Only Good Morning America's Jake Tapper on Thursday mentioned the call by
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to
investigate
those who oppose the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero. CBS's Early Show
and NBC's Today both skipped any discussion of the subject. So did Wednesday
night's network newscasts.
Tapper explained, "And the House top Democrat also called for transparency
for who is funding the opposition to the Islamic center." He then featured a
clip of Pelosi advocating, "And I have joined those who have called for looking
into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded."
However, Tapper also described GOP opposition to the Ground Zero mosque this
way: "
Some of the opposition is being ginned up by the group founded by
Republicans William Kristol and Liz Cheney, which has started running this web
video, featuring family members of 9/11 victims."
"Ginned up" is not a term often used for liberal organizations
A transcript of the August 19 segment, which aired at 7:04am EDT, follows:
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD: Some developments in the controversy over the Islamic
center and mosque near Ground Zero. Two New York leaders, Governor David
Paterson, and the leader of the Catholic Church in the city, have suggested that
the center be moved to another site. The issue is following the President, too,
as he begins his vacation today on Martha's Vineyard, where we catch up with
Jake Tapper this morning. Jake?
JAKE TAPPER: Good morning, Ashleigh. Well, that's right,
President Obama arrives here later today, hoping to get a break from the
depressing economic news, the grueling reports from the front lines in
Afghanistan and, of course, that contentious debate of that proposed Islamic
center two blocks from Ground Zero. The President went to Ohio to campaign for
Democrats and to talk about jobs.
BARACK OBAMA: We are moving in the right direction.
TAPPER: But, inevitably, he was asked whether he had any regrets about
joining the controversy over the proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero, so
overwhelmingly opposed by the public.
OBAMA: The answer is no regrets.
TAPPER: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed the President's support for
freedom of religion. She also called for transparency for who will pay for the
project, which some estimates price at $100 million. And the House top Democrat
also called for transparency for who is funding the opposition to the Islamic
center.
NANCY PELOSI: And I have joined those who have called for looking into how is
this opposition to the mosque being funded.
TAPPER: Some of the opposition is being ginned up by the group founded by
Republicans William Kristol and Liz Cheney, which has started running this
web video, featuring family members of 9/11 victims.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: This mosque, it's wrong. It's so wrong.
TAPPER: Not every Republican agrees. Ted Olson, the Solicitor General for
President George W. Bush, whose wife was killed on 9/11, said President Obama is
right.
TED OLSON: We don't want to turn an act of hate against us, by extremists,
into an act of intolerance for people of religious faith.
TAPPER: And, Ashleigh, on the heels of this debate, a new Pew poll
indicates that a growing number of Americans believe, wrongly, that president
Obama is a Muslim. It's 18 percent believe he's a Muslim. That's up from 11
percent last year. They were wrong last year. And the 18 percent are wrong this
year. Ashleigh?
BANFIELD: Wow. So much for vacation, huh? All right, Jake. Thanks very
much.
-Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on
Twitter.
