West Virginia Primary: Good Morning America Meets An Uninformed Voter

Good Morning America, on the scene in West Virginia, introduced their viewers to Janis. She's not a particularly enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter, but for her, Hillary has got one thing on Barack Obama: she's not a Muslim. Of course, neither is Obama.

[WATCH.]

KATE SNOW: Janis said she can't support Obama.

JANIS: He's Muslim and that has a lot to do with it. I just, you know, I just would rather have Hillary.

SNOW: Just for the record he constantly says he's a Christian -

JANIS: I know he does.

SNOW: You don't believe him?

JANIS: No.

Now, it's hardly newsworthy to learn that stupid people exist and they do, in fact, vote. I mean, we have this whole thing called "the Bush Administration" that more or less proves that. But it's a little astounding to hear Kate Snow, who, as a reporter, is ostensibly charged with informing the public, offer up the mealy mouthed, "Just for the record, he constantly says he's a Christian..." As Snow well knows, there's a reason that Obama constantly says he's a Christian: it is because he is a Christian. The correct response would have been, "I'm sorry, but you are mistaken." Or, failing that, at least show us a voter capable of making a passionate and authoritative case for Clinton.

Comments

[Caringthinkingperson]

Ironically, Obama is the only one who actually acts Christian in any of these circumstance. And, as real Christians know, it is something you are suppoed to live rather than talk about.

[spanishbombs]

Hear, Hear! That is so true. Look what Cheney's interpretation of Christianity is; The end is near, use the natural resources now as they won't be needed 100 years from now. Bush's interpretation; God "chose" him to wage this war of theologies in the name of Christ. I wish these 2 men of faith would tell the American public how their interpretations impact policy.

[aceholiday]

who cares what his religion is? bigots

[verlaine]

Kate Snow is too dumb to be a reporter. Obama is a Christian. This is a fact, plain and simple. Snow's response "He says he's Christian" is pathetic and weak. Snow needed to be more forthright in her response.

[riley85]

Someone should tell this WV the truth..Oba­ma isn't a muslem. He has been a member of one of the most radical churches in Chicago for 20 years. His church teaches Black Liberation Theolgy which is racist and anti-American. So no he isn't a muslem. Shame on that redneck in WV. At least she can spot a phony. It's called common sense.

[hank48188]

Rev. Wright sounds much more caustic than Louis Farrakhan ever did, but he does claim to be a Christian. I have to admit I've never seen a Christian Preacher humping and talking about "Riding Dirty" in the front of a Church full of people, looks more like the Church of Satan or something

[PatrickforO]

So, Riley, have you actually done your due diligence on Liberation Theology? The big R (research)?? If you had, you'd know that a basic tenet of liberation theology is that sin is not confined to individuals, but that a government, nation or organization can be in sin. Why are you so afraid of a black guy who preaches liberation theology? Heard of the Tuskeegee Experiments? Aware that America practiced its own form of Apartheid until national guard sent in by LBJ FORCED the south to desegregate? Aware lynchings happened up through the 70's? And, let's get away from race a minute and examine the Bush Administration's actions these last 7 years. Surely, you don't believe that allowing all those jobs to be shipped overseas, running up a nine-trillion dollar national debt, ignoring health care for 48 million, lying to America to get us into Iraq, intituting torture, suspending hebeus corpus, and many other fun little things is NOT sinful? Once again, we have a fearmongering poster here who can't get his story straight, and who just attempts to yell louder when confronted with the facts!

[MilesTone]

That woman interviewed has no clue and it's worth the gum on the bottom of my shoe, so who cares wha tshe thinks. Let her go back to her trailer home and sulk when Obama wins.

[Centaur]

So Snow says " Just for the record he constantly says he is a Christian," She forgot to add . "I take him at his word". "As far as I know". . It's this kind of lamebrained reporting that helped to put a guy in the white house who is the "worst president ever".

