The Trail

Lieberman Forges Ahead

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a close adviser and advocate of John McCain, praised Texas megapreacher John Hagee last night, saying that his support for Israel "is so much more important" than inflammatory comments he made about Jews and Catholics.

Controversy over those remarks led McCain to disavow Hagee's support earlier this year.

Lieberman addressed for the second straight year the annual conference of Christians United for Israel, a group Hagee founded to gather evangelical Christian economic and political support for Israel.

American Jewish skepticism toward Hagee and other Christian Zionists has long been high. On Monday, the Jewish peace lobbying group J Street delivered more than 42,000 signatures to Lieberman's office asking him to cut ties with Hagee.

J Street and its allies note that the vast majority of American Jews support a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, something Hagee thinks God opposes. Hagee believes an end-time narrative that requires Jews to relocate to Israel and to convert to Christianity.

Lieberman pointed out to the audience that he had been urged not to appear. But he added that "the bond that I feel with Pastor Hagee and each and every one of you" made him "proud to stand with you tonight."

-- Michelle Boorstein and Reuters

CAMPAIGN GIFTS

McCain Relies on Bush's Network

Campaign Money Watch has reviewed the latest campaign filings by John McCain's campaign, and found that although the presumptive GOP nominee is not spending much time with President Bush, he is spending plenty of time with Bush's bundlers.

According to the group's analysis, 124 fundraisers have raised money for both Bush and McCain. These former Bush Pioneers and Rangers have raised a minimum of $25.95 million for McCain's presidential campaign, the analysis found.

"Senator McCain has been working hard to distance himself from an unpopular president, but he is relying on the same network of big-money donors and fundraisers in his run for the White House," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch.

-- Matthew Mosk