I also ran into the senator about two years ago. Unfortuanately he seems to have gotten up and kept running. Might he not turn out to be one of those perinnial also-rans, like Ross Perot and Ralph Nader?

candide,
U say:"McCain reveals himself as a demagogue, a liar, a fraud -- in short, a Republican." U forgot:bigot,racist,opportunist and a hyporite.

McCain needs to wake up:nothing will save his already sunken ship-not even converting to a baptist and bashing American Muslims.

Good tactical sense? What about sincerity? "I proclaim that I am religious." Yeah? Why, because you really mean it and feel genuinely moved to communicate this? Most of these people, everything is about ratings, about gain, its all tactics, a means to an end. What's the point? Why should I be interested in anything these people have to say, when none of it is real? Religion! Which religion-- speaking without guile and purity of spirit? What a sham... Good tactical sense, The God vote... If people really gave a damn in this country, if they were close to God's spirit, we'd run all these chumps out on a rail. Paper champions.

Good tactical sense? What about sincerity? "I proclaim that I am religious." Yeah? Why, because you really mean it and feel genuinely moved to communicate this? Most of these people, everything is about ratings, about gain, its all tactics, a means to an end. What's the point? Why should I be interested in anything these people have to say, when none of it is real? Religion! Which religion-- speaking without guile and purity of spirit? What a sham... Good tactical sense... If people really gave a damn in this country, we'd run all these chumps out on a rail. Paper champions.

............."Well, John McCain gets my thanks for serving his country, and for being an outspoken CRITIC on "TORTURE."

HAVING.......SAID THAT.......McCain won't win, and is just fighting off attempts that is coming anyway, DEFEAT....END!!

Why...because he went LOCKSTEP WITH THE DISASTEROUS REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT HAS WRECKED AND RUINED THE UNITED STATES, OVER A MESS..........WE HAVE....CALLED IRAQ!

THEN HE AND THE REPUBLICANS GO and VOTE DOWN HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
FOR KIDS OF THE WORKING POOR.

....THey have Health Insurance the same kind they denied the America's kids Health Care Coverage, who live in the Richiest Country in the WORLD!

GIVING $10 BILLION IN TAXPAYERS Dollars, TO WHOOO....THE OIL COMPANIES!!!!

MCCAIN ALSO VOTED to GIVE THE OIL COMPANIES...........$10 BILLION IN GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES....WHO ARE....ALREADY...........
RAKING IN RECORD PROFITS, THATS WHY HE WON'T win.

In conclusion, The Disasterous Republicans Record speaks for itselF and McCain was a part of it and he's done now he's never ever win, like the republican party its over for them as a party in America.

....."Good Riddence.......

...THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS RUINED THE IMAGE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEY KNOW IT!

WHILE VoTinG DoWn HEAlTH CARE FOR America's Kids!

John McCain, WENT LOCKSTEP ALL THE WAY WITH THE REPUBLICANS ON THIS MESS, CALLED A RECORD!!

HE'S BEEN DEFENDING IT AND THE MESS HE STILL REFUSES TO SEE, CALL IRAQ!!!

........"He's....won't Win, can't win, and HE KNOWS...IT!

Sincerely, THomas Birchfield, Voter, Vet USAF,
Class 2007 East Tenn State University

Masters' Program, ETSU, fall....2007

Yes, this guy is desperate enough to say anything. He wants to be president so badly and I believe he would make a terrible president. He has no vision and he cannot see the position the US is in economically,internationally and domestically. He thinks the same old stuff will work long enough for him to reap a financial windfall like the Bush/Cheney friends and family. Bushco is going to leave an immeasureable mess behind and we cannot afford a McCain, Roomney or sleazebag like Guiliani.

I think that Dr. Paul has a more solidly pro-life record. Not just that he has more consistently maintained that states should never have been denied the right to outlaw abortion, but also that the rest of Dr. Paul's platform is the only one that would actually tend to increase human happiness and achievment. That, my friend, is the philosophy of one who is truely "pro-life"!

17??-2008 GOP RIP

Well, if McCain is a Baptist, maybe he can baptize himself.

Does a proper baptismal still use 100-pound ankle weights?

Well, if McCain is a Baptist, maybe he can baptize himself.

Does a proper baptismal still use 100-pound ankle weights?

Well, if McCain is a Baptist, maybe he can baptize himself.

Does a proper baptismal still use 100-pound ankle weights?

