Yes, This Really Happened

Wolf Blitzer on Mike Huckabee on Mormonism

Wolf Blitzer hosted Mike Huckabee on the Situation Room, and asked him this question:

BLITZER (12/12/07): All right. The New York Times Sunday magazine has a long profile of you, and one line has jumped out and is causing a lot of commotion right now.

When you asked this question to the interviewer, the reporter who wrote the story, you said this: "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?" Now, as you know, Mormons say that's a canard, they don't believe that, that's been a canard spread by people who don't like Mormonism.

I want you to explain what you were doing by even raising that question.

Is this really just "a canard spread by people who don't like Mormonism"? This is what the official Latter Day Saints website says:

On first hearing, the doctrine that Lucifer and our Lord, Jesus Christ, are brothers may seem surprising to some—especially to those unacquainted with latter-day revelations. But both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our Heavenly Father and, therefore, spirit brothers. Jesus Christ was with the Father from the beginning. Lucifer, too, was an angel “who was in authority in the presence of God,” a “son of the morning.” (See Isa. 14:12; D&C 76:25–27.) Both Jesus and Lucifer were strong leaders with great knowledge and influence. But as the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother. (See Col. 1:15; D&C 93:21.)

How could two such great spirits become so totally opposite? The answer lies in the principle of agency, which has existed from all eternity. (See D&C 93:30–31.) Of Lucifer, the scripture says that because of rebellion “he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies.” (Moses 4:4.) Note that he was not created evil, but became Satan by his own choice.

When our Father in Heaven presented his plan of salvation, Jesus sustained the plan and his part in it, giving the glory to God, to whom it properly belonged. Lucifer, on the other hand, sought power, honor, and glory only for himself. (See Isa. 14:13–14; Moses 4:1–2.) When his modification of the Father’s plan was rejected, he rebelled against God and was subsequently cast out of heaven with those who had sided with him. (See Rev. 12:7–9; D&C 29:36–37.)

That brothers would make dramatically different choices is not unusual. It has happened time and again, as the scriptures attest: Cain chose to serve Satan; Abel chose to serve God. (See Moses 5:16–18.) Esau “despised his birthright”; Jacob wanted to honor it. (Gen. 25:29–34.) Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him; he sought to preserve them. (Gen. 37:12–24; Gen. 45:3–11.)

Is it really too much to ask for CNN to do a little bit of research before devolving into the he-said-she-said style of journalism?

Wolf Blitzer: Awful Questioner

At the Democratic debate, Wolf Blitzer asked Dennis Kucinich the following question:

We’re talking about education right now, and I want to bring Congressman Kucinich in because I know you’re a strong supporter of the unions. The teachers’ union, very powerful—teachers’ unions, very powerful. Are there any issues with unions—teachers’ unions, or other unions for that matter—with which you disagree?

Seriously. This kind of question does nothing but waste everyone's time.

CNN Democratic Debate

One thing in particular bothered me about last night's CNN debate (which also bothered me about the last MSNBC debate). I think that Digby really nails it here:

Blitzer: Driver's licenses! Yes or No!

Obama: It's not so simple. We need comprehensive immigration reform and I think ...

Blitzer: Yes or no! What about the driver's licenses?!

Richardson: The congress has failed to act. It's a matter of public safety...

Blitzer: Yes or no! Yes or no! Yes or no!

Edwards: It's a complicated problem...

Blitzer: Huh? Driver's licenses! Yes or No!

Kucinich: There is no such thing as an illegal human being. I would repeal Nafta.

Blitzer: NAFTA??? WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING??? DRIVER'S LICENSES! YES OR NO!!!

Biden: No



* Not a real transcript. More of an impressionistic collage.

Blitzer refused to let any of them explain their positions on immigration but rather insisted on this ridiculous, parochial question about driver's licenses as if the fate of the world depended on getting a yes or no answer. He particularly dogged Obama who has a nuanced and reasonable position that requires explication, just as Russert did to Hillary Clinton last week on the same stupid topic. (She just caved, which is being touted by the gasbags as a very savvy move.)

Obama's real response is at 17:54 of the debate (full video and [real] transcript here).

Also, that last question was simply horrible. "Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?" Are you kidding me? That question was neither substantive nor funny. It's just demeaning to everyone involved. As a member of the audience, I felt as if CNN was basically saying, "Everyone who's watching this is an idiot."

UPDATE: It looks like the student who asked that horrible diamonds/pearls question would have preferred to ask something more substantive, but was only allowed by CNN to ask that awful puff question. Of course she wasn't forced to ask the question (she wrote it herself) or anything like that, but this really just underscores how poorly CNN runs these debates.

UPDATE II: I don't mean to put on my tin-foil hat or anything, but does anybody else think it's funny how this coal-sponsored debate's only mention of energy policy centered on the problems related to nuclear power? Anybody at all?

Also, why was there no mention or debate of Clinton's recently released climate and energy plan? That seems like the kind of question that's ripe for debate (at least more so than "Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?").

UPDATE III: TPM has a short video of the night's highlights here: