John the Baptist

For much of his political career John McCain was known as an Episcopalian, a popular religion among the Washington establishment. McCain is now correcting the record and says he's been a member of a Baptist church for 15 years:

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has long identified himself as an Episcopalian, said this weekend that he is a Baptist and has been for years.

Campaigning in this conservative, predominantly Baptist state, McCain called himself a Baptist when speaking to reporters Sunday and noted that he and his family have been members of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in his home state of Arizona for more than 15 years.

"It's well known because I'm an active member of the church," the Arizona senator said.

While McCain has long talked about his family's and his own attendance at the Arizona church, he appears to have consistently referred to himself as Episcopalian in media reports.

In a June interview with McClatchy Newspapers, the senator said his wife and two of their children have been baptized in the Arizona Baptist church, but he had not. "I didn't find it necessary to do so for my spiritual needs," he said.

He told McClatchy he found the Baptist church more fulfilling than the Episcopalian church, but still referred to himself as an Episcopalian.

It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other. I just find it interesting that his change of denomination didn't come out in public until he was running for president this time around.

There was recently a story which said that Fred Thompson was not a regular churchgoer, and yet I can't remember the last time there was a story about a Democrat candidate's churchgoing habits or religious affiliation. John Kerry tried to make a big deal about being an observant Catholic while at the same time promoting views that were diametrically opposed to the teaching of the church, but he pretty much got a pass.