Matthews: 'We Should Stop Inviting [Franklin Graham] to Talk About Politics' - 'He Ain’t His Father’s Son'

February 21st, 2012 6:29 PM

Christian evangelist Franklin Graham made some comments about President Obama on MSNBC's Morning Joe Tuesday that have liberals across the fruited plain hopping mad.

So angered is MSNBC's Chris Matthews that on Tuesday's Hardball he said, "I think we should stop inviting this guy to talk about politics...he ain’t his father’s son" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: I think we should stop inviting this guy to talk about politics.

JOHN HEILEMANN, NEW YORK MAGAZINE: Yes.

ALEX WAGNER, MSNBC: [Nods head]

MATTHEWS: He should stay out of the political, I mean, I love the bookings on Morning Joe, I love the guests. In this case I think this guy should not be in the public square talking politics. He’s got his own little thing, and he ain’t his father’s son. I do not believe in some magical projection of blood that makes him a second Billy Graham. There is no evidence of that. Talk about the religion coming through the father, the seed if you will. It ain’t done too good a job with him. Thank you Alex Wagner. Thank you John Heilemann.

So last week we learned that conservative author Pat Buchanan had been fired by MSNBC for what the network believed were offensive views in his most recent book, and now two of its anchors along with one of its key contributors think Graham should be similarly banned from the network.

In fairness to Matthews, he did give quite a tribute to Buchanan last Friday.

But on Monday, he made some truly absurd comments at Ford's Theater saying, "If you're really anti-gay, you become a Catholic now."

If what Graham said today or what is in Buchanan's "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" are worthy of banishment by MSNBC, shouldn't saying, "If you're really anti-gay, you become a Catholic now" as well?

Or is it only comments liberals are uncomfortable with that draw the ire of MSNBC executives?


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