Obama's, Romney's Christian Faith Questioned

(Wall Street Journal) - The Rev. Franklin Graham is certain that former Sen. Rick Santorum is a Christian. He is less sure about President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Graham, the son of the legendary evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, said Tuesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that, regarding Romney's faith, most Christians do not accept Mormons as being true Christians. And he said he can't be sure about Obama because he does not know what is in his heart.

But he is sure about Santorum's heart. That led one of the panelists to suggest he was employing a double standard.

"This is my business," Graham replied. "I look at a person's political interests, but more importantly I look at their spiritual interests. I'm not judging them. But you have to go by what a person says and how they live their life."

Asked first about Obama, he suggested that people should ask him directly when he is a Christian. In fact, Obama has volunteered many times that he is a Christian. But Graham said that Obama did not persuade him when the pair discussed it before Obama was elected.

He added that the Muslim world considers him a "son of Islam," because Obama's father was Muslim, and said he cannot rule it out. "I can't say categorically because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama," he said. He said that in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprisings, Christians are being persecuted and Obama has not spoken out forcefully enough against it.

"Barack Obama is an incredible man ... he could be speaking to these countries right now, demanding that they protect the Christians in those countries, and he's been quiet about it," he said.

He was later asked about Romney, who has struggled to win support from some evangelical Christians who do not view Mormons as Christians. Graham said they are right but also said Romney would be a "good president."

He said he has no doubts about Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator who has built a reputation as an uncompromising social conservative.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined a chance to respond. "I did meet with the president this morning for about 45 minutes. And amazingly, he didn't bring this up, because he was actually talking about policy issues that he believes are the most important things he can do and he can focus on as president."

Read more: Wall Street Journal