Noting Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani, KOA's Morning News failed to mention Christian leader's controversial history

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Co-host April Zesbaugh of Colorado's Morning News on November 8 reported Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson's endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. But while the Newsradio 850 KOA program described Robertson as a “popular” conservative, it omitted any reference to his well-documented history of making inflammatory comments -- such as his call for the assassination of Venezuela's president.

During the November 8 broadcast of Newsradio 850 KOA's Colorado's Morning News, co-host April Zesbaugh reported that Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson had endorsed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) for president. But she did not mention Robertson's history of making controversial remarks, as Colorado Media Matters noted in response to similar reporting by KDVR Fox 31 a day earlier.

Identifying Robertson as a “popular Christian conservative,” Zesbaugh noted that the televangelist had thrown his support behind Giuliani, whom Zesbaugh called “a socially liberal Republican.” The report featured audio of Robertson asserting that his endorsement was not “some calculated decision to see who's the most electable,” but KOA omitted any mention of Robertson's history of making controversial and inflammatory comments.

As Media Matters for America has extensively documented, Robertson -- founder of the Christian Coalition of America, host of the Christian Broadcasting Network's 700 Club, and former Republican presidential candidate -- has called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and endorsed the late Rev. Jerry Falwell's statement that “the abortionists,” “the feminists,” and the American Civil Liberties Union “helped this [the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks] happen.”

From the November 8 broadcast of Newsradio 850 KOA's Colorado's Morning News:

ZESBAUGH: A popular Christian conservative backing a socially liberal Republican for president. Who are we talkin' about? Well, Pat Robertson endorsing Rudy Giuliani for the White House yesterday. The two differ on issues like abortion and gay rights, but the religious leader looking at the bigger picture.

ROBERTSON [audio clip]: This isn't some calculated decision to see who's the most electable. Without question, I think that we do want a front-runner for the Republican Party who can win the general election.

ZESBAUGH: Robertson adding Giuliani's performance in the aftermath of 9-11 makes him the ideal candidate to fight the war on terror.