Senior Republican Senator and former GOP Presidential nominee, John McCain once considered converting to Judaism – at the age of 74 – until his friend, former Senator Joe Lieberman, talked him out of it.
In a lengthy profile on Senator McCain in Sunday’s NY Times, McCain spoke to Mark Lebovich about his intimate relationship with Joe Leiberman and recounted a funny episode he had with him over Judaism.
“Funny story about Lieberman,” Senator McCain recalled. The Israeli ambassador in Washington honored him after he left the Senate. “Everyone was saying Joe’s the most wonderful guy, the usual stuff you hear,” McCain said. “So I got up, I was the last guy, and I say: ‘I’m here to announce that I’m converting to Judaism. Because for all these years with Joe, I’ve had to eat that crappy salmon. I had to ride the damn Shabbat elevator. I’ve observed Shabbat to a point where I couldn’t even ride in a goddamn car. I’ve had all of the bull associated with this religion, and I’ve gotten not a single benefit. So I’m converting to Judaism.’ ”
“Lieberman then stood up and announced that before McCain could convert, he must first have a proper bris. In the retelling, McCain pronounces it “brits” — which is how he pronounced it when he told me this story a week earlier,” Lebovich writes.
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
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5 Responses
The headline here is misleading.
From what you wrote, it is obvious that the whole thing was a joke, and not serious.
I was always wondering what the m’lemed zchus was with Senator Joe, and now I know! Thanks Joe for saying the right thing at the right time.
Besides someone who thinks God’s last name is Damn, shouldn’t be Jewish.
Why include such a crass quote from the senator on a site like this?
McCain has never belonged to any Christian Church as an adult and clearly isn’t interested in Christianity. The problem were he to try to convert is that his wife does appear to be a serious Christian.
I agree with MHY, the whole thing was just a joke. who’s interested? Is this newsworthy?