Here's a transcript from Glenn Beck (CNN, January 16, 2008) where he describes religious bigotry in the media and how it affects the Romney and Huckabee campaigns. Huckebee's religious extremism is ignored while Romney's religious beliefs are always brought up, even though he says its not an issue in his campaign.
Coming up, the win in Iowa cast Mike Huckabee as the evangelical candidate of the right, but is there a double standard when it comes to religion and the media`s coverage of this race? You will not believe what I`m going to show you, coming up in just a second….
Now, we`ve had race injected into this presidential election, gender, age, experience. Not a lot of issues, but oh, here`s the one I really appreciated. Most of the stones have been thrown over religion.
Now Republican candidate Mike Huckabee, he`s a retired Baptist minister, intensely strong beliefs, and I respect him for it. During a recent speech in Michigan, he went so far as to say the United States Constitution should be changed to reflect the word of God.
Now, I didn`t know about this speech. I didn`t see anything. But this morning I turn on the NBC "Today Show," and how does "The Today Show" choose to cover this statement? Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEREDITH VIEIRA, CO-HOST, NBC`S "THE TODAY SHOW" QUESTION TO MITT ROMNEY: Last night, your opponent, Mike Huckabee, who favors a constitutional ban on both abortion and gay marriage, said this to a crowd of supporters. He said, "I believe it`s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that`s what we need to do, is to amend the Constitution so it`s in God`s standards, rather than trying to change God`s standards."
Do you agree with Governor Huckabee that the Constitution should reflect God`s standards?
ROMNEY: You know, I think the Constitution is a fine and appropriate document as it is. I`m not looking to change the Constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECK: Just a second. Yes. That was Mitt Romney, wasn`t it? Why the hell are they asking Mitt Romney about this? If Mitt Romney would have made that statement, it would make sense. In fact, if Mitt Romney would have made that sentence, it would have crippled his candidacy, but he didn`t make that statement.
So why are they asking a question of Mitt Romney and not Governor Huckabee? It`s Huckabee`s thoughts on God and country that have nothing to do with Romney.
I believe there is a double standard here. I feel it is laced with religious bigotry that I have never seen. It is un-American, and it has got to stop. Call me a crazy dreamer, but I still believe it`s the media`s job to ask questions, not letting (ph) judgments and set people up.
Tom Dickinson is a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone" magazine, and I -- Tom, I have to tell you, I -- you`re the magazine that said this is possibly the weirdest news show ever on television. I can`t believe that we`re actually going to agree on something, but we do, on this one. Don`t we?
TIM DICKINSON, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": Well, I think we do. But let`s agree on my name first. It`s Tim. And...
BECK: Oh, it`s Tim.
DICKINSON: That`s all right. That`s all right, no problem, Glenn.
BECK: I disagree. It`s Tom.
DICKINSON: My brother is -- my brother is glad for the shout out.
BECK: Yes. OK. But first of all, let`s -- let`s get your view on the statement. That`s got to -- I mean, you being...
DICKINSON: It is the most ridiculous statement. I mean, I respect Mike Huckabee`s religion. I respect his faith. But the minute he tries to impose his faith through the document that`s truly sacred to me, which is the Constitution, I mean, it gets my dander up. It should get everybody in America, their hackles up. It`s outrageous.
BECK: Now let`s -- let`s proceed from there. If Romney would have said this, do you believe this would have been on the front page of every single newspaper and led the news on every newscast all across America?
DICKINSON: Absolutely.
BECK: So -- so what...
DICKINSON: What gives there? There`s two things. I mean, Mike Huckabee, this is -- this is taking what Mike Huckabee has said before and turning it up to 11. So the sense in which this is Mike Huckabee at his most Mike Huckabee yet, and I think he let the veil slip and let us see him as a theocrat. I don`t know if he wants to be America`s first mullah, but...
BECK: Hang on just a second. This is exactly -- I have been saying this for a while. That anybody on the right, if you`re looking for a guy who`s a religious guy and they`re all coming for you. They`re going to put crosses in your bed at night. This is the guy who is on the record saying things that should scare people like you.
And yet, I don`t see coverage of it anywhere. Why?
DICKINSON: Well, he`s a charmer. I mean, I`ve spoken to the man, and he`s the most affable politician, maybe, in a generation. He is just super at speaking to his audience and making people feel comfortable.
And every time they gave him a hardball question in the debates, talking about wives being subservient to their husbands, he`s got a very genial, affable answer that seems to diffuse the tension.
And so you know, I think it speaks to his skills as a politician. It speaks to his ability to pitch something to an audience. But you -- you end up with the very disconcerting moments where he`s pitching something to one audience and it`s played for another, like this amending the Constitution in God`s name.
BECK: May I...
DICKINSON: Yes.
BECK: May I just say, that sounds like a load of bull crap. I mean, come on, man. He`s likeable. He`s -- he`s just likeable. Are you saying that Mitt Romney is not likeable?
DICKINSON: I`m saying that Mitt Romney is not as talented in diffusing...
BECK: But Mitt Romney has also not said half of the things that Huckabee has said. Here`s my theory.
DICKINSON: But here`s the second part.
BECK: Yes.
DICKINSON: The second part is the bigotry about Mormonism, which I find really appalling in this race.
BECK: OK.
DICKINSON: I mean, we`re in -- we`re in a race here where you could have the first African-American president, the first woman president. I want to be in an America where we don`t have to ask what kind of underwear Mitt Romney is wearing. I want to be in an America where Mike Huckabee isn`t comparing the blood relations of Satan and...
BECK: I got it, I got it. I`ve got to ask you this. This is my theory. My theory is the liberal media would love to have Mike Huckabee as the candidate. They`re just holding back on all of this stuff. If he`s the candidate, then they just go, and they just tear him apart for all of this stuff.
DICKINSON: You know, I don`t know that it`s liberal media, but certainly, liberal advocates are not pushing these stories in the way that they would if they thought he were a more viable general election candidate.
BECK: There is no difference between the two. I`m trying to hypnotize you. There is no difference between the two.
Tim, as if that is your real name, thanks for being on the program. I appreciate it.
DICKINSON: A pleasure.
Source: Glenn Beck. (2008, January 16). GOP Race Gets Closer; Religious Prejudice in Coverage of Romney?; Highlights of Conservatives` Thoughts on Race. CNN.