So why is the nasty Berlinerblau allowed to snipe at, and question McCain's very religious beliefs, whatever they are?
Is that done on the sorry "ON FAITH" blog with impunity?
Whatevery you think of McCain, and I don't think much, this is below the belt, foul.
Beneath contempt. If this kind of thing is fine in "Jewish Civilization", Berlierblau's expertise, has he not leaned in that in Christian circles it is considered disgusting?

Sad, but true I suppose. These Christians are so used to believing utter nonsense that they will believe anything. They have supported the worse President in the History of the nation, ignored his behaviors which have nothing remotely related to any Christian precepts I am aware of, presumably because he has stuffed the Supremes to overturn Row VS Wade, paid the Churches a lot of tax payers money, and generally played to the Christian crowds as destroied the country and the world. Armeggedon any one?

Sad, but true I suppose. These Christians are so used to believing utter nonsense that they will believe anything. They have supported the worse President in the History of the nation, ignored his behaviors which have nothing remotely related to any Christian precepts I am aware of, presumably because he has stuffed the Supremes to overturn Row VS Wade, paid the Churches a lot of tax payers money, and generally played to the Christian crowds as destroied the country and the world. Armeggedon any one?

Christianity has always been a convenient power tool, so of course McCain will use it, just like others before him.

"We won't have to be embarrassed by his behavior in the oval office." Maybe. Maybe he's too old. McCain has quite a past with the ladies,too, and ran around on his first wife. He's now with the beauty who had the moolah to enable him to continue his political career but who's to say he's done with women. Republicans should look in their own backyard instead of bring Clinton up all the time. No one can top Guiliani for philandering or the sh**ty way he treated his wives. Romney is probably the only one who could withstand the scrutiny the Republicans subjected Clinton to. And now Rudi is going to be their nominee, but that's ok, different rules for the Republicans.

"We won't have to be embarrassed by his behavior in the oval office." Maybe. Maybe he's too old. McCain has quite a past with the ladies,too, and ran around on his first wife. He's now with the beauty who had the moolah to enable him to continue his political career but who's to say he's done with women. Republicans should look in their own backyard instead of bring Clinton up all the time. No one can top Guiliani for philandering. Romney is probably the only one who could withstand the scrutiny Clinton had to withstand.

"We won't have to be embarrassed by his behavior in the oval office." Maybe. Maybe he's too old. McCain has quite a past with the ladies,too, and ran around on his first wife. He's now with the beauty who had the moolah to enable him to continue his political career but who's to say he's done with women. Republicans should look in their own backyard instead of bring Clinton up all the time. No one can top Guiliani for philandering. Romney is probably the only one who could withstand the scrunity Clinton was given.

As an Arizona resident it is painful to watch McCain become more and more pathetic. Does anyone believe the garbage coming out of his mouth? I guess conservative religious folks are trained to believe male authority figures. The rest of us just watch in disbelief.

I will not discuss dubious ideas based on falsified info, so I will not engage discussion about the blind faith of Islam or other unbeliefs.
McCain is showing a willingess to change his ways and convert to Christianity. Confederates obtain confederates by inducement or duress.

I'm so fed up with Christians.

They babble about the "Judeo-Christian tradition," but Judaism and Christianity have nothing in common, either in theory or in practice. Whenever a Christian utters this stupid phrase, the Jew nods her head because she doesn't want the Christian to realize that she is really different. The Jew knows that Christians have a terrible propensity for destroying those who are different. The Jew stays silent in self defense.

Christians talk about the love of Jesus, then they go kill Jews and Muslims in order to protect their cherished way of life. Richard I (aka Lionheart) loved to kill Jews and Muslims; he was a great hero. Martin Luther called for the expulsion or death of all Jews who would not convert; he is revered as a great Christian. The Spanish Inquisition did the same; simply a footnote to history and the basis of a very funny Monty Python routine. The Russians had their pogroms and Germany had Hitler, who in the long run succeeded in making Germany the most economically advanced nation in Europe free of Jews.

If Christians would simply follow the teachings of Jesus (as a minority do), they would be wonderful people. But, too many do not. Instead, they, like Senator McCain, oppress and destroy others in Jesus' name.

I'm sorry Senator McCain, but America is not a Christian nation. If it were, I couldn't live here. Enjoy the war. It's all you've got.

As for the rest of you Christian Americans out there, please slow down the march to Armageddon. I fancy my life as it is, thank you very much.

Is there anything worse than trying to sell your soul, only to find out that there are no takers? John McCain took the worst of both worlds. He abandoned all principle, and he still won't get to President. Wouldn't he have felt so much better if he would have just stuck to what he believed? Now, he has nothing.

