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Last update - 10:05 28/02/2008
U.S. pro-Israel evangelical leader Hagee endorses McCain
By Reuters
Tags: Israel, U.S., John Hagee 

Republican presidential candidate John McCain won the endorsement of pro-Israel evangelical leader John Hagee on Wednesday, which could boost his standing among religious conservatives who have been reluctant to embrace the likely nominee.

Hagee, who heads a 19,000-member church in San Antonio, Texas, is best known for his outspoken support of Israel and writings on the Middle East, where he envisions a blood-soaked clash between East and West leading to the return of Jesus Christ.

"I'm very honored by Pastor John Hagee's endorsement today," McCain said at a news conference. "He has been the staunchest leader of our Christian evangelical movement in many areas, but especially, most especially, his close ties and advocacy for the freedom and independence of the state of Israel."
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Hagee, standing beside the candidate, said he admired McCain's pro-Israel stance, commitment to nominate conservative judges and opposition to abortion.

"Victory is within our grasp because John McCain knows it's never wrong to do the right thing," Hagee said.

Christian conservatives are an important part of the Republican base, but many have so far been reluctant to support the Arizona senator.

Coast-to-coast primary victories on Feb. 5 made McCain the all-but-certain Republican nominee, but many evangelicals continue to support rival Mike Huckabee, a Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor. Several conservative Christian leaders have said they will not vote for McCain in November if he is the nominee.

McCain's support for the Iraq war and fierce criticism of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won praise from Hagee, who has brought thousands of evangelical Christians to Washington to lobby on Israel's behalf.

Hagee has written that events in the Middle East point to an imminent apocalypse Christians should welcome.

In his book "Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World," Hagee predicts Russian and Arab armies will invade Israel and be destroyed by God. Israel will then be the site of a battle between China and the West, which will be led by the anti-Christ in his role as head of the European Union. Jesus Christ will return to Earth in the final battle, he writes.

The book also claims Adolph Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church joined in a conspiracy to destroy the Jews.

"Our support of Israel has absolutely nothing to do with an end times prophetic scenario," Hagee told reporters. "They are a democracy in the Middle East that deserves the support of America and the Christian people of America."

McCain said on his campaign plane that he was not familiar with Hagee's writings. "I think he's a fine leader and I appreciate his commitment to Israel," McCain said.

