McCain personally wooed Hagee for more than a year. In early 2007, the Arizona senator traveled to Hagee's Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, where the two men had breakfast. They bonded over a shared commitment to the protection of Israel, a meeting that McCain later cited as a sign of his outreach to social conservatives.

"All I can tell you is I'm very proud to have pastor Hagee's support," McCain said.

As part of his carefully crafted image, John McCain has tried to convince voters that he is a "maverick" who will stand up to the right wing of the Republican Party even when it hurts him politically. Yet just last week McCain said he was "proud" to have the endorsement of scandal-plagued pastor John Hagee, despite Hagee's history of discriminatory comments about women, African Americans, Jewish Americans, Catholics, Muslim Americans, LGBT Americans, and the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"That behavior is outside the circle of civilized debate in our democracy," Pelosi said during a Thursday conference call. "I certainly think John McCain should reject his endorsement and I'm sure it won't be long before he does."

"We've had a dignified campaign, and I repudiate any comments that are made, including Pastor Hagee's, if they are anti-Catholic or offensive to Catholics," McCain told the Associated Press. "I sent two of my children to Catholic school. I categorically reject and repudiate any statement that was made that was anti-Catholic, both in intent and nature."

"It's true that McCain's campaign sought my endorsement."

"Would I consider repudiating his endorsement? I certainly condemn those parts of his remarks. I continue to appreciate his support for the state of Israel and for many of the good things that he and his church has done. But I repudiate as strongly as possible those remarks and those of the Catholic church as well."

I better understand that reference to the Roman Catholic Church as the "apostate church" and the "great whore" described in the Book of Revelation is a rhetorical device long employed in anti-Catholic literature and commentary. I hope you recognize that I have repeatedly stated that my interpretation of Revelation leads me to conclude that the "apostate church" and the "great whore" appear only during the seven years of tribulation after all true believers - Catholic and Protestant - have been taken up to heaven. Therefore, neither of these phrases can be synonymous with the Catholic Church.

"I have said I do not believe Senator Obama shares Reverend Wright's extreme views. But let me also be clear, Reverend Hagee was not and is not my pastor or spiritual advisor, and I did not attend his church for twenty years. I have denounced statements he made immediately upon learning of them, as I do again today."