John McCain Is Suddenly A Baptist After Claiming To Be Episcopalian For Years
This, of course, happens in the predominantly Baptist state of South Carolina.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has long identified himself as an Episcopalian, said this weekend that he is a Baptist and has been for years.
Campaigning in this conservative, predominantly Baptist state, McCain called himself a Baptist when speaking to reporters Sunday and noted that he and his family have been members of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in his home state of Arizona for more than 15 years.
“It’s well known because I’m an active member of the church,” the Arizona senator said.
While McCain has long talked about his family’s and his own attendance at the Arizona church, he appears to have consistently referred to himself as Episcopalian in media reports.
In a June interview with McClatchy Newspapers, the senator said his wife and two of their children have been baptized in the Arizona Baptist church, but he had not. “I didn’t find it necessary to do so for my spiritual needs,” he said.
He told McClatchy he found the Baptist church more fulfilling than the Episcopalian church, but still referred to himself as an Episcopalian.
I can’t imagine there’s a lot of Baptist voters out there saying to themselves, “Gee, I really hate the fact that John McCain is Episcopalian.” I’m not even really sure why he’d make an issue out of something like this, other than the fact that he’s at the bitter end of a sad-sack campaign that was doomed from the get-go and is now grasping desperately at any bit of pandering he can muster no matter how absurd.
But whatever. McCain is a non-entity at this point.
