CNN-AP Call Wallis 'Non-Partisan' - But Remarks Read Like DNC Talking Points

December 2nd, 2006 6:01 PM

It would be political malpractice for Democrats to hand the microphone for their weekly radio address to someone whose remarks didn't advance the interests of their party.  And sure enough, the transcript of left-wing preacher Jim Wallis's talk of today reveals nothing that wouldn't comfortably fit in the mouth of Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi. 

Wallis might coyly call himself "non-partisan," but does that oblige the CNN-AP to follow suit?  Yet in its story on Wallis's address, AP-CNN referred to Wallis as "non-partisan" and tried to bolster that view of him by adding that "the religious leader has been openly critical of Democratic politicians."  Perhaps as a matter of the Dems' overly-partisan form.  But as a matter of  substance, Wallis's views are indistinguishable from those of the liberal mainstream of the Democratic party.

Consider these excerpts from today's radio address by the founder of the "social-justice" group Sojourners:

  • "In the Hebrew Scriptures . . . prosperity was to be shared by all."
  • "It is time to . . . challenge the increasing wealth gap between rich and poor."
  • "[Iraq is] a disastrous war. [T]he only moral and practical course is  . . an honest national debate about how to extricate U.S. forces from Iraq."
  • "Our environment is in jeopardy as global warming continues unchecked and our air and water are polluted."

CNN-AP should tell it like it is: though Wallis eschews the party label, he is about as "non-partisan" as fellow preachers Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. 

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net