Right-wing media are highlighting a new Gallup poll that found only 34 percent of Americans correctly identified President Obama's religion as Christianity. These same right-wing media outlets have previously questioned the president's religious faith.
Right-Wing Media That Previously Questioned Obama's Christian Faith Tout Poll Showing Many Americans Don't Know He's Christian
Written by Kevin Zieber
Published
Gallup Poll: Only One-Third Of Americans Correctly Identified President Obama's Christian Faith
Gallup: “Just 34 Percent Of Americans Correctly Say U.S. President Barack Obama Is A Christian.” A new Gallup poll found that only 34 percent of Americans could correctly identify President Obama as a Christian:
Just 34% of Americans correctly say U.S. President Barack Obama is a Christian, while 44% say they don't know Obama's religion and 11% say he is a Muslim.
[...]
Obama is a Christian and has labeled himself as such as in his writings and interviews, and while living in Chicago he attended the Trinity United Church of Christ. Since moving into the White House, Obama has attended several different Christian churches.
[Gallup, 6/22/12]
Right-Wing Media Highlight Poll Showing Americans Cannot Correctly Identify Obama's Christian Faith
Limbaugh Touts Gallup Poll With 44 Percent Of Respondents Unable To Identify President Obama's Christian Faith. Rush Limbaugh said it's “unprecedented” that “most Americans cannot identify” Obama's religion:
LIMBAUGH: Gallup. I don't know why this strikes - just 34 percent of Americans correctly identify Obama as a Christian. Most Americans cannot name his religion. Now, most Americans know where he went with Michelle on their first date. But most Americans can't identify - folks, this is the President of the United States that we are talking about here, and most Americans cannot identify his religion. Uh, that's new. That's unprecedented. Isn't it? Can't identify his religion? Most Americans can't identify where he was born. I don't know the answer to that question. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 6/25/12]
Fox Nation Illustrates Gallup Poll With A Question Mark. Fox Nation promoted the poll, using a question mark to illustrate the story:
[Fox Nation, 6/25/12]
Drudge Report: “44 Percent Can't Name Obama's Religion?” The Drudge Report promoted the poll near the top of his website with the headline:
[Drudge Report, 6/24/12]
Jim Hoft: “Do You Really Blame” Respondents Who Doubt President's Faith? Right-wing blogger Jim Hoft promoted the poll on his blog asking if readers could really blame those who were unsure of the president's faith:
Only 34% of Americans Believe Obama Is Christian ...(66% Must Be Racist)
Do you really blame them? ...Considering Obama sat and listened to this nuttiness for 20 years? [Gateway Pundit, 6/23/12]
That Same Right-Wing Media Repeatedly Questioned Obama's Christian Faith
Limbaugh: “Obama Says He's A Christian, But Where's The Evidence?” While attacking a NASA outreach program, Limbaugh cast aspersions on the president's faith:
LIMBAUGH: Go poll the people that work at NASA and ask them if they think Obama's a Muslim, because he turned NASA over to a Muslim outreach program. The guy holds an Easter egg roll, the White House website promoting the Easter egg roll does not mention Jesus or Christ. It talks about environmentalism. Obama says he's a Christian, but where's the evidence? [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/19/10 via Media Matters]
Limbaugh Calls The President “Imam Obama” And “Ayatollah Obama.” After being criticized for calling President Obama “Imam Obama,” Limbaugh decided he would instead call the president “Ayatollah Obama”:
LIMBAUGH: If it was OK and laudatory to call Bill Clinton America's first black president, then why can't we call Imam Obama America's first Muslim president? Clinton wasn't black. He wasn't black then; he's not black now. Yet he was the first black president. And Obama says he's not a Muslim; he's a Christian.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: Obama says he's not Muslim, so couldn't we say he's the first Muslim president? I'm just extending the Democrat logic here. And if they don't like Imam Obama, I can understand that. So, we'll just call him - we'll call him Ayatollah Obama. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 9/29/10 via Media Matters]
Limbaugh: “You Can't Say That Somebody Is A Committed Christian When 30 Percent Of The Country Wonders Whether Or Not He Is A Muslim.” Limbaugh mocked an AOL religion story that described President Obama as a committed Christian by pointing to a poll showing some incorrectly believe the president is a Muslim:
LIMBAUGH: Didn't we just have a poll, 30 some odd percent of the people think [President Obama]'s a Muslim? And the religion writer at AOL claims that he is religiously fluent and a committed Christian? This is a spoof. Obama a committed Christian? I'm sorry. You can't say that somebody is a committed Christian when 30 percent of the country wonders whether or not he is a Muslim. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/9/10 via Media Matters]
Fox Nation Promoted Trump's Claim That Obama May Be A Muslim. Fox Nation promoted frequent Fox guest Donald Trump's claims that Obama may be a Muslim, writing: “Trump On Obama: 'Maybe He's a Muslim'”:
[Fox Nation, 3/30/11]
Fox Nation Questioned Obama's Faith By Highlighting Infrequent Church Attendence. On February 1, 2010, Fox Nation linked to an article that stated: “If church attendance is one measure of a man's faith, then President Obama may appear to have lost some of his.” Fox Nation used the following headline:
[Fox Nation, 2/1/10]
Drudge Hyped Suggestion That The Only Reason Obama Attended Church Was Because Of Republican Attack Ad. The Drudge Report hyped a Washington Examiner post that suggested President Obama attended a church service with his family only in response to an attack ad from former Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry:
[Drudge Report, 12/12/11]
Jim Hoft: “That's Weird?... Obama's Nuclear Summit Logo Is An Islamic Crest.” In an April 14 post on his Gateway Pundit blog titled, “That's Weird?... Obama's Nuclear Summit Logo Is an Islamic Crest,” right-wing blogger Jim Hoft repeatedly asserted that it's “weird” that “Obama's nuclear summit logo is an Islamic crest.” [Gateway Pundit, 4/14/10]
Click here to see more examples of Fox News casting doubt on the president's faith