By:
Nicole Belle on Thursday, September 27th, 2007 at 4:13 PM - PDT
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This had to be the most aggravating question during the Dartmouth debate, both in its implication and in sheer unconstitutional glory. Moderator Tim Russert asks the Democratic presidential contenders to name their favorite Bible verse.
Um, Tim, are you trying to say that Democrats need to prove their faith? Nice Republican framing there. And on whole other level, are you confirming the mindset that only practicing Christians should be eligible for the presidency? What if there was a Jew, Buddhist or a *gasp* atheist on that stage? Would that question be considered appropriate then?
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Somebody get Russet, that’s the potato, a copy of the Constitution. What a buffoon.
Tim knew before the question was asked that everyone on stage claims to be a practicing Christian.
What a Dork that Russert is?
“And behold the Pumpkinhead, for he shall burst into flames from sheer wingnuttery.”
Reality 6:66
Yeah. how about the fact that not everyone gets to answer the questions. Nice framing on Kucinich and Gravel asking about losing the mayorship and bankruptcy. Geez, they really don’t want to give either one of those guys any airtime.
What in the blue, freaking hell does a candidate’s favorite Bible verse have to do with anything?
Russert, you’re a tool.
The only way to defeat wingnut framing is to reject the framing.
I saw Obama do this in one of the debates. He essentially pointed out that embedded in the “question” was a false premise.
I wish dems would rise above the structure that favors republican bullshit and call these “questions” out for the agenda they carry.
What ever happened to that little provision in our constitution that there shall be no religious test for those running for office?
Thank you! It was at this point I started yelling at the television. ugh
Didn’t Russert also ask candidates about baseball?
Doesn’t that mean he was trying to say that Democrats need to prove their love of baseball?
I guess I should watch the debates, but if no serious questions are going to be asked why the fuck bother?
Call me when somebody credible is the moderator. Timmeh needs to be fired and barred from doing journalism, or anything else important, ever again. What a fucking piece of shit.
Here’s how they should answer it:
“Thou shall not kill.”
Speaking of Iraq …..
I think Russert is saying that Democrats need to prove they are good Republicans to be President
If only one of them would have taken Russert to task on the ridiculousness of the question. Even crazy Gravel feel into the trap. Lame.
On Thom Hartmann today a caller noted the question and stated the answer should have been the reading of the section of the constitution that states there shall be no religous test.
The caller then read the section.
I’m with the caller. And thus shows how out of touch even our hopeful saviors of our democracy are with what we are asking them to save.
So why did the candidates answer the question. Why didn’t any of them have the courage to say to Russert “Look, I believe in God. I read the bible. But the question is offensive, because ……. and I am not going to answer it. Will we ever have a candidate again who has courage? POne who will be a leader, instead of a lamb?
So why did any of the candidates respond to his question? What kinds of dopes are they? The obvious thing to do is cut him down at the knees: “I don’t intend to drag religion into politics, where it doesn’t belong.”
Or, Jesus’ love of some gay folks:
“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Luke 17:34-36.
http://tinyurl.com/2gc84n
Kucinich and Gravel are the only two real presidential candidates who are FOR America an not for world domination. Of course that means they will be kept on the bottom by the money/power candidates.
REASON
Curly rocks! Thanks LA Confidential.
TIMMEH!
…just had to say that.
i emailed him last night regarding this question:
Mr. Russert,
I’m writing you about the debate you recently hosted in Dartmouth, New Hampshire.
You asked a question, which i felt was inappropriate. The United States Constitution states that ” no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
So, i think your question asking the candidates about their favorite Bible verse crossed the line sir. I really think that the faith and religion of these candidates has absolutely no business being discussed in this way. You presented them with a religious test and I think you need to apologize for that.
CD @ 10:
Apparently so. I found both questions equally irrelevant, insipid, and stupid. And not just because I am personally an ardent atheist and non-sports-fan, but because both religion and baseball have nothing to do with one’s qualifications for president.
Timmy, Timmy, Timmy. You disappoint me.
This almost makes me want to be one of these “journalists” asking the questions so that I can follow up with: “What’s your favorite verse from the Bhagavad Gita?” or “What’s your favorite verse from the Koran?”
Should have quoted leviticus 24:11-16 and said they absolutely believe that farmers that plants two crops in the same field should be stoned. I am sure that would have gone over well…
As an atheist, my favorite Bible verse is the one about taking great joy at smashing the heads of the enemy’s babies against the rocks (Psalms 137:9) as it establishes that the bible is clearly not a valid source for moral and ethical behavior.
