McCain has his own "crazy pastor" problem in the form of Rev John Hagee. I have read about it, and heard about it, most recently on "This Week" on Sunday morning and then on The Daily Show last night.

Of course, the analogy is not perfect--Obama is much closer personally to Rev Wright than McCain is to Rev Hagee. However, McCain has publicly touted his endorsement from Rev Hagee...and even knowing about Hagee's controversial remarks, McCain still said last Sunday, "I'm glad to have his endorsement."

Here's some info on some of Rev. Hagee statements, from Wikipedia: (The fact that Hagee said what's printed below is not in dispute--I have heard a recording myself.)

**
During the September 18, 2006, edition of National Public Radio's Fresh Air, Hagee said Hurricane Katrina was an act of God, punishing New Orleans for "a level of sin that was offensive to God." He referred to a "homosexual parade" held on the date the hurricane struck and this was proof "of the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans," even though the Southern Decadence parade was scheduled for the following week and the primary gay neighborhoods, the French Quarter and the Marigny, were spared the flooding and destruction. Another reason for God's wrath, Hagee claims, was the Bush administration's pressure on Israel to abandon settlements and the associated land. Therefore, God took American land in a "tit for tat" exchange.
**

As John Stewart pointed out, Rev Hagee has no need to ask God to damn America because in Hagee's mind, God is already destroying the parts of America that Hagee doesn't like. Why settle for damnation when you can get flat-out destruction?

Separately, Hagee is a bit of conspiracy nut--consider this quote: "Most readers will be shocked by the clear record of history linking Adolf Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church in a conspiracy to exterminate the Jews.” -Jerusalem Countdown (revised edition, 2007, p. 114)

Does John McCain believe any of this stuff? I highly doubt it. When McCain expresses pleasure at having Hagee's endorsement, does it mean that he agrees with everything Hagee says? Of course not. So why then does Obama still get so blasted with criticism about Rev Wright after Obama made such a clear rejection of Rev Wright's most offensive statements?