McCain in Holy Land; Evangelicals satisfied

(VIDEO) WASHINGTON – John McCain's "Holy Land pilgrimage" was aimed at gaining the support of the Jewish community in the United States, but more crucially, the support of Evangelical Christians who are a large part of the Republican Party base, Time Magazine reported Thursday. The US presidential hopeful, who is accepted by the independent voters and moderate Republicans but considered an alien corn among the party's religious conservatives, sought to strengthen his ties with the Evangelicals. A visit to Israel and a show of support for the Jewish state was a right step in that direction. Video courtesy of Infolive.tv During his visit to Israel, McCain met with senior Israeli officials, visited the rocket-battered town of Sderot and the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum, but did not bother to meet with Palestinian officials. He settled for a polite phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "A stopover in Israel suits McCain politically," the magazine wrote. "His pro-Israel stance, which he has long maintained, is bound to help his electoral prospects back home with American Jews and, more crucially, with Evangelical Christians who are a large part of the Republican party base, and who, until now, have regarded the twice-married McCain as too liberal and hard to pigeonhole." According to Time Magazine, a recent Pew Poll says that 65% of Evangelicals believe that the State of Israel fulfills a biblical prophecy about Jesus' Second Coming. "When it comes to voting, these right-wing Christians will probably cast their ballot depending on other factors — a candidate's views on the failing economy or the Iraq war — but McCain's support of Israel may tip the balanced in his favor." According to Time Magazine, McCain recently sought and obtained a controversial endorsement from Texas televangelist, Pastor John Hagee, a key figure in the Christian Zionist movement backing Israel and its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Hagee is instrumental in drumming up funds and political support in Washington for Israel, the magazine stated. Although many American Jews do not view McCain's ties with Hagee favorably, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) decided to allow him to speak at its recent annual convention. Lieberman for VP? Time Magazine also noted that Jewish Senator Joe Lieberman from Conneticut, McCain's aide and supporter, is a possible vice president candidate. Lieberman, who has been a Democrat all his life, was Al Gore's vice president candidate in the 2000 US presidential election. He is currently listed in Senate records for the 110th Congress as an "Independent Democrat". Although Lieberman is part of the part of the Democratic Senate caucus, he supports Republican McCain for president. Like McCain, Lieberman supports the war in Iraq and the sanctions against Iran. He accompanied the presidential hopeful in his recent trip to Iraq, Jordan, Israel and France. The Jewish senator can help McCain gain the votes of Jews in Florida and the New York area, as well as the support of independent voters who tend to vote for the Democrats. Although Lieberman's candidacy for vice president is not guaranteed, he is expected to receive a senior position in the McCain administration should the latter be elected US president.

McCain in Holy Land; Evangelicals satisfied

(Video) US presidential hopeful's visit to Israel aimed at gaining US Jews' support, but also that of Evangelical Christians who believe Jewish state fulfills biblical prophecy about Jesus' Second Coming, Time Magazine reports