[moxieme]

A prime example of why there are so many comments of the ignorant, backwards, inbred nature in that region. Now, I ask you, why should Sen. Obama have gone into W. VA more than he did? Many of these people are not going to consider voting for Sen. Obama under any circumstances. Sen. Obama is not Mr. Bojangles. He does not have to dance as fast as he can for the entertainment of people who don't even consider him a human being just because he's a person of color runnung for President and they hold a vote. Some things should not be compromised. If there are those who believe he is not worthy of their vote because he chose not to reduce himself to begging people who would have stopped short of spitting in his face or because, once again, Hillary Clinton decided that's what he should have done to prove himself the better candidate.­..I don't think most of those in their ivory towers that could survive in the real world... down here with all us hard-worki­ng....peop­le of all colors with pride and dignity.

[StephenDedalus82]

A black freshman senator who half the country thinks is a Muslim. Oh yeah, Obama is so electable.

[RobBob]

"Half the country"? Give me a break.

The fact that Obama's campaign has inspired millions of new voter registrations *completely dwarfs* the effect of the in'gint sub-masses. I am not worried.

[StephenDedalus82]

You should be. True believers never swing an election. Swing voters do.

[uhappytoo]

OK wizard, who do you think will defeat him? McCain the flip flopper? Bob Barr? Ralph Nader? Have you looked at the Republican brand's record in losing special elections in their own back yard? Three in a row? In Republican strongholds! Is that the team you think will win? McCain is still losing more than 20% of the Republican vote while he is uncontested. How does that translate to victory?

[hank48188]

When they play that video of Michelle Obama doing her rant against "Whitey" at Rev. Wright's Church it might hurt Obamas chances, many people won't vote for a racist America hater

[StephenDedalus82]

I never underestimate the Democratic party's ability to lose a sure thing.

[MilesTone]

Would he be electable if he were a white freshman senator with the same alleged attributes?

[hank48188]

No

[StephenDedalus82]

No, and he wouldn't have won the primary either, because he wouldn't have got 90% of the black vote.

[AnAmericanWoman]

I wonder why she said "says he's a Christian" instead of IS a Christian.

I say I am a woman -Geez, I AM a woman!
People are so stupid!

[skepticalindenver]

That's OK.....she says she is a journalist but I think she would get an argument.

[Umungus]

She did phrase her response in a strange way. Everyone in the media knows Senator Obama attended a Christian Church in Chicago for 20 years, so for her to say it that way is interesting.

ABC continuing to stir the pot.

[FLindependant]

Oh this was an ABC "reporter?" NEXT POST PLEASE (because this is not news).

[cerion]

is anyone else here at all pissed about the implicit contradiction in the logic used by Obama attackers that is not being discussed. Did we not in this country just go through a huge uproar about comments made by Barack Obama's PASTOR! How can a muslim have a PASTOR! How can a muslim be part of a christian congregation!! This is absolutely infuriating to me because if the MSM simply addressed this question, most of the fucktards would be revealed as nothing more than partisan hacks looking for anything to smear BO. and we could expose them as the partisan fucktard hacks that they are!!!

[pupbayer]

Religion is not something that is visible and indisputable. No one else know what is in someone's mind or heart. He "says" he is a Christian.­..no one but him knows for sure. There's nothing wrong with what this reporter or Clinton has said. In fact, it is the only accurate, true thing they could have said. If is no one else's place to fight his battles for him.

[Tommygun264]

It's one thing to be uninformed, but it is another thing to be willfully ignorant. When the reporter told the woman that Barack Obama says he is a Christian, she replied, "I know, but I don't believe him". She couldn't care less about his religion, she just didn't feel comfortable saying that the real reason she wouldn't vote for Obama was because he is black. It's the same thing with the Revernd Wright controversy - these people are already against Barack Obama because of his race, but they know they can't get away with telling the truth, so they find some excuse, ANY excuse, that is less offensive and stick with it even after it has been debunked. Willful ignorance, the racist bigot's friend.

