All Three Candidates Have Their Political Liability Supporters

While Senator Barack Obama is the latest of the remaining three standing contenders to have to apologize for one of his supporters, both Hillary Clinton and John McCain have also attracted their share of supporters who may be a bigger liability than a help.

The Clinton campaign had to cut ties with former New York Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro acting as an advisor after a goofy racial comment about the sucess of Barack Obama and his race. For some reason, the Clinton campaign forget what a drag Ferraro once had become for the doomed 1984 campaign of Walter Mondale as her tax problems emerged as an issue during the campaign. Not only did Ferraro help to doom any chances for Mondale, but her problems seemed to cast enough of a spotlight on her family and probably led to legal problems for both her husband and son as well.

And the McCain campaign is not immune either. In an attempt to appeal to the political right, McCain has drawn in controversial Televangelists such as Rev. John Hagee of Corberstone Church of San Antonio and Rod Parsley of Ohio. Hagee remains a controversial figure not only for his extreme sermons, often peppered with attacks on Homosexuals,Catholics and Islam, but also his extremely high salary compared to nearly all televangelists. Hagee also appears to nearly lobby for an attack on Iran by the U.S. military in some of his programs as well. And although Hagee tries to appeal to the "family values" crowd, he is on his second marriage since his first ended with claims of "infidelity" in the divorce papers, and Hagee was defrocked by the Assemblies Of God, leading him to set up his nondenominational Cornerstone Church.

Unlike the Democratic candidates, who are both on their first marriages, McCain is also on his second marriage like Hagee, but likely the "family values" issue will be used by the Republicans again this year, even if this is simply hypocrisy. Ironically, Senator Obama may be the most damaged by the sermons of his former pastor at this time, however both Clinton and McCain have attracted their share of supporters who are a political liability as well.