An editorial in the Rhode Island Catholic accepts the apologies offered by Rev John Hagee for his past anti-Catholic remarks. The author cites forgiveness as a Christian value, and applauds a letter Hagee wrote to Catholic League President Bill Donohue as sufficient evidence of remorse.

Uncommented upon is the obviously self-serving nature of this alliance, meant primarily to sooth the waters for the critical conservative Catholic vote on which Senator McCain is relying for a Republican victory in the fall. It's also unclear why Rev Hagee should apologize to a bully like Donohue, rather than to all Catholics. This would seem to suggest that his contrition is more about avoiding future criticism from Donohue than it is about any real remorse regarding the kind of bigotry that still separates all the branches of American Christianity.