The Media's Love Affair with Pat Robertson

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."

Pat's proclamations are too irresistible for the mainstream media to ignore. For them he serves a delightful dual purpose: entertainment value, and he enables them to broad brush Christianity with clown paint.

More from my piece on this can be read at American Spectator Online.