You might think the mainstream media holds Pat Robertson in contempt, mocks him behind his back, and snickers at his every utterance. You're probably right, and for the most part they are right to do so. But as long as Robertson keeps his self-appointed position as God's spokesman, the mainstream media will try to keep him in the Christian mainstream. This was once again exemplified when he commented last week on the cause of Ariel Sharon's suffering:

"(Sharon) was dividing God's land, and I would say, 'Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the [European Union], the United Nations, or the United States,'" Robertson said on his Christian Broadcasting Network program, The 700 Club, last week. "God says, 'This land belongs to me, and you'd better leave it alone.'"

This after his embarrassing warning in November to the citizens of Dover, Pa., whom Robertson said "had just rejected [God] from your city" when voters threw out their school board, after they overreached in their efforts to bring intelligent design into science classrooms.

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover," Robertson said, "if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God." He said in a later clarifying statement, "If they have future problems in Dover, I recommend they call on Charles Darwin. Maybe he can help them."

The Grey Lady is advertising its TimesSelect service on Townhall.com's website (scroll to middle), where some columnists slam the newspaper itself -- and they're even pushing it smackdab in the middle of Brent Bozell's column!

Here's how some major newspapers this morning delivered the news that a Texas judge threw out a campaign finance conspiracy charge against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay:

Washington Post: "DeLay's Felony Charge Is Upheld"

USA Today: "Charges Against DeLay Stand"

New York Times: "Texas Judge Lets Stand 2 of 3 Charges Against DeLay"

Los Angeles Times: "Count is Dropped, But DeLay Still Faces Trial"

George Korda, a columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel, today memorializes former Southern Baptist Convention president Adrian Rogers, who passed away Nov. 15. Rogers helped to achieve a "Conservative Resurgence" in the denomination in the 1980s, but Korda says the MSM portrayed his life work in political terms rather than as one committed to his faith:

The New York Times wrote that Dr. Rogers "helped revive the fundamentalist Christian message that the Bible is to be regarded as literally true."

The New York Times says such a message required reviving. That undoubtedly comes as a surprise to many millions of Christians.

The websites of many major media organizations (including USA Today, MSNBC, ABC News, and CNN) aren't wasting any time reporting the guilty plea by California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a Republican who admitted taking $2.4 million in bribes. They all are placing his story high on their homepages. That alone isn't bias, as corruption by public officials should always be at the top of the news headlines.

However, I'm guessing that few who hear about Cunningham have ever heard of former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance, a Democrat who as a North Carolina state senator used his official position to channel public funds into a private nonprofit that he operated. He received a four-year sentence in federal prison on Oct. 12 after admitting guilt to redirecting taxpayer dollars for his private use. He had resigned his congressional seat last year.