Glenn Greenwald is so right it hurts. Some key informatics from John Hagee, the wackjob evangelical preacher who is backing John McCain's campaign from Texas:
Towelheads are coming! "Islam in general -- those who live by the Koran have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews."
New Orleans is Sodom! "I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that."
I'll get you, Potter! "As millions of people anticipate the release of the latest Harry Potter book and film, we're reminded once again of Satan's ongoing attempt to deceive and destroy. The whole purpose of the Potter books is to desensitize readers and introduce them to the occult."
This is no worse than some of the inflammatory comments Farakkhan has dropped over the years--but given a minor toasting (as oposed to the full-panini-press Barack Obama got on Tuesday evening) on Hagee's comments, McCain said, "all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee's support." Not a rejection or denouncement in sight.
The sad thing is McCain was on the right track with the "agents of intolerance" jab. But his unscrupulous desire to tack right for his general election campaign threatens a backslide into levels of intolerance that just curdle the mind.
--Dayo Olopade