Jews criticise McCain remarks

By TJ Reporter - Monday 8th October 2007


US Republican Presidential candidate John McCain moved to avert controversy with the Jewish community after claiming he would prefer a Christian head of state.

Senator McCain angered Jewish campaigners after he appeared to tell a religious website that America was a Christian nation and he would elect someone based on his faith.

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He told Beliefnet, "I think the number one issue people should make is 'Will this person carry on in the Judeo Christian principled tradition that has made this nation the greatest experiment in the history of mankind?'"

McCain told the website he would not vote for a Muslim candidate, “I admire the Islam. There's a lot of good principles in it... But I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles.... personally, I prefer someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith. I don't say that we would rule out under any circumstances someone of a different faith. I just feel that that's an important part of our qualifications to lead.”

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman, described the remarks as divisive. He said: “We would have thought that a senator as experienced and respected as John McCain would place himself above such divisive appeals to religious intolerance. His remarks were inaccurate and ill-advised for any candidate seeking to lead a nation as religiously diverse as ours."

McCain wrote to Foxman at the ADL to clarify his remarks, he said: “While I acknowledged that I might be more comfortable voting for someone who shared that tradition, I also made clear that a candidate's faith should not be a barrier to running for or serving in high office.”

But Foxman said he was still unhappy that McCain had not withdrawn statements about America being a “Christian nation”.

McCain was also criticised by the American Jewish Committee and the National Jewish Democratic Council.

The AJC’s Jeffrey Sinensky said: “We urge Senator McCain to withdraw his troubling remarks. Our individual rights cannot be secured if the government promotes one religion over others.

“It is no accident that the Constitution explicitly seeks to avoid favoring religion, much less a particular faith.”

The National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Ira Forman added: “Someone running for President ought to understand the Constitution a little better. Nowhere does it say the United States is a ‘Christian’ nation. How can we trust someone to uphold the constitution who doesn’t even know what is in it?”




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