All three network morning shows on Wednesday ignored a move by Democrats to delete references to God [1] from the party's 2012 convention platform. NBC skipped another controversial decision, removing an assertion that Jerusalem [2] is the capital of Israel. (CBS and ABC, however, did cover this decision.)
Some top Democrats appear touchy about the decision to avoid mentioning
God. Senator Dick Durbin became visibly angry when Fox News anchor Bret
Baier asked about it, Tuesday.
Baier reminded, "In 2008, God was mentioned once. In 2004, it was mentioned seven times. In 2000, God was mentioned four times. Just a question. The question is why take it out in this time?" [MP3 audio here [3].]
Durbin bristled and responded by attacking Fox: "...If the narrative
that is being presenting on your station and through your channel and
your network is that that Democrats are godless people, they ought to
know better. God is not a franchise of the Republican Party."
Baier pointed out, "Democrats in Tampa talk about the Republican platform and what was and what is not in there."
Journalists also harped on the GOP platform and its statements about abortion.
Previous Democratic platforms described Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The 2012 document does not. On Tuesday's Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos interviewed Rahm Emanuel and noted that "the President [is] facing some criticism" over the issue.
He wondered, "Mitt Romney called it shameful. Why was that taken out?"
The Chicago mayor appeared flustered. At one point, he retorted, "I'm a
mayor of the city of Chicago. I don't write the platform."
On CBS This Morning, Kelly O'Donnell quizzed Senator Chuck
Schumer: "For the first time you have removed that Jerusalem should be
Israel's capital. Mitt Romney calls that shameful. Why do that?"
NBC's Today skipped both the removal of God from the platform and the reference to Jerusalem.