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      1.   Conservatives support Israel 05:01  |  Eli 28/02/08
      2.   End Time scenario 05:10  |  Brod 28/02/08
      3.   Hagee wont help 05:58  |  Harold 28/02/08
      4.   Good Friend to have?! 06:17  |  Ben 28/02/08
      5.   Hagee is a racist 06:55  |  Ray 28/02/08
      6.   Hagee Is A Fine Man But... 07:06  |  Yosemite 28/02/08
      7.   Evangelicals for Israel 07:43  |  Khalid 28/02/08
      8.   It may bring McCain 5 Mio. Christian right votes..... 08:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/02/08
      9.   McCain will need a long spoon 09:05  |  JW 28/02/08
      10.   Hagee and McCain support Israel 09:12  |  Dr. Jack 28/02/08
      11.   Hagee support of McCain 09:51  |  Rev. Earl Ellis 28/02/08
      12.   RAY do not like racists? you will hate Hamas media 10:31  |  PETER SM 28/02/08
      13.   #7 Khalid, I hate to tell you 10:34  |  hala 28/02/08
      14.   khalid 10:38  |  ruben siedner 28/02/08
      15.   Very simple - love Hamas vote obama 10:41  |  Lisa 28/02/08
      16.   Support like this......... 10:51  |  Isaiah 28/02/08
      17.   JUST IN CASE 10:53  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      18.   To No. 6 Ray 10:59  |  American Christian 28/02/08
      19.   Does Hagee really believe all that rubbish? 11:04  |  Michael 28/02/08
      20.   mccain`s other life [wife] 11:16  |  samos 28/02/08
      21.   Jews do not like Christians 11:28  |  American Christian 28/02/08
      22.   KHALID Evangelicals say half.Islam says kill them all 11:38  |  PETER SM 28/02/08
      23.   Hagee 12:11  |  G. Sutton 28/02/08
      24.   To No. 14 ruben siedner 12:24  |  American Christian 28/02/08
      25.   If Obams is the dem candidate I`ll vote McCain 13:13  |  petra 28/02/08
      26.   Where is the separation between... 13:30  |  Edith 28/02/08
      27.   #7 Khalid, I don`t trust those christians... 13:35  |  Edith 28/02/08
      28.   BAD ENDORSEMENT - Hagee is a whacko 13:41  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      29.   I know a little more than average about... 13:45  |  Edith 28/02/08
      30.   Ray the unchristian christian 13:58  |  Sean 28/02/08
      31.   Hagee 14:12  |  William 28/02/08
      32.   # 20 samos.....And?????????????????? 14:23  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      33.   # 8 Swiss....trying to throw McCain into the 14:25  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      34.   Good ole boy corn pone 14:36  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      35.   Hagee as good ole boy corn pone 14:41  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      36.   Rev. Earl Ellis 14:55  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      37.   Lisa in Albany 14:57  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      38.   Ben, you misunderstand their plan 15:01  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      39.   Michael #19 the Antichrist is real 15:04  |  Brod 28/02/08
      40.   Samos and the plight of the non-violent drug offender 15:08  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      41.   Jews do not like christians 15:08  |  Michael 28/02/08
      42.   American Christian - Jews do not like Christians 15:10  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      43.   PETER IN MELBOURNE 15:14  |  Stephen Connor 28/02/08
      44.   The Religious Freaks support Israel... bring on the bloodbath 15:14  |  POP 28/02/08
      45.   To Stephen Connor No.26, 27 15:47  |  American Christian 28/02/08
      46.   McCain opposed torture and fights against dictatorship 15:48  |  Hal 28/02/08
      47.   Lisa #15 15:49  |  Brod 28/02/08
      48.   If Obama gets the nomination, McCain will be president 15:52  |  Joe 28/02/08
      49.   Lisa in Albany on the American Dream 15:54  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      50.   John Hagee 16:26  |  Janis 28/02/08
      51.   Khalid what Bull sh*t! 17:07  |  Robert/Montreal 28/02/08
      52.   # 13 hala ...Christians love Israel for one reason only 17:07  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      53.   # 5 Ray of Cleveland....what if a government 17:12  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      54.   Lynn, Hagee has other reasons than merely biographical 17:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 28/02/08
      55.   #7 - Khalid 17:38  |  Rozz 28/02/08
      56.   Reply to G. Sutton in Toronto (Post No. 23) 17:54  |  Johnny Weintraub 28/02/08
      57.   I Love because...Love Lives in me. It`s not about you. 18:03  |  That`s right... 28/02/08
      58.   John Hagee as well as Pat Robertson and Bob Jones III 18:06  |  Maria 28/02/08
      59.   Eli...that`s right...Vote for Republican only! 18:07  |  Maria 28/02/08
      60.   Jews ....don`t believe Hagee 18:12  |  Maria 28/02/08
      61.   Rev. Earl...there`s really something wrong. 18:14  |  Maria 28/02/08
      62.   #36 lynn and the birthplace of Jesus 18:16  |  hala 28/02/08
      63.   Hal.....McCain won`t be a good president! 18:21  |  Maria 28/02/08
      64.   How stupid do people have to be to think........ 19:01  |  Deborah 28/02/08
      65.   The enemy of my enemy is my friend 19:04  |  Harold 28/02/08
      66.   If you love war, vote for McCain 19:21  |  Forest Gump 28/02/08
      67.   McCain? 19:29  |  MichaelF 28/02/08
      68.   May G-d bless and keep you "all" - FAR AWAY FROM US... 20:14  |  bat yam 28/02/08
      69.   Maria, I agree 20:38  |  hollingsworth 28/02/08
      70.   TO ELI #1 20:49  |  Steve Beikirch 28/02/08
      71.   TO LISA #15 20:58  |  Steve Beikirch 28/02/08
      72.   Stephen Connor.that particular quote is part of the Hamas Charter