STOCKTON, Calif.–At a press avail here Thursday afternoon, McCain called Pastor John Hagee’s ideas about Adolf Hitler doing the will of God “crazy and unacceptable.” He continued: “My church I attend is North Phoenix Baptist Church. My pastor and spiritual guide is Pastor Dan Yeary. I’ve never been to Pastor Hagee’s church or Pastor Parsley’s church. I didn’t attend their church for 20 years. I’m not a member of their church.”
The “20 year” line was a reference to Barack Obama’s relationship with his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. But the reference to Pastor Rod Parsley, a controversial televangelist in Ohio who has also endorsed McCain, raised another question. Had McCain rejected Parsley’s support as well?
A few minutes later, McCain confirmed that he had, in a phone interview with Libby Quaid of the Associated Press.
“I believe there is no place for that kind of dialogue in America, and I believe that even though he endorsed me, and I didn’t endorse him, the fact is that I repudiate such talk, and I reject his endorsement,” McCain told the AP.
Back in February, McCain called Parsley a “spiritual guide” at an event in Cincinnati.