McCain’s Spiritual Guide Pastor Rod Parsley says America’s historical mandate from God is to destroy Islam. Sound like bad news for McCain? Far from it.
If he can avoid having to make the same choice as Obama did about Reverend Wright, McCain can associate himself with Parsley and let his pastor send the message to the Christian evangelical base — we’re fighting the entire religion — and thus win some support from the millions of Americans (my family included) who believe Christianity must stamp out Islam (though most of them seek this through peaceful evangelism).
McCain supports a long war against terrorism, entrenchment in Iraq, and possible war with Iran. But he’s no religious crusader. If he were, he wouldn’t stand a chance in a general election. (If Huckabee had won the Republican nomination, he’d be trounced in the polls from here to November and lose by a record margin — he’s too unapologetically evangelical.)
As long as Parsley’s views stay out of the spotlight, he’s an asset to McCain. But if the Obama campaign, already through the Wright fire, makes sure everyone knows about Rod Parsley, McCain is forced to either embarrass himself in front of secular swing voters or alienate the conservative base that wanted Huckabee.
Unless, of course, he finds a tamer spiritual leader before the National Conventions.