IN THEORY:

Presidential hopeful John McCain has come under fire after receiving an endorsement from evangelical leader John Hagee, a target of criticism from the Catholic League, Catholics United and the Democratic National Committee who cited the religious leader’s controversial past remarks on several topics.

Hagee has been accused of saying the Roman Catholic Church conspired with Nazis against Jews and that Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for homosexuality.

“When he endorses me, that does not mean that I endorse everything that he stands for and believes in,” McCain said last week. On Friday, though, he reportedly repudiated Hagee’s views, “if they are anti-Catholic or offensive to Catholics.”

Should McCain reject Hagee’s endorsement?

I do not think it is necessary for John McCain to reject John Hagee’s endorsement. All of the candidates will no doubt receive endorsements from those they do not agree with on one or more points.

I think John McCain’s statement is clear that he does not need to agree with everything one believes that endorses his campaign.

If the standard of complete agreement with every statement a person has said at some point in the past is the requirement for endorsement, the candidates probably could not even endorse themselves!

Pastor Dwight Tomlinson

Liberty Baptist Church

Newport Beach

“We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, not Bob Jones.” Thus, candidate McCain distanced himself in the 2000 Presidential campaign from religious extremists.

“They are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country.”

He denounced aspirants who pandered to the “outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance,” who allied themselves with practitioners of “the political tactics of division and slander.”

The senator labeled his opponent, George Bush, a “Pat Robertson Republican.” This was not a compliment.

Euripides, in Phoenissae, wrote: “Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.” By claiming he was “very honored” to accept the endorsement of John Hagee, a card-carrying “agent of intolerance,” John McCain derailed the Straight Talk Express.

Rabbi Mark Miller

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

I am pleased that John McCain finally came out strong against the anti-Catholic views of John Hagee. By “categorically” rejecting and repudiating any statements made that are “anti-Catholic or offensive to Catholics,” he makes clear his beliefs and leaves no doubt in the mind of the public that he is not in full agreement with Hagee, notably as he regards Catholicism. He says he wants to unite the country, and his Friday statement is a start.

John McCain is trying to garner the conservative vote by proving his conservative credentials. In gaining Hagee’s endorsement, he is trying to win over a certain segment of voters who follow his preaching. That he set the record straight should be pleasing to most Catholics and allow McCain to move on to other issues. I do not believe that Hagee’s views on Catholicism are held by most evangelicals; therefore, his disassociation with these views should not hurt him in that voting camp either.

Father Stephen Doktorczyk

St. Joachim Church

Costa Mesa