Pastor Speaking at McCain Rally Says This Election is a Religious War

The big news from John McCain's rally on Saturday in Davenport didn't come from McCain and happened before the Senator was even on stage.

During the invocation Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church, equated this election with a religious war.

From John Deeth...

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god - whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah - that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," Conrad said.

"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day."

There are all kinds of nuts that say crazy things, but Rev. Conrad was part of the official program, spoke in front of the entire audience right before McCain came on stage, and was chosen by the campaign to speak.

I have been to enough campaign events to know that these things are extremely well-planned for, scripted, and staged. Any campaign worth a dime would have at least asked Rev. Conrad about what he would say. Either McCain's campaign is full of morons or they knew what Conrad was going to say and let him do it.

After the event the McCain campaign issued this statement...

"While we understand the important role that faith plays in informing the votes of Iowans, questions about the religious background of the candidates only serve to distract from the real questions in this race about Barack Obama's judgment, policies and readiness to lead as commander in chief." - Wendy Riemann, Midwest Regional Communications Director

That is all fine and dandy, but these words came at an official event with your candidate, with your campaign signs plastered all over the place. If McCain really wanted to focus on the issue then he could easily put an end to all the attacks that are taking place by others at his campaign events.