New York House member drops Bush, backs McCain

King cites Bush appearance at Bob Jones University

By John King/CNN

February 21, 2000
Web posted at: 12:18 p.m. EST (1718 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., switched allegiance in the GOP presidential race Monday, dropping his support of George W. Bush for, in King's words, becoming a tool of "anti-Catholic bigoted forces."

King, endorsing the candidacy of Sen. John McCain, charged that the Texas governor "allowed himself to be used" when he agreed to speak at Bob Jones University during the South Carolina primary campaign.

The fundamentalist Christian school prohibits interracial dating and its officials refer to the Catholic and Mormon religions as cults. King referred to the university as "anti-black and anti-Catholic."

"I happen to be a Roman Catholic myself," King said. "And I was just shocked at the person who wants to be the leader of my party and the leader of the country would allow would allow his campaign to be used by anti-Catholic bigoted forces."

In Detroit Monday, Bush defended speaking at the school early in the campaign in which he went on to defeat McCain by 11 percentage points.

"When asked about interracial dating, I didn't hesitate to say, of course I don't accept their policy," Bush said at a breakfast sponsored by the Economic Club of Detroit.

"But I didn't go to accept their policy. I wanted them to accept my policy. That's why I went to give the speech."

The next big matchup between Bush and McCain is Tuesday in Michigan, which is heavily Catholic -- Gov. John Engler, Bush's chief supporter, among them.

"No matter how he tries to explain it, going to a school which is anti-Catholic with his campaign's seal of approval on that school, on its policies -- and as a Catholic I can no longer support Governor Bush in the (New York) primary."

The Catholic vote also is expected to be influential in New York, which has its primary March 7.

King charged that Bush, after the upset trouncing he got from McCain in New Hampshire, agreed to speak at Bob Jones because "he was so desperate to be elected in South Carolina."

"To me that shows a clear lack of judgment, and also quite frankly, a lack of moral compass," King said.