In 2000, Senator John McCain called fundamentalist Christian leaders Falwell and Robertson "extremists" for supporting a federal amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Last month, he apparently patched things up with Falwell and accepted an invitation to speak at Liberty University. But after Falwell publicized McCain's support for banning same-sex marriage, McCain went on the Sunday talk shows to again say he was against a federal amendment banning same-sex marriage (at least for now). So, many (including this blog) have asked if he is pandering to the Christian conservatives to win the 2008 Republican nomination for President
Mark Ambinder correctly points out on National Journal's site that McCain is a pro-war, anti-marriage-equality social conservative and has always been so. In other words, if he ever pandered to anyone, it was to "moderate" Republicans in 2000. His latest comments against marriage equality are merely a return to his "core values."
