McCain Creates a Storm for Charlie Crist
For Immediate Release: March 5, 2008
Contact: Mark Bubriski or Alejandro Miyar 850.222.3411
John Hagee Says God Intentionally Punished Gulf Coast People with Hurricane Katrina
"I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that." [NPR's Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
Hagee Calls Catholic Church 'The Great Whore', 'False Cult System'; Links Hitler to Catholics
"The televangelist, San Antonio megachurch leader John Hagee, has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as 'the great whore' and called it a 'false cult system' and 'the apostate church'; the word 'apostate' means someone who has forsaken his religion. He also has linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism. Catholic groups are pressuring McCain to go further and reject the endorsement, which he announced at a news conference with Hagee last week. The Democratic National Committee also is publicizing Hagee's views. 'Indeed, for the past few decades, he has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue. 'Senator Obama has repudiated the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, another bigot,' Donohue said. 'McCain should follow suit and retract his embrace of Hagee.'" [Associated Press, 3/3/08]
McCain Voted Against Appropriating $109 Billion, Including $74 Billion for Iraq, $28 Billion for Hurricane Relief. In 2006, McCain voted against appropriating roughly $109 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2006. It would provide $72.4 billion in fiscal 2006 funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and foreign aid, not counting an almost 3 percent across-the-board cut to defense funds in the bill. It would provide more than $28 billion for hurricane relief, approximately $2.3 billion for pandemic flu preparations and $1.9 billion for border security efforts. President Bush has threatened to veto any spending bill that exceeded $95 billion, which the Senate bill does by $14 billion. 35 senators signed a letter promising to sustain that veto. [HR 4939, Vote 112, 5/4/06, Passed 78-20, D 43-0; R 34-20; I 1-0]
Contact: Mark Bubriski or Alejandro Miyar 850.222.3411
Crist's Silence is Deafening - McCain Backer Hates Catholics, Claims Hurricanes are 'Judgment of God'
TALLAHASSEE - In another example of his lack of concern for the people of Florida, part-time Governor Charlie Crist wants to be John McCain's running mate so badly that he is ignoring the Republican nominee's refusal to denounce comments a controversial Texas televangelist made about Catholics and about hurricane victims.
John McCain has accepted the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee, who has offered some of the most shameful and divisive religion-based rhetoric in recent times. The conservative Catholic League criticized McCain for not rebuking Hagee who has made a career out of calling Catholicism a "cult." Hagee has also said that Hurricane Katrina was "the judgment of God" on Gulf Coast sinners.
"Will Charlie Crist stand up for the good people of Florida who have been hit hard by hurricanes? And will he stand up for Florida Catholics? Or will he sink as low as John McCain in pandering to the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski asked. "If Empty Chair Charlie Crist is going to hitch his wagon to bigoted people like Hagee, maybe he should extend his next vacation permanently. Otherwise, he ought to ask McCain to denounce these hateful attacks and then get back to work on Florida's economic problems."
John McCain has accepted the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee, who has offered some of the most shameful and divisive religion-based rhetoric in recent times. The conservative Catholic League criticized McCain for not rebuking Hagee who has made a career out of calling Catholicism a "cult." Hagee has also said that Hurricane Katrina was "the judgment of God" on Gulf Coast sinners.
"Will Charlie Crist stand up for the good people of Florida who have been hit hard by hurricanes? And will he stand up for Florida Catholics? Or will he sink as low as John McCain in pandering to the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party?" Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski asked. "If Empty Chair Charlie Crist is going to hitch his wagon to bigoted people like Hagee, maybe he should extend his next vacation permanently. Otherwise, he ought to ask McCain to denounce these hateful attacks and then get back to work on Florida's economic problems."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
John Hagee Says God Intentionally Punished Gulf Coast People with Hurricane Katrina
"I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that." [NPR's Fresh Air, 9/18/06]
Hagee Calls Catholic Church 'The Great Whore', 'False Cult System'; Links Hitler to Catholics
"The televangelist, San Antonio megachurch leader John Hagee, has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as 'the great whore' and called it a 'false cult system' and 'the apostate church'; the word 'apostate' means someone who has forsaken his religion. He also has linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism. Catholic groups are pressuring McCain to go further and reject the endorsement, which he announced at a news conference with Hagee last week. The Democratic National Committee also is publicizing Hagee's views. 'Indeed, for the past few decades, he has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church," said Catholic League President Bill Donohue. 'Senator Obama has repudiated the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, another bigot,' Donohue said. 'McCain should follow suit and retract his embrace of Hagee.'" [Associated Press, 3/3/08]
McCain Voted Against Appropriating $109 Billion, Including $74 Billion for Iraq, $28 Billion for Hurricane Relief. In 2006, McCain voted against appropriating roughly $109 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2006. It would provide $72.4 billion in fiscal 2006 funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and foreign aid, not counting an almost 3 percent across-the-board cut to defense funds in the bill. It would provide more than $28 billion for hurricane relief, approximately $2.3 billion for pandemic flu preparations and $1.9 billion for border security efforts. President Bush has threatened to veto any spending bill that exceeded $95 billion, which the Senate bill does by $14 billion. 35 senators signed a letter promising to sustain that veto. [HR 4939, Vote 112, 5/4/06, Passed 78-20, D 43-0; R 34-20; I 1-0]
McCain Voted Against Granting Access To Medicaid For Hurricane Katrina Victims For Up To Five Months. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would grant access to Medicaid to Hurricane Katrina victims for up to five months; it also provided full federal funding for Medicaid in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for up to one year; provided $800 million to compensate providers caring for Katrina evacuees; it temporarily suspended the Medicare Part B late enrollment penalty; and permitted states hit by or serving evacuees to access the TANF Contingency Fund. It would be offset with funds unspent by the FEMA. [S 1932, Vote 285, 11/3/05, Failed 48-51, D:43-0, R:4-51, I:1-0]
McCain Voted Against Establishing A Congressional Commission To Examine The Federal, State And Local Response To Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment to establish a congressional commission to examine the Federal, State, and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Region of the United States especially in the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and other areas impacted in the aftermath and make immediate corrective measures to improve such responses in the future. [HR 2862, Vote 229, 9/14/05, Failed 44-54, D:43-0, R:0-54, I:1-0]
At Right-Wing Conference, McCain Bragged About His Opposition To A National Catastrophic Insurance Fund. In his speech to CPAC, McCain highlighted his opposition to the national insurance fund, bragging, "I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives..." [John McCain CPAC Remarks As Prepared For Delivery, 2/7/08]
At Right-Wing Conference, McCain Bragged About His Opposition To A National Catastrophic Insurance Fund. In his speech to CPAC, McCain highlighted his opposition to the national insurance fund, bragging, "I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives..." [John McCain CPAC Remarks As Prepared For Delivery, 2/7/08]
McCain Uncommitted to Insurance Fund. In a campaign event in Florida, McCain said, "If people are going to build homes where hurricanes hit, they have to assume a great part of that liability. We don't have that many hurricanes that hit Arizona, as you know. We need to all work together and see if the present unacceptable situation can be remedied, and if that requires some federal action, I'm for it - but not just insuring anybody for any circumstance. I'm not going to do that. I would not support such a thing." [St. Petersburg Times, 9/2/07]
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