain on the uptake, but he is not stupid.

In the last day of the Michigan primary campaign, McCain paid a telemarketing firm $8,000 to phone 24,000 Catholics and accuse Bush of being anti-Catholic. McCain personally approved the tape-script which included a fictitious sponsor.

Three times before the cock crowed, Straight Talk McCain disavowed the calls. Finally, however, the truth leaked. Well, yes, confessed McCain, “but I didn’t call my opponent anti- Catholic.”

“What I said, was: Gov Bush sought the support of Southern fundamentalists who have expressed anti-Catholic views. Bob Jones has made strong anti-Catholic statements, including calling the pope anti-Christ, and the Catholic Church a satanic cult.”

Here was vintage Clinton-speak with a full range of parsing – literally true, but lying.

McCain has shot himself in the heart. If for no other reason that the nation can not stand another Clintonesque double talker in the bully pulpit called White House.

The Michigan gaff also demonstrated McCain’s short temper fuse -- about which his fellow senators warned us at the starting gate.

After losing South Carolina, McCain forswore the concession speech that traditionally includes a tip-of-the-hat to the winner. Bush phoned congratulations after New Hampshire. Instead, McCain blurted to the media: “I will not take the low road to the highest office in this land. I want the presidency in the best way, not the worst way.”

Even in Michigan -- where McCain won big with Catholic votes slyly solicited – he retorted nastily to Gov. John Engler who complained that Republicans had been “hijacked.” Said McCain, “Be a man!” That is, admit you lost fair and square even though I hijacked the election.

McCain pugnaciously launched another attack on the so-called “Christian right” after he was walloped in Virginia. He called Rev. Pat Robertson and Rev. Jerry Falwell “agents of intolerance by exercising an evil influence over the Republican party.”

Then McCain threw himself on his sword: “To stand up and take on the forces of evil, that’s my job. I can’t steer the Republican party if those two individuals have the influence that they have on the party today.”

Bye-bye, John. You appear psychologically unsuited for the presidency. Trying to convert the GOP to Democrat-light sounds like the fat lady singing.

PARTING SHOTS

Democrats in Congress last week introduced resolutions attacking Bob Jones University for the religious views of its founder. Look out for thunderbolts!

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Advice for political candidates: “Never drop your gun to hug a grizzly.”

Lindsey Williams is a Sun Herald columnist and can be reached at linwms@lindseywilliams.org