[ishok]

I agree. That's why what Hillary is doing now is so despicable . She's knowingly providing ignorant white voters the cover to express their racism at the ballot box. She doesn't care because she's benefitting from it. Win at any cost and pick up the pieces later. Racism is so hard to kill...it only dies from neglect and when it is summoned by someone with clout it's just that much harder to kill.
She's probably set us back 20 years in some of these rural areas.

[hank48188]

What about all the racist blacks that are voting for Obama because of his skin color? He is getting over 90% of that racist vote

[Prokofy]

My concern here, in addition to the problem of the incomplete voter education here, is that this ABC reporter felt the need to intrude and engage in voter "re-education" herself, correcting and invading the story. She should cover the news, not become part of it, and not be trying to "set people straight". This will only reinforce the stereotypes about liberal media that is in the pocket of Obama.

You say "it's a little astounding to hear Kate Snow, who, as a reporter, is ostensibly charged with informing the public, offer up the mealy mouthed, "Just for the record, he constantly says he's a Christian.­"

But...if she's charged with informing the public, and she's out doing spot news on views around the elections and covering poll exit comments she shouldn't be "informing the public". The place to be airing one's views about "what Obama is -- is he Muslim or is he Christian" should be in an editorial, or in a panel discussion of a talk show host or an experts' interview by an anchor. A question such as deciding what a person's cultural traditions mean is a very complex one. It's not merely enough to parrot back what Obama himself says about himself if the media is to do its job of serving the public interest properly. Reporters have to ask: ok, but what do the Muslim traditions in Obama's past mean, if anything, for this election? Are they relevant? or not? etc.

[LawSource]

Prokofy,

YOU ARE DEAD WRONG!!

The Job of the journalist (yes) is to “Accurately” cover the news. THIS INVOLVES Informing and EDUCATING the public on any issues; Crime, Toys with lead paint, politics etc. If I am interviewing anyone as a reporter/journalist and that person INACCURATELY say on national TV, that your Father is A CHILDMULESTER, knowing that this statement is factually in accurate; it is then my responsibility as a “GOOD” and responsible journalist to provide the factual information regardless if the recipient rejects or not!!

LIES art just that, Smears are just that, and the Fact must be told! BUT I GUESS THE GOP’s ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE FACTS Especially When It Comes To Sen. Obama!

There is NO Conservative America or a Liberal America, there Is “ONLY” the UNITED STATES of America! WE Rise and Fall Together as One Nation -- Sen. OBAMA--

[Tommygun264]

It is a reporter's job to inform the public, not just sit there and record everything verbatim. That woman was a member of the public and the reporter was within her right to point out the fact that the woman was misinformed. I know this may come as a shock to most people since the press usually sits there like stenographers writing down whatever they are told no matter how nonsensical it is - just look at any White House press conference. But that is not journalism. If the press was simply there to records what is said or whatever happens without interjecting simple basic logic, they wouldn't need reporters - they would just send out camera operators or set up a camera and leave it running with a sign saying "look into the lens and tell us what you think about _____".

[RobBob]

This is just the sort of attitude that got us stuck in Iraq all this time. Bush & Co time and again spouted out-and-out lies, but were never called on them by the "free" press. It is the *job* of the reporter to collect and disseminate the facts, not just quotes.

At the very least, even if not made clear during the interview, the headline should read "some voters still erroneously believe that Obama is a Muslim." In the same way, the headline yesterday should have read "House GOP leadership deliberately distorts facts on Obama's Israel remarks."

[BobEvansZombie]

I really couldn't care less if he even was a Muslim. How would that make him any more guilty as opposed to be a Christian? Aren't both histories sordid and violent?

I'd prefer that he was neither. I don't like the idea of an "End of Days" scenario as being a part of someone's beliefs.

