Does the president's religion really matter?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
President Obama is Christian, yet somehow it's a fact that seems up for debate these days - with a growing number of Americans saying he's Muslim.
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It's a false rumor that the president has been battling since he was a candidate, yet for many the issue is murkier than ever:
A new Pew Poll shows nearly one in five Americans believe Mr. Obama is a Muslim. That's up from one in 10 who felt that way last year.
Most of those who believe the president is Muslim are Republicans; but the number of Independents who think this way has grown significantly from last year. The number of people who are unsure about the president's religion is also higher - even among his supporters. Fewer than half of Democrats and African-Americans say that President Obama is Christian.
Part of the reason for this misinformation just may be comments like these: The Rev. Franklin Graham - son of the evangelist Billy Graham - told CNN, "I think the president's problem is that he was born a Muslim." Graham says "the seed of Islam" was passed through Mr. Obama's father; and although the president says he's accepted Jesus Christ, the Islamic world sees him as one of theirs.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also weighed in with this quote: "The president says he's a Christian. I take him at his word."
Critics argue a remark like this suggests the debate over the president's religion is legitimate.
The White House says that the president is Christian and he prays daily. They point out Mr. Obama has spoken extensively about his faith in the past; but making sure Americans know he's a devout Christian isn't his top priority. And they have a point - it's not like there's a shortage of serious problems facing this country.
Here’s my question to you: Does the president's religion really matter?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How confident are you that the food you eat is safe?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hungry? You won't be after you hear this.
The massive, nationwide egg recall is only one reason to question the safety of our food supply.
550 million eggs have been recalled in 22 states... and the government says the related salmonella outbreak has made about 1,300 people sick.
Still hungry? There's also a nationwide meat recall.
Zemco industries in Buffalo, New York has recalled about 380,000 pounds of deli meat - which was distributed to Walmarts across the country. The meat may be contaminated with listeria - which can potentially kill you.
Next up: Fish. Officials in Louisiana say that as many as 15,000 dead fish and other marine animals were found at the mouth of the Mississippi River outlet into the Gulf of Mexico.
They say the fish kill doesn't appear to be directly related to the BP oil leak. But there are lingering questions about the effect of those millions of barrels of oil on all sorts of seafood, including shrimp, in the Gulf.
When it comes to farming, there are ongoing concerns about the use of use of fertilizers, pesticides, and growth hormones.
This is an area where the government is supposed to protect us. The United States Senate has been sitting on a food safety bill that was passed by the House for more than a year.
The present food safety law is 70 years old and is so weak that the food and drug administration can't even authorize recalls... instead the government has to wait on companies to do it themselves.
The pending law would give the FDA recall authority; and would create stricter rules for mandatory inspections. Both are sorely needed… but senate majority leader Harry Reid apparently doesn't agree.
Here’s my question to you: How confident are you that the food you eat is safe?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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