Wash. Post, Special Report reported Hagee's apology to Catholics, without noting his other smears

In a May 14 Washington Post article, staff writer Michael D. Shear reported that "yesterday, pastor John Hagee, a [Sen. John] McCain supporter whose controversial comments about Catholicism angered church leaders, issued a letter of apology to the president of the Catholic League, who heartily accepted it." Similarly, on the May 13 edition of Fox News' Special Report, host Brit Hume reported that "Christian televangelist John Hagee has apologized to Catholics for referring to the Roman Catholic Church as, quote, 'the great whore' and calling it the 'apostate church.' " But neither report noted that Hagee, whose endorsement McCain has acknowledged seeking, has also made controversial statements about women, race, homosexuality, and Islam.

On the September 18, 2006, edition of National Public Radio's Fresh Air Hagee asserted of Hurricane Katrina: "I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they are -- were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades." He later added: "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans." As the blog Think Progress noted, Hagee made similar comments on the April 22 edition of Dennis Prager's syndicated radio talk show. On April 25, Hagee released a statement asserting that "ultimately neither I nor any other person can know the mind of God concerning Hurricane Katrina. I should not have suggested otherwise." But in a May 7 post to the Dallas Morning News blog Trail Blazers, senior political writer Wayne Slater reported that during "a conference call with religious supporters" that day, "[w]hen a woman on the call asked why he seemed to have backed away from his Katrina comments in face of criticism, Hagee said he hadn't. As for the Katrina, he said, God controls hurricanes and 'God always punishes unconfessed sin.' You do the math."

During an April 20 interview on ABC's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos asked McCain, "Your own campaign acknowledges that you should have done a better job of vetting Pastor Hagee. So was it a mistake to solicit and accept his endorsement?" McCain responded, "Oh, probably. Sure." Later in the interview, McCain said of Hagee, "I'm glad to have his endorsement." While the Post noted that "McCain sought out Hagee's endorsement," Hume did not, saying of McCain's connection to Hagee only that "Hagee has endorsed Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Today, the senator, who has said he does not agree with all of Hagee's comments, called the apology, quote, 'helpful and laudable.' "

The May 14 Washington Post article in its entirety:

While Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has struggled with the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., GOP foe John McCain's own pastor problem has festered.

But yesterday, pastor John Hagee, a McCain supporter whose controversial comments about Catholicism angered church leaders, issued a letter of apology to the president of the Catholic League, who heartily accepted it.

In the letter, Hagee admitted that he "may have contributed to the mistaken impression that the anti-Jewish violence of the Crusades and the Inquisition defines the modern-day Catholic Church. It most certainly does not."

Hagee, an evangelical who has been outspoken in his support for Israel, had enraged Catholics with statements about the "apostate church" and the "great whore." He said in his letter that he meant neither of those to apply to the Catholic Church.

He continued: "I pledge to address these sensitive issues in the future with a greater level of compassion and respect for my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ."

Catholic League President William Donoghue [sic: Donohue] accepted the apology. In a statement, he wrote that "the tone of Hagee's letter is sincere. He wants reconciliation and he has achieved it. Indeed, the Catholic League welcomes his apology. . . . Whatever problems we had before are now history. This case is closed."

McCain sought out Hagee's endorsement earlier in the primary season while competing for evangelical voters with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

Not all Catholics were mollified by the letter. Alexia Kelley, executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, said that "it would be nice if McCain apologized," and called the candidate's previous efforts to distance himself from Hagee's comments "somewhat conditional."

From the May 13 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:

HUME: Christian televangelist John Hagee has apologized to Catholics for referring to the Roman Catholic Church as, quote, "the great whore" and calling it the "apostate church." Hagee says he was sorry in a letter to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights. Donohue says the league welcomes the apology and, quote, "the case is closed."

Hagee has endorsed Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Today, the senator, who has said he does not agree with all of Hagee's comments, called the apology, quote, "helpful and laudable."