On this week's Meet the Press, Mitch McConnell pretends like he doesn't know where the rumors about President Obama's religion are coming from when asked by David Gregory why one third of Republicans believe that he's a Muslim. Sure you don't Mitch. Just for good measure he throws in the same tactic flame thrower Franklin Graham used on CNN last week and instead of saying that he knows full well what religion President Obama practices does a little wink and a nod to his wingnut base and says he'll "take him at his word" that he's a Christian. Nice. Way to pander to the lizard brains out there McConnell.
MR. GREGORY: Let me move on to something that seems to be related to this and has gotten a lot of attention this week, and this is the poll about the president's own faith from the Pew Research Center. Eighteen percent of those polled believe that the president is a Muslim. Among Republicans, this is striking, 31 percent believe he's a Muslim. Of course, he's not. Why do you think these views prevail?
SEN. McCONNELL: Well, look, I think the faith that most Americans are questioning is the president's faith in the government to generate jobs. We've had an 18-month effort here on the part of this administration to prime the pump, borrow money, spend money hiring new federal government employees, sending money down to states so they don't have to lay off state employees. People are looking around and saying, "Where's the job?"
MR. GREGORY: Right.
SEN. McCONNELL: The president's faith in the government to stimulate the economy is what people are questioning.
MR. GREGORY: That, that, that's certainly a side step to, to this particular question. Again...
SEN. McCONNELL: Well, no, I--the--I--the president...
MR. GREGORY: ...as a leader of the country, sir, as one of the most powerful Republicans in the country, do you think you have an obligation to say to 34 percent of Republicans in the country--rather, 31 percent who believe the president of the United States is a Muslim? That's misinformation.
SEN. McCONNELL: The president says he's a--the president says he's a Christian, I take him at his word. I don't think that's in dispute.
MR. GREGORY: And do you think--how, how do you think it comes to be that this kind of misinformation gets spread around and prevails?
SEN. McCONNELL: I have no idea, but I take the president at his word.
