In his statement, McCain lashed out at Obama for questioning his motives.
“Perhaps if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue, he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully,” McCain said. “But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions.”
Also on Thursday, McCain tackled a thornier issue, rejecting endorsements from two influential but controversial televangelists, saying there was no place for their incendiary criticisms of other faiths.
McCain rejected the months-old endorsement of Texas preacher John Hagee after an audio recording surfaced in which the preacher said God sent Adolf Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land. McCain called the comment “crazy and unacceptable.” Hagee also has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as “the great whore” and called it a “false cult system.” He has linked Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism. And Hagee said Hurricane Katrina was God’s retribution for homosexual sin.
McCain in an interview repudiated the support of Rod Parsley, an Ohio preacher who has sharply criticized Islam and called the religion inherently violent.
Meanwhile, Obama reached out to Jewish voters in Florida, promising an “unshakable commitment” to Israel if he is elected.
Obama stresses that he wouldn’t negotiate with the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
Some Jewish voters are turned off by Obama’s willingness to negotiate with countries like Iran and Syria. Others reject him because of e-mails spreading false rumors about him.
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