NBC Sets GOP Debate Agenda: Santorum to be 'Peppered' With Religion Questions
On Wednesday's NBC Today, correspondent Peter Alexander noted how the
Republican primary "has increasingly become laced with references to
religion" and predicted that in the upcoming GOP debate on CNN, "[Rick] Santorum is likely to be peppered with questions about his remarks on what he called the President's 'phony theology.'"
Later in the report, Alexander touted Mitt Romney being drawn into the
issue: "Romney has tried to narrow his focus to the economy. But at a
town hall meeting on Tuesday he was asked how he would protect religious
freedom and answered by attacking the President." After a sound bite of
Romney describing how President Obama "hangs around" with people who
have a "secular agenda," Alexander dutifully forwarded the White House
defense: "The Obama campaign quickly fired back, calling Romney's comments 'disgraceful.'"
Throughout
the segment, the headline on screen proclaimed: "Faith and Politics;
Religion Takes Center Stage For Romney & Santorum." Making sure it
stayed "center stage," Alexander conflated the Republican candidates
with comments from evangelist Franklin Graham on MSNBC on Tuesday:
"Reverend Billy Graham's son, praised Santorum for espousing what he
called 'Christian values.' While casting doubt on the President's
faith."
In the clip of Morning Joe that followed, co-host Willie Geist grilled
Graham on whether he believed Obama was Muslim: "By your definition he's
not a Christian?...But you do not believe he's a
Muslim?...Categorically not a Muslim?"
Alexander did provide some balance, noting Sarah Palin criticizing the media:
ALEXANDER: Tuesday night Sarah Palin weighed in, blaming the media for
what she considers a double standard that attacks conservatives for
invoking the Bible, but ignores President Obama when he does the same,
like earlier this month at the National Prayer Breakfast.
BARACK OBAMA: For unto whom much is given, much shall be required.
SARAH PALIN: The theology that he would adopt by reading the Book of
Luke results in him being able to say we need to increase taxes on
hard-working Americans? That's okay? But Rick Santorum talking about
good and evil isn't okay?
On Tuesday, Alexander portrayed Santorum's recent mention of Obama's
former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, as evidence of the former
Pennsylvania Senator "fanning the flames" in the debate over religion and taking a "shot" at the President's faith.
At the end of his Wednesday report, Alexander actually corrected a
mistake from his Tuesday reporting on Wright: "And a clarification on a
story we reported here yesterday. During the 2008 campaign, Reverend
Jeremiah Wright was not forced to resign for controversial comments. In
fact, he had already announced his retirement from his church when those
comments drew national attention."
Here is portion of Alexander's February 22 report:
7:07AM ET
(...)
ALEXANDER: An election that has increasingly become laced with
references to religion. On stage tonight, Santorum is likely to be
peppered with questions about his remarks on what he called the
President's 'phony theology.'
SANTORUM [POINTING AT HIS HEART]: Because I'll defend everything I'll say because it comes from here.
ALEXANDER: On MSNBC's Morning Joe Tuesday, evangelist Franklin Graham,
Reverend Billy Graham's son, praised Santorum for espousing what he
called 'Christian values.' While casting doubt on the President's faith.
WILLIE GEIST: By your definition he's not a Christian?
FRANKLIN GRAHAM: Again, you have to ask him. I cannot answer that question for anybody.
GEIST: But you do not believe he's a Muslim?
GRAHAM: No.
GEIST: Categorically not a Muslim?
GRAHAM: I can't say categorically because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama.
ALEXANDER: With his front-runner status in jeopardy, Romney has tried
to narrow his focus to the economy. But at a town hall meeting on
Tuesday he was asked how he would protect religious freedom and answered
by attacking the President.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Faith and Politics; Religion Takes Center Stage For Romney & Santorum]
MITT ROMNEY: And, unfortunately, perhaps because of the people the
President hangs around with and their agenda, a secular agenda, they
have fought against religion.
ALEXANDER: The Obama campaign quickly fired back, calling Romney's
comments 'disgraceful.' Earlier, Reverend Graham also questioned
Romney's faith.
GRAHAM: Most Christians would not recognize Mormonism as part of the Christian faith.
ALEX WAGNER: So he is not a Christian?
GRAHAM: I'm just saying most Christians would not recognize Mormonism.
(...)
-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.
