McCain is a Sellout!

When I saw last week that Senator McCain spoke at Liberty University (Jerry Falwell's fundamentalist Christian university), I was wondering what went wrong with him. After all, as the press pointed out, McCain had once called Falwell an "agent of intolerance".
Then on Meet the Press this morning (see ThinkProgress), McCain said Falwell was no longer an "agent of intolerance". In the same way, he seemed to have also changed his mind on tax-cuts. If you watch the video closely, you begin to understand the reason behind the flip-flop - because the Christian Right plays a major role in the Republican party and certainly McCain does not think he can win the 2008 nomination without them.

MCCAIN: I believe that the “Christian Right” has a major role to play in the Republican Party. One reason is because they’re so active and their followers are. And I believe they have a right to be a part of our party. I don’t have to agree with everything they stand for, nor do I have to agree with everything that’s on the liberal side of the Republican Party. If we have to agree on every issue, we’re not a Republican Party. I believe in open and honest debate. Was I unhappy in the year 2000 that I lost the primary and there were some attacks on me that I thought was unfair? Of course. Should I get over it? Should I serve — can I serve the people of Arizona best by looking back in anger or moving forward?

RUSSERT: Do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still an agent of intolerance?

MCCAIN: No, I don’t. I think that Jerry Falwell can explain how his views on this program when you have him on.

He doesn't? In case someone forgot, Falwell is the man who thinks Muhammed (i.e. the Prophet of Islam) was a terrorist, that AIDS is the wrath of God against homosexuals and against socities that tolerate them and that Christ's teahing of "turning the other cheek" is irrelevant because it does not suit his agenda. (see the following when he commented on Carter)

His [Carter's] message of peace and reconciliation under almost all circumstances is simply incompatible with Christian teachings as I interpret them. This 'turn the other cheek' business is all well and good but it's not what Jesus fought and died for. What we need to do is take the battle to the Muslim heathens and do unto them before they do unto us."

NOTE: I quite agree with this post on Daily Kos that Tim Russert's questions to McCain(on Meet the Press) were excellent. Some journalism with great follow-up. A lesson to many TV anchors throughout the world!