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Falwell Fallout Lingers for McCain

May 15, 2007 2:44 PM

ABC News’ Teddy Davis and Bret Hovell Report: Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., reacted to Tuesday’s death of the Rev. Jerry Falwell by
remembering him as a “man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted
his life to serving his faith and country.”

The relationship between McCain and Falwell has not always been a
close one.

During his first bid for the White House in 2000, McCain called
Falwell and others “agents of intolerance,” damaging McCain’s
relationship with religious conservatives.

In coming to terms with Falwell in early 2006 and agreeing to be
Liberty University’s graduation speaker that year, McCain may have
damaged his 2008 presidential campaign on the basis of symbolism more
than substance.

In courting Falwell, McCain didn’t change his position on a federal
marriage amendment: he continued to oppose one while telling Falwell
that he would support a federal amendment banning same-sex marriage
if a federal court were to strike down state constitutional bans on
gay marriage. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1779141&page=1

More recently, McCain has stood by his desire to change the GOP’s
abortion platform to explicitly recognize exceptions for rape,
incest, and the life of the mother. http://blogs.abcnews.com/ politicalradar/2007/04/mccainstillwa.html

But McCain’s decision to smooth relations with someone he had
denounced as an “agent of intolerance” has subjected the Arizona
senator to awkward questions about whether the “new McCain” agreed
with some of Falwell’s more outlandish claims, including Falwell’s
suggestion that the “pagans, and the abortionists and the feminists,
and the gays and lesbians” shared responsibility for 9/11. http:// www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12067487/page/4/

No matter how many of his policy positions he clung to, the
rapprochement with Falwell became a shorthand way for Democrats to
pillory McCain as having abandoned the “straight talk” which was
popular with independent voters in 2000.

“I join the students, faculty, and staff of Liberty University and
Americans of all faiths in mourning the loss of Reverend Jerry
Falwell,” McCain statement said.

Falwell’s Liberty University is scheduled to hold commencement
exercises Saturday, May 19th, according to the university website.
Newt Gingrich is this year’s commencement speaker.

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