During MSNBC’s 11:00 a.m. ET hour, co-anchor Stephanie Ruhle made a point of mocking President Trump’s newly-named economic advisor and longtime CNBC analyst Larry Kudlow for expressing trust in “God’s will” as he began his new White House role.
While discussing Kudlow joining the administration, Ruhle snidely remarked: “...if you notice, when Larry Kudlow spoke on CNBC yesterday, he ended by saying, ‘However things work out, it will be God’s will’....That’s an interesting way to talk about being the national economic adviser to the President. God’s will?”
In another segment minutes later, Ruhle warned that “the challenge” for Kudlow working in the White House would be that “he has to stand there and represent real data” to the President on the economy. Her fellow co-host Ali Velshi fretted: “Right. But the fear is he may stand there and represent the President in the face of real data.” Ruhle sneered: “Well, as Larry Kudlow says, it's God’s will.”
Ruhle initially cited CNBC Washington Correspondent Eamons Javers taking to Twitter hours earlier to point out Kudlow’s expression on faith in the Wednesday interview. Javers asked his followers: “Did anyone else key on this comment from Larry Kudlow yesterday as he heads into the tumultuous Trump administration?”
The reporter later noted Kudlow’s past struggle with alcoholism as the source of his strong faith: “Larry is a regular attendee and public supporter of AA. (See @morningmoneyben’s recent podcast with him.) Just not the kind of language you often hear from people heading into big WH jobs.”
In another follow-up tweet, Javers argued that Kudlow’s religious language “Certainly indicates a sense of fatalism about the job.”
Sadly, from there, the social media discussion quickly descended into people openly attacking Kudlow.
The reliance on a higher power that Ruhle and Javers were so quick to ridicule was actually shared by Kudlow as he was expressing heartfelt gratitude to his CNBC colleagues, whom he called “family”:
The last 25 years of my life has been tied up with CNBC, which changed my life, changed my profession, and it’s been a family to me, and, however this thing works out, it will be God’s will. If there’s an opportunity when my service is complete, I hope very much to come back and help CNBC. It is my family, and it has changed my life.
He went on to add: “My life has had twists and turns, and – as people know. You know, with God’s grace, I’ll have 23 years clean and sober in the next couple months. That made it all possible.”
Why is it that the liberal media figures constantly feel the need to tear people down simply for expressing their faith?
Here is a transcript of Ruhle’s March 15 comments:
11:16 AM ET
(...)
STEPHANIE RUHLE: The one thing the President does value is trust. And he’s in a situation in the White House right now where he does not trust many of the people around him.
ALI VELSHI: He does trust Kudlow.
JOHN HARWOOD: That’s right.
RUHLE: He’s been friends with Larry Kudlow for a long time. Larry Kudlow trusts the President, as well. There could be a path here.
VELSHI: Well, maybe. Maybe it’ll happen. John, good to see you, buddy. Thank you.
HARWOOD: You bet.
VELSHI: John Harwood. So –
RUHLE: Larry Kudlow did – Eamon Javers pointed it out on Twitter just a few moments ago – if you notice, when Larry Kudlow spoke on CNBC yesterday, he ended by saying, “However things work out, it will be God’s will.”
VELSHI: Hmm.
RUHLE: That’s an interesting way to talk about being the national economic adviser to the President. God’s will?
VELSHI: We’re going to talk to you all about this guy, Larry Kudlow, President Trump’s new pick to be the top economic adviser.
(...)
11:26 AM ET
RUHLE: This will be the challenge for Larry Kudlow. Because in the position that he’s in now, he has to stand there and represent real data.
VELSHI: Right. But the fear is he may stand there and represent the President in the face of real data.
RUHLE: Well, as Larry Kudlow says, it's God’s will.
(...)