One more thing, one (real) Baptist to another (pandering), didn't you read our history that we are the ones who pushed for the separation of church and state in the Constitution, and there is a laudatory letter from no less an authority than George Washington praising these efforts?

Open you eyes Mr. McCain and see every religion is permanent part of this American landscape. If I am not your kind of christian then I am not qualified to be president. Can I vote? Moreover, what this Judeo-Christian hog wash. Judaism and christianity are two separate religions. As I recall Judaism never recognises Jesus except for political expediency some do.

Let us keep politics and religion at constitutional arms length. Let us not mix these up. As far religious right, you can go pound sand and take your rightist candidates with you.

BORNINTHEUSA, talks about bibbles. Any one know what bibbles are?

I would be willing to wager that 15 to 20 percent of our elected officials if they answered truthfully would tell you they are atheists. But since that would be political suicide, we may never know.

I once supported McCain even donating to his PAC during 2005 when he was against the nuclear option and torture. But the day he made the pilgrimage to kiss Falwell's butt I lost all respect for him. He may of been a brave soldier but he sold out to the side of evil and we all know the Christian Right is Evil in every sense of the word. So this DNC member will not ever take McCain seriously again and he is in danger of ruining his legacy with this senile cop out. Watch for McCain to lose the Primary then retire at the end of his term giving the Dems one more Senate seat!

I can support John McCain because of his prolife stance, his support for campaign reform, his efforts to pass sensible immigration laws and his dedication to his country. We won't have to be embarrassed by disgraceful behavior in the Oval Office. Compared to Hillary John McCain is a saint.

I don't believe that McCain has decided to become a radical religious conservative - he is simply taking a page from the Bush book - use them to get elected. McCain has sold himself to the devil - wrapped in evangelical clothing.

If the posts on this blog are any indication, then there can be no doubt that most of the American media is a few years or even decades behind the current thinking of the populace.

It is refreshing to see so many Republics in this thread pooh-poohing the "maverick" label that the media has assigned to John McCain since 2000. To be sure, Democrats have taken issue with that moniker for years, but it would seem that dyed-in-the-wool Rs have had enough of it as well. Yet, turn on any major network or cable news channel and you'll hear the punditry praise "the maverick McCain" if he doesn't slide a point or so between the poll taken at breakfast and the one taken at lunch. By the 6pm news, the writers have inserted "maverick McCain" into the copy to be read by Katie and Brian.

Sometimes I wonder if Tweety (aka Chris Matthews), Brian Williams and Wolf Blitzer realize that 80% of the American public switches channels whenever they are assaulted with idiocies like "maverick John McCain?"

Is it any wonder the internet is eating the corporate media alive?

McCain might be "babbling" but said type of babbling worked for Reagan and for the Bush family. It also saved Bill Clinton. (The old "He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her" defense as per John 8:1-30).

Election Day is November 4, 2008.

An election is a time for people to express their hopes for their nation. 2008 does not find Jesus on the ballot, so Christians will have to examine real people, flawed like themselves, such as John McCain. I hope that faith and reason can be honored- read his books, examine his positions, pray and vote. I have met him, he is honest, intelligent, wise, and humble.

The Conservative Christian voting block is crippled by its own need for True Believers. I wrote about it a bit at http://growingupgoddy.com/blog/eaton/realpolitik. The leaders of the movement combine a strange willingness to compromise their own theological ideals for political power... with the expectation that any politicians who vote with them be "True Believers" in the cause. Simply voting with Conservative Christians isn't enough. Sharing fundamental beliefs isn't either -- they require ideological assent and lock-step legislative conformity.

More proof that McCain is the Hillary of the right. Say anything, do anything to get elected.

Unfortunately, no one seems to have informed McCain that Bush's suspension of the AMERICAN CONSTITUTION will be ENDING in 2008, not rubber-stamped!

McCain's

"“the constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation,”"

is also feeding into the revisionist lies christians are being fed by the Fallwells (may he rot), Robertsons, Dobson's, Perkins and all those other anti-american dominionists trying to take over the country.

If you spew the same swill coming out of these dominionist mouths then you, John McCain, are one of them. Remember McCain, the people who believe that crap don't even read their own bible and we certainly can expect they will never actually read the constitution ... but we DO expect you to have read the constitution.

The people you are trying to win over with this latest effort on your part are the swamp in which these dominionists live, they are the people who make them possible. Now you are making them possible. Have you bothered to do a cost-benefit analysis on this???

You have become your own agent of intloerance McCain, why don't you slink off the stage and go feel your medals. At least once upon a time you were a real man, with real principles, worthy of our admiration.

