The Pat Robertson Hatestorm: Why Is ABC Supporting A Jihadist?

1:08 pm EST August 23rd, 2005 | Politics | 10 Comments

Here’s a rundown of Pat Robertson

Media Matters for America: Robertson Called for the Assassination of Venezuela’s President

Media Matters for America President and CEO David Brock today called on Pat Robertson to retract and repudiate his vitriolic comments against the President of Venezuela.

Media Matters for America first drew attention to Pat Robertson, host of Christian Broadcasting Network’s The 700 Club and founder of the Christian Coalition of America, calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“Pat Robertson’s call for the assassination of a foreign leader is an irresponsible use of the public airwaves, as well as a call for the Bush administration to violate the executive order banning assassination,” said Brock. “Responsible news outlets should think twice before providing him a platform from which to peddle his inappropriate and inaccurate claims.”

Christians comment on how un-Christian Robertson is:

The general secretary of the National Council of Churches says he’s shocked by the televangelist’s call on “The 700 Club” Monday for the assassination of Venezuela’s president.

Pat Robertson is actively endangering American foreign policy.

Robertson’s comments appear likely to further stoke tensions between Washington and Caracas. Chavez has repeatedly claimed that American officials are plotting to oust or kill him — charges U.S. officials have denied.

Think Progress: Robertson Needs To Update His Website

Time: Why Pat Robertson’s Statements Help Hugo Chavez

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10 Responses to “The Pat Robertson Hatestorm: Why Is ABC Supporting A Jihadist?”

  1. Oliver says:
    August 23, 2005 at 2:08 pm

    ABC Family is the major broadcaster of Robertson’s show, The 700 Club.

  2. BD says:
    August 23, 2005 at 2:08 pm

    Where is the line with the “conservative movement”? Shrill, demented pundits who call for entire regions to be bombed into glass are to be defended and glorified, but Pat Robertson is suddenly beyond the pale?

  3. Quaker in a Basement says:
    August 23, 2005 at 2:08 pm

    Good post, OW, but I’m confused by the headline. What does ABC have to do with this?

  4. Mike says:
    August 23, 2005 at 2:08 pm

    “The general secretary of the National Council of Churches says he s shocked by the televangelist s call on  The 700 Club Monday for the assassination of Venezuela s president.”

    Probably because Chavez is a Communist. :-)

    On a serious note, I haven’t found a single conservative blogger or commentator who isn’t flabbergasted by Robertson’s insane suggestion. (The only exception might be LaShawn Barber, but as of this writing she hasn’t posted anything yet on the subject. Ditto for Ann Coulter.)

    So let’s be fair about this and avoid smearing the entire conservative movement because of the comments of one over-the-hill and demented TV preacher.

  5. southpaw says:
    August 23, 2005 at 3:08 pm

    We don’t need to start a war in Venezueala until we finish the job in Iraq. By then, Chavez will have died of old age.

  6. Quaker in a Basement says:
    August 23, 2005 at 4:08 pm

    via Atrios:

    “It was an incredibly stupid statement and has no reflection on reality,” said Coleman, the chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations subcommittee on the western hemisphere. “I met with President Chavez on my last visit a couple of months ago and he related that concern to me, about how the U.S. was out to assassinate him. I told him not to lose any sleep about it.”

    Called stupid by Norm Coleman?

    Ouch.

  7. Quaker in a Basement says:
    August 23, 2005 at 5:08 pm

    So I was thinking about this and I have a question.

    Does Robertson just sit down in front of the camera and say whatever comes to mind? Or is there a process of planning, fact-finding, and scripting?

    If it’s the former, I’m surprised he says as few outrageous things as he does.

    If it’s the latter, why doesn’t somebody stop him?

  8. Mike says:
    August 23, 2005 at 7:08 pm

    Quaker,

    I believe it’s the former.

    Maybe that’s a skill that’s best left to Robert Tilton. ;-)
    http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/televangelists/robert-tilton/

  9. Joe Schmoe says:
    August 23, 2005 at 7:08 pm

    Almost anything derogatory said about Chavez Frias from America helps him. Everytime Cheney or Rumsfeld flatulate, Hugo’s stock goes up.

    I think, or hope, at least, that most Americans will finally see Robertson the dangerous crackpot that he is. He is showing signs of losing his mind. Maybe it is the power he feels he still wields among the reality challenged.

    Deep down, however, I still believe one sure and undenible fact… Pat Robertson IS the anti-Christ and Jerry Falwell his acolyte.

  10. Joe Schmoe says:
    August 24, 2005 at 12:08 pm

    I watched Robertson today. Yeah, I know now that his outburst was intended to increase his audience share and I bit. However, I would like to know who can tell us the truth about Venezuela.

    Is the economy in turnoil after being destroyed by Chavez?
    Is he killing and torturing dissenters?
    Did he really have flame throwers turned on soldiers who presented a petition to him?
    Is he helping the cocaine smugglers and left wing guerillas in Columbia?
    Is he working to overthrow the governments of pro US nations?

    All of these claims were on Robertson this AM and presented by a faux organization called Human RIghts Foundation (not Human RIghts Watch)
    THe Venezuela newsgroups are either giddy with prosperity or angry at Hugo and I cant really trust MSNBC, etc. since they are repeating the administration line.

    So…where can I get an unvarnished analysis of Venezuela? Someone is lying to us. THere has to be someone out there who can give information on Chavez and Robertson that is not prejudiced.