During the Ohio debate, Tim Russert demanded that presidential candidate Barack Obama reject the enforcement of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Russert claimed that the controversial leader referred to Judaism as a “gutter religion”. Clearly this kind of hate speech ought to be rejected but the problem is that Louis Farrakhan never made the remark and therefore Obama, clearly boxed in by Russert, “denounced and rejected” a remark that was never uttered.
Tim Russert, unfortunately, engaged in the lowest form of journalism — race baiting — and it isn’t the first time. Russert did the same thing to Obama in 2006 and demand that he respond to Harry Belefonte harsh criticisms of George W. Bush.
Ironically however the remark attributed to Louis Farrakhan was never uttered by him and therefore Russert and the media are wrong. In 1984, Farrakhan in a gave a speech critical of Israel where he refers to Zionism as a “dirty religion”. It was the New York press that distorted his remarks and created the “gutter religion” canard. Had Russert checked the record he would have discovered the facts.
It is Tim Russert divisive and irresponsible tactics that should be “denounced and rejected” as he sought to fan the flames of hatred rather than accurately report the facts.
Deadbeat Politics 