Please, stop saying the God vote. McCain is going for the petty self-righteous vote. Like millions of Christians, I stand diametrically opposed to his shameful, ingratiating, and cynical use of our most cherished sentiments. Eight years ago, I would not have believed reports of McCain behaving like this. I still find it hard to swallow. Jimmy Carter still makes me wretch when he breaks into his Sunday school sermonettes. The sight of another fellow Seaman devolving just breaks my heart. And then to top it off with that blatant falsehood about the Constitution – God help us!

I ran into the senator in an air port about four years ago, and I was quit impressed by the events that happened between the two of us that day. The first thing that impressed me was he was traveling on commerical air, and alone, I mean no body guards, no "people", no media.
I was about to purchase a book in the air port gift shop, and when I looked up he was standing at the register making a purchase with a few people standing around him looking just as shocked as I was. When I approched the register to pay for the book, (about FDR and others in the theator of WWII) he smiled at me and I said some weired thing like "you are who you are", (I felt like an awkword kid trying to impress a girl for the first time), however he kept his smile and just noded his head.
I started to walk away after my purchase, then abruptly I turned and came back to him hoping he won't think I was a threat to him, or a stalker, and ask if he would sign the book cover for me. The Senator looked at the title of the book and gave his approval of it by saying "this is good reading", he then took the book opened the cover and signed "John McCain senator from Arizona". This made my day, and even though I am not associated with either of the major polictial parties, I thought on that day I would consider voting for the senator from Arizona if he ever ran for President of the United States. Today after four years I still would consider voting for the senator for that act of kindness to someone he did not know, his war history, and his wholesome although more conservitive views (than I hold).

Signed:
Ordinary Average Afro-America Citizen.

I never did get the whole "straight talk express" McCain thing. He had the media wrapped around his finger because he was a gruff challenge to the media's conventional wisdom regarding the low-grade GOP front runner in 2000. That same media annointed Dubya as the "guy you'd most want to have a beer with", so now we're drunk on war.
McCain has always been a far right winger, and while not one to wear his religion on his sleeve, his positions have always been compatible with the Religious Right. And having been one of the Keating 5 (or was it 7), his efforts at a Constitutionally questionable campaign finance reform should be seen in that light, i.e., atonement rather than conviction.
His so-called pandering to the Religious Right is no surprise, as Mr. Berlinerblau points out. The shock is the result of people having bought into the shallow presentation by the media of electable candidates as fun guys, whose stands on issues are only incidental.

I think in The American Heritage Dictionary you'll now find a picture of John McCain, to serve as visual epitome, next to the following definition:

pan·der·er
2. One who caters to or exploits the lower tastes and desires of others.

If McCain's statements are disturbing (and I agree that there is no basis for them constitutionally), we need only look to the history of presidential elections to understand their truth. Puritan America was in an uproar when a Catholic ran for president. Gore's selection of Leiberman was probably as culpable as Florida in his loss, and just as societally disturbing.

It is not simply the religious right (though they are McCains target) who want to know the spirituality of the candidates. That spirituality is a binding element between the public office and its constituants. I dare any candidate to stand at the podium and declare his or her Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or atheism; then, expect to win. It is naive to expect this from any country that claims an historical identity through specific thoughts and religious doctrines.

RELIGION POISONS EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES?

Identifying himself as a Baptist is pandering to evangelicals and will also put a good distance between himself and the evil Mormon Mitt Romney. McCain has joined the religious bigots in this country who would deny any man or woman the right to serve their country simply because of their religious preference. I thought we were better than that.

What? Being an Episcopalian wasn't good enough anymore? A simple belief in the moral precepts of the Ten Commandments and the teaching's of Jesus, such as "Blessed are the peace makers", can no longer cut it for the born again crowd? If you profess a religious belief in any way, being born once isn't good enough?

What is going here and across the board in politics, repub. and dem. is PANDERING. Yes but then politicians always pander for votes. However, the problem here is that they are pandering to those who hold that they have access to the ultimate truth, a truth that they have only on faith. You can't smell their truth, taste their truth, hear their truth, see their truth or touch their truth but the holding of their views is a prerequisite for doing the people's business in a country where the plethora of religious expression is as vast as the ethnic make up of the nation.

Bottom line, while morality has a place in politics, religion does not. I point you to Socrates as an example. Socrates was not a Christian. Socrates was not born again. We hold Socrates to be an exemplar of right thinking. Socrates was executed for being impious. The moral man was executed because his thoughts did not conform the religious usage of his day. Fascinating isn't it?

Keep your religions in your churches and out of the political discourse. Then maybe Rudi Giulliani can go on receiving communion and John McCain can go back to the church of the upper class, instead of having to muck it up with the hoi poloi.

