On the May 27 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews, discussing a May 23 Newsweek poll that found 11 percent of respondents said they believed Sen. Barack Obama was a Muslim and 22 percent did not know his religion, asserted: “I blame a lot of this on propaganda churned up on emails. He might want to make sure, by the way, that people are clear on this matter as soon as possible.” Matthews added, “Of course, Hillary Clinton's not helping by saying he's not a Muslim, 'as far as I know.' ” Matthews has repeatedly mischaracterized Clinton's response during a CBS 60 Minutes interview to the question of whether she “believe[d] that Senator Obama is a Muslim.” Her first three words in response to the question were, “Of course not.” Additionally, Clinton made clear at the end of the exchange with CBS correspondent Steve Kroft that she was likening the rumors about Obama's religion to false rumors about her: “Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors. I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time.”

From the March 2 edition of CBS' 60 Minutes:

KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama is a Muslim?

CLINTON: Of course not. I mean, that's -- you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: And you said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim.

CLINTON: Right. Right.

KROFT: You don't believe that he's a Muslim --

CLINTON: No. No. Why would I? There's no --

KROFT: -- or implying, right?

CLINTON: No, there is nothing to base that on, as far as I know.

KROFT: It's just scurrilous --

CLINTON: Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors. I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time.

Matthews noted during the segment that Obama is, in fact, “a Christian.”

From the May 27 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:

MATTHEWS: And now it's time for the Hardball “Big Number.”

As he gears up for the general election, Barack Obama has to get something out of the way once and for all: He's a Christian -- not that there's anything wrong with other religions. According to a new Newsweek poll, what percentage of the country either believes Obama is Muslim or doesn't know what religion he belongs to? Thirty-three percent. That's one out of three voters.

And I blame a lot of this on propaganda churned up on emails. He might want to make sure, by the way, that people are clear on this matter as soon as possible. Of course, Hillary Clinton's not helping by saying he's not a Muslim, “as far as I know.”

Anyway, that's tonight's “Big Number.”