Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
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The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Even though Brit Hume is facing backlash over his call for Tiger Woods to abandon his religion and become a Christian, controversial radio host Steve Deace said Wednesday that Hume’s words were a “mixture of truth and grace” that “leads me to believe his Christian faith is very real to him.”
Steve Deace
Hume, a political commentator for Fox News, was offering his opinion on