Republican Senator John Mc Cain who at one time seemed to embody honesty and non-partisanship, rare qualities amongst most of today's congressional members, has sold his soul to the devil. His pandering to any group who will listen to him has the stench of desperation about it. No one GOP presidential candidate I think with the possible exception of Mitt Romney has sunk so low in order to win the dubious prize of GOP front runner for the 2008 presidential election.

I am ashamed of McCain, the demogogue. Sorry to use such strong word about Senator McCain whom I once admired and hope to be our President.

I agree now with Eboo Patel who wrote:
"When we treat our neighbors and guests of a different faith as strangers, we become the aliens in America."

I add to Patel's commment: we start electing aliens to our congress and Senate, and Presidency. We cease to be United States and become like Saudi Arabia or Iran.

So John McCain thinks the Constitution established the United States as a Christian nation? How, then, can he explain that "God" is not mentioned even once in that document? Perhaps he skipped over the part that says that there shall be no religous test for public office. How tragic that this true American hero has lost his integrity.

Let them crack open their bibbles all they want.

The repugs are going down to defeat this time around and one of the major reasons is their bibble thumping.

What a bunch of dispicable hypocrites.

Sad how the former "straight-talking" decent and seemingly honest senator in his pursuit of the extreme right wing conservative "ring" has trtansformed himself into the Gollum of American politics. Unrecognizable from the former decent man he once appeared to be. And now he thinks Bush is right to veto health insurance for kids....the bowing down is over, now he's just crawling on his belly to the right wing....a shame.

It says a lot that rightwing religious fundamentalists can be so easily fooled. Of course, its possible that they can't. On the one hand, they were taken in by formerly cocaine-snorting draft-dodging Bush (not to mention Mr. Other Priorities Cheney). On the other hand, Bush had a longer history of speaking in the right code.

If they really control the GOP (and they have had an undeniable influence up to now) then McCain, and serial adulterer pro-choice Rudy, and the formerly pro-choice LDS guy Romney should be toast. (After all, Mormons aren't real Christians, are they?). Can't imagine they would actually nominate somebody like Brownback. Get a bag of popcorn and watch this unfold.

I am ashamed of McCain, the demogogue. Sorry to use such strong word about Senator McCain whom I once admired and hope to be our President.

I agree now with Eboo Patel who wrote:
"When we treat our neighbors and guests of a different faith as strangers, we become the aliens in America."

I add to Patel's commment: we start electing aliens to our congress and Senate, and Presidency. We cease to be United States and become like Saudi Arabia or Iran.

Dear Earthlings:

If you want to survive the 21st Century, choose reason over faith.......

McCain’s day-after spin is also illuminating. McCain clarified that he believes the Constitution offers equal rights to members of all faiths, and that all he meant was that the values protected by the Constitution--respect for human life and dignity--are rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. But that was not the question he was asked, nor the answer that he gave. The term “Christian Nation” means a lot more than some overlap in Constitutional and Christian values.

The Republican candidates for president are a sad lot. McCain isn't even the worst at pandering to the Christian Right, though he is the most disappointing in his pandering.

How Sad, the Senator has sworn to uphold the Constitution, now wants to abrogate the Bill of Rights. Maybe he and the Baptists should study the history behind the clause. Most of the original settlers came took a long hard journey to this Country due to religeous prosecution.

Even at the beginning of this country, the Quakers were considered heretics and were prosecuted. But as long as they stayed in PA that was OK. Now we wouldn't want to talk about the Latter Day Saints and their trials in the 1800's

The point being is the "Power of the King" is not in the Federal Government but is in each individual. So to all religeons go out and convert non-christians to your beliefs with the carrot. It is not allowed by the bill of rights to use the stick of the Federal Government to convert non-believers.

I'd like to thank John McCain for this lurch to the right. All the republican candidates who are already fawning over this voting block will have to go even farther to ensure their slice of this diminishing pie.

We will no longer be able to hide from what the republicans truly are, and those of us who have never registered for either party will be running from them just as fast as they run towards the right-wing wackos.

The republicans have made conservative a dirty word by their actions, just as they and their toadies have made liberal a dirty word (help, there's a liberal under my bed).

John McCain, you have gone from being someone I once greatly admired to someone I can only despise. You have not only sold your soul to the devil, you are now trying to sell our souls as well.

If this is the best you can do, if this is an example of the kind of desperate politics you feel helps our country, then you are not the kind of person I want to be president.

McCain reveals himself as a demagogue, a liar, a fraud -- in short, a Republican.