On Saturday's AM Joy on MSNBC, liberal comedian John Fugelsang mocked "right-wing Christians" as people who have "rejected the teachings of Jesus," and, by voting for Donald Trump, were voting for "Caligula, Judas, and the Golden Calf all in one convenient package."
A bit later, after right-leaning guest Kirsten Haglund recalled that evangelical Christian pastors have been under pressure from church members to support President Trump, race-obsessed MSNBC host Joy Reid introduced race into the discussion as she wondered if President Barack Obama was viewed as an "alien" and that Trump is "what a President is supposed to look like" from the point of view of conservative churchgoers.
At 10:27 a.m. ET, Reid turned to Fugelsang and wondered about the "religious right" as she posed:
This idea that you have the religious right which has billed itself on this idea of sort of moral superiority and sort of a bit of smugness toward people like you -- you comedian, you Hollywood person -- they are full square behind a guy who thinks "Second Corinthians" is "Two Corinthians," who's had three wives, five babies with three baby mommas. What is this about?
The liberal comedian trashed conservative Christians as he responded:
You have to understand, Donald Trump is Jesus to followers of Jesus who've rejected the teachings of Jesus. Donald Trump allowed right-wing Christians to finally vote for Caligula, Judas, and the Golden Calf all in one convenient package because when you worship power, you cannot worship the teachings of Jesus, who extolled the virtues of caring for the least among us.
He added:
It is possible to follow Trump -- it is possible to follow Jesus -- it ain't possible to follow both point after point from humility to greed to love for your enemies to compassion for the least among us. Take a look at his tax plan if you still believe he stands for that.
A bit later, after Haglund -- who was the lone conservative with five liberals -- recounted support for Trump by conservative churchgoers, Reid wondered:
And do you know why that is? What is it that they want? What are the policies that Trump is putting forward that is the reason they support him? Or is it race? Is it the fact that he's not Obama, that they felt that Obama was some alien, and that he restores sort of what a President is supposed to look like? I mean, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but what is it that is causing people to want their pastor to support him?
The MSNBC host soon brought up the issue of race again as she turned to Fugelsang and posed:
Throughout my entire life -- and I won't say how old I am -- white Christians have been the special people. The idea that people don't feel special because for exactly eight years of our 240 years as a republic, there was a black man and there were, you know, the gay, you know, marriage was advancing, and trans people was saying, "Hey, can we go to the bathroom where we want?"
Just because for eight years we've had conversations about race and immigration, for eight out of 240 years they suddenly feel they are terminally victimized and have been marginalized and put to the side. What is that about?
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Saturday, May 13, AM Joy on MSNBC:
10:27 a.m. ET
JOY REID: This idea that you have the religious right which has billed itself on this idea of sort of moral superiority and sort of a bit of smugness toward people like you -- you comedian, you Hollywood person -- they are full square behind a guy who thinks "Second Corinthians" is "Two Corinthians," who's had three wives, five babies with three baby mommas. What is this about?
JOHN FUGELSANG, COMEDIAN: You have to understand, Donald Trump is Jesus to followers of Jesus who've rejected the teachings of Jesus. Donald Trump allowed right-wing Christians to finally vote for Caligula, Judas, and the Golden Calf all in one convenient package because when you worship power, you cannot worship the teachings of Jesus, who extolled the virtues of caring for the least among us.
It is possible to follow Trump -- it is possible to follow Jesus -- it ain't possible to follow both point after point from humility to greed to love for your enemies to compassion for the least among us. Take a look at his tax plan if you still believe he stands for that.
(...)
REID: And do you know why that is? What is it that they want? What are the policies that Trump is putting forward that is the reason they support him? Or is it race? Is it the fact that he's not Obama, that they felt that Obama was some alien, and that he restores sort of what a President is supposed to look like? I mean, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but what is it that is causing people to want their pastor to support him?
(...)
REID: I have to come back to the table here because every time I hear -- and I've got a -- I happen to have a white guy at the table -- I'm going to ask you and I'm also going to ask --
FUGELSANG: An extremely white guy. Albinos call me "honky."
REID: Throughout my entire life -- and I won't say how old I am -- white Christians have been the special people. The idea that people don't feel special because for exactly eight years of our 240 years as a republic, there was a black man and there were, you know, the gay, you know, marriage was advancing, and trans people was saying, "Hey, can we go to the bathroom where we want?"
Just because for eight years we've had conversations about race and immigration, for eight out of 240 years they suddenly feel they are terminally victimized and have been marginalized and put to the side.
FUGELSANG: Persecution complex?
REID: What is that about?
