On MSNBC's Tucker, radio host Michael Graham suggested only some Dems are "for God"

On the November 27 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, Boston radio host Michael Graham discussed whether Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), a Mormon, could win over evangelical voters in a Republican presidential primary. Graham asserted that Romney's religion was acceptable because "the line here is for God and against God. And anybody who is on God's team, with the possible exception of Islam right now ... will be welcomed by Southern Republican voters." Graham pointed to Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is Jewish, as an example of someone who "is wildly popular ... probably the most popular Democrat among Southern Republicans." In implying that Lieberman is "on God's team" and "for God," Graham suggested that other Democrats might be "against God." Host Tucker Carlson responded: "That is, I think, a really smart point about Joe Lieberman."

Further, while Graham suggested that Islam is excluded from "God's team," he did not discuss his own previously expressed hostility toward Islam. As The Washington Post reported, Washington, D.C., radio station WMAL-AM fired Graham on August 22, 2005, because, "[a]ccording to WMAL, Graham said 'Islam is a terrorist organization' 23 times on his July 25 program" and added that "the problem is not extremism. The problem is Islam." The Post reported that Graham said of his remarks on Islam: "I will not apologize for something that is true."

From the November 27 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CARLSON: Wait a second, you have to get past, as you just said, you have to get past all those South Carolina primary voters in the Republican primary. I didn't go to Oral Roberts [University], but last time I checked, evangelicals considered Mormonism not a species of Christianity, but a cult. They don't like it at all. That's not a problem?

GRAHAM: And the last time I checked, evangelicals didn't consider Judaism a form of Christianity either, and yet Joe Lieberman is wildly popular --

CARLSON: Very good point.

GRAHAM: -- and is probably the most popular Democrat among Southern Republicans. In the modern era, it is not one religion versus another. In the modern era, where the media is anti-religious, where people feel like Christmas itself is under assault, and where anytime someone of faith stands up, they're called rubes and rednecks and idiots and Christianists -- the line here is for God and against God. And anybody who's on God's team, with the possible exception of Islam right now, everybody is on -- that's on the God team will be welcomed by Southern Republican voters.

CARLSON: That is, I think, a really smart point about Joe Lieberman. Michael Graham, thank you very much.

—B.J.L.