Mike @ 16:
Or better yet a candidate with the courage to say “look I don’t believe in God. The whole concept is ridiculous. I would rather quote Shakespeare than the Bible because it contains more universal truths and literary merit.”
Unfortunately such an admission is likely to doom a presidential candidacy in this country brimming with superstitious fanatics.
Ken Clean Air Systems @ 25:
I consider myself a Christian but I was less than pleased when he brought up religion and just annoyed when he brought up sports.
Plisko @ 8:
What is this word ‘constitution’ you speak of?
“Mr. Jefferson, build up that wall!”-Christopher Hitchens
I’m disgusted at the candidates for answering. The only correct answer to that question is to say “that’s an improper question.”
enor @ 32:
It’s a quaint little document of yesteryear that has no meaning in the global economic conquest of more profits… what are you some kind of Luddite?
TIMMY! Yeah, disgusting, but you know what, Hillary? I don’t think the golden rule is actually a Biblical verse. Is it? I think that’s from earlier pagan civilizations. Help me out on this one, anybody.
Religious lunacy America 1 - Iran 1.
Sorry, but you won’t see that in France, England, Germany, even here in Japan despite our best effort at parroting American political circus-blishment
Being a “non-believer”, should that question have been asked of me, I would have responded:
“I do not know any Bible verses, but the “story” I am most impressed with out of the
Good Book is one that religious folks believe; being that man and the dinasours co-existed
together only 6,000 years ago..”
memorazation of bible verses makes one qualified to be president??
and what the fuck is a lightning round doing in a prez debate
Not to change the subject (I agree wholeheartedly that the question was out of line) but…
Hey Dennis? St. Francis was an 11th century noble and founder of the Order of Friars Minor. He isn’t in the Bible. Good on you for having a quote imploring peace, but you could have gone with Jesus’ “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
An incorrect question, but, nice to know what they think or what they want us to think that they think.
Okay, that is way too complicated. But if asked the question, and if I wanted to answer it, I would have said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God.”
It would have been funny if any Republican had answered with that verse.
Heretic @ 36:
The Golden Rule is something that appears in one form or another in just about every religion, hence the reason why it’s called the “Golden Rule”. When Jesus cited his version of it, he never specifically say it was “The Golden Rule”.
uncle joe mccarthy @ 39:
…and apparently pronouncing it “nookyoolur” qualifies you as a president as well.
I think he got the idea from Larry King when he asked the same question to Paris Hilton. So it really wasnt a sincere question, it was an attmept to try to trip them up. They handled it pretty well though, and it is something the Dem nominee is going to have to do to win. Youve got to throw in a little religious bullshit, even if you dont believe it.
Heretic @ 36:
Matthew 7:12 : Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
That said, I’m an Atheist.
CD @ 10:
I agree that a person’s religion or lack of religion should not matter but if they don’t like baseball and know the ERA leaders and BA of David Ortiz with men in scoring position they have no right to be president.
In the spirit of unfettered free markets, lets just merge the two parties and stop pretending there’s a difference. Anybody taking the bait on that horseshit should join Lieberman as another a-hole pretending to not be a “good ol’boy” repug.
#24-Freaktown
Very well written letter. That is the basic response that all the candidates, Democratic or Republican, should give to an asinine question like that. One also has to wonder if that was an attempt by Russert to demonstrate how he could wear his own religious beliefs upon his public sleeve. As you correctly point out, one’s religious point of view has absolutely no business being paraded in a political forum. The people and the political leaders in Europe are no doubt looking askance at this desire by America’s politicians and the media in this country to inject religion so unnecessarily into the public discourse.
And Mr. Russert what is the best airport bathroom for scoring in?
“There is no God” ~ Psalms 14:1
An atheist or jew could have a favourite passage anyway. Studing the bible academically is important to understanding history and art and (american) culture.
Boring Scott @ 12:
excellant answer………I like…none of your gawd damn business…
Russert is a bona fide chickens**t. He needs to retire to a rocking chair on the nursing home porch and let his last 3 brain cells finish rotting in his thick skull.
I can hardly stand to look at him. He’s on par w/BOR and Lush Limbo: an idiotic jerk.
Am I clear ;-)
uncle joe mccarthy @ 39:
and what the fuck is a lightning round doing in a prez debate
The prez. debates are like a game show; without the spinning wheel, lights flashing, etc.
but to compete with “E” and other entertainment shows, they must have a “lighting
round” to keep the auidence watching…
The question was completely inappropriate, but then Tim Russert is a shill for the Republican party.
BAC
JudyLou @ 53:
yes ma’am….
Boot @ 5: