Pat Robertson

Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is an influential right-wing political and cultural figure. Robertson founded the Christian Broadcasting Network, on which he hosts the weekday broadcasts of The 700 Club. According to his official biography, Robertson is also the "founder of International Family Entertainment Inc., Regent University, Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation, American Center for Law and Justice, The Flying Hospital, Inc. and several other organizations and broadcast entities." After his failed 1988 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, Robertson founded the Christian Coalition of America, a vast conservative Christian political organization that aims to "give Christians a voice in their government again."

Robertson has a lengthy history of controversial remarks. He recently called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in a conversation with fellow evangelical preacher Jerry Falwell on The 700 Club, Robertson agreed that feminists and gays were to blame for the attacks (Falwell apologized quickly). In 2002, Robertson angered many when he said that Islam is not a peaceful religion (he has since made other similar statements about Islam).

After the 2004 election, Robertson proclaimed that "George Bush has the favor of heaven." Robertson recently reaffirmed his belief that judges appointed by Democrats are a greater threat to the United States than Al Qaeda, Nazi Germany, or the Civil War. He is noted for his particularly hateful rhetoric toward gays and lesbians.

Quotes from Pat Robertson

"I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he [Chavez] thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it." [8/22/05]

"Islam, at least at its core, teaches violence. It's there in the Quran in clear, bold statements." [7/14/05]

God "will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly." [1/3/05]

Gays and lesbians are "self-absorbed hedonists ... that want to impose their particular sexuality on the rest of America." [11/30/04]

Gays and lesbians are "self-absorbed narcissists who are willing to destroy any institution so long as they can have affirmation of their lifestyle." [8/16/05]

"Kwanzaa is an absolute fraud." [12/6/04]

Media Matters for America coverage of Robertson

Robertson affirmed his belief that Democratic judges are a greater threat to the U.S. than Al Qaeda, Nazi Germany or Civil War [5/2/05]

Pat Robertson's contradictory theology: God won't stop a tsunami -- but might respond to Gay Days with an earthquake [5/2/05]

Robertson wrongly attributed declining number of teen girls having sex to "welfare reform" [12/17/04]

Robertson continued conservatives' distortion of facts in Schiavo case [4/1/05]

Robertson "absolutely appalled" by comments Boxer never made [8/16/05]

Robertson continued to put words in Boxer's mouth -- and now Leahy's, too [8/19/05]

Robertson used misleading crisis rhetoric and rosy predictions to tout Bush Social Security plan [1/6/05]