[thefooligan5]

In all fairness, and this is only my opinion I should add, I get the impression that while Obama is an avowed christian, I do not feel that he sees an apocalypse on the horizon. To me, he seems to utilize religion very pragmatically and realistically, much like you would assume a logical person to. On the pamphlet his campaign has released in Kentucky the quote on the front page reads something to the effect of, "I can sit in the pews and pray but I am not doing the lord's work until I am out in the streets." Obama is a realist and sees christianity for what it is at heart, a family or community built to help one another and foster love among each other. He seems like the christian who believes that God has nothing more to do with earth - He is creator but let's humanity map its own mortal course. Again, this is only an assumption of mine based on his character, his speeches, his intelligence and the fact that he grew up a skeptic of religion - He subscibed to religion when he was old enough to see beyond the fairy tales and understand its real implications and applications. I am an atheist at heart and I probably always will be, but the type of religious person I have described above would get a great deal more respect from me that any sort of 'Fags are evil and destroying the earth' type christian.

[krifos]

I have a feeling that these folks are probably as decent as other Americans but this racism is so ingrained in them that through ignorance they feel that they are doing the right thing. For this we should cut them a break and be a little forgiving. They just don't know any better. I think as they live through an Obama presidency they will see that he is not the Boogeyman and will eventually come around.

What is unforgivable though is that Senator Clinton exploits their prejudices for her gains. She doesn't care about them. If she was genuine she would set these people straight and not accept there support when it is offered with this undertone of hate. All she wants is their vote and she'll blow them off and drop them like a bag of dirt. On to the next suckers.

[nippyfan]

Decent Americans aren't racist. I don't care what is ingrained in them. If they see an abandoned little brown baby on the side of the road..will they pick him or her up and help her or run over the basket..on­e less you know what in the world. People are miserable and must always find someone or thing or race to blame for their unhappiness. Sad state of affairs.

[cmdrgmh]

First the repoter should have corrected this woman with fact, and second, these people hate blacks , asians or anyone who is not white. That's a fact. This has been bread into them for generations. They will not change. As recent as the late 90's there were still places in WV. where blacks had to move over for a white walking down the sidewalk. Busineses still dont serve blacks. Thats what we are dealing with not just there but KY and TN also.

[morbie5]

I find it so funny that "progressives" have to defend Obamas faith when in reality they hate religion.

[epictetus]

I'm a liberal(or progressive) and I don't believe in God. What I really hate though is people use religion in a hateful way.

And no, I don't believe that President Bush heard God telling him to murder tens (or hundreds) of thousands of innocent people in Iraq and to make torture a policy of the United States. I also don't think that it is Christian to impose the death penalty, or to discriminate against gays and lesbians. I don't think that religion is about get rich quick schemes or televangelism.

I usually get along really well with people who are concerned with doing the right thing by being good Christians (and people of other faiths). It's hard not to get along with someone who is really willing to love his neighbor, turn the other cheek, or be charitable.

[Tommygun264]

Your statement is just as ignorant and misinformed as the woman in the video, morbie5. By the way, Jesus preached liberal, progressive values such as love, acceptance, tolerance, mankind's responsibility for caring for his fellow man, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, caring for those less fortunate and caring for our neighbors as we would care for ourselves. These are all liberal values, diametrically opposed to the look-out-f­or-number-­one philosophy promoted by so-called conservative Republicans. Oh yes, most Republicans claim to be Christians, go to church and make sure that everyone is made aware just how morally superior they believe themselves to be, but just as Jesus told the pious religious zealots of his day - they are nothing but tombs: pretty and perfect with their white robes on the outside and corrupt, dead and rotten on the inside. Just because a rat lives in a cookie jar, that doesn't make him a cookie - he is still a filthy rat.

[PatrickforO]

Sorry, but I don't hate religion, and I'm about as progressive as one can get. And I'm a Christian, or at least I say I am, or as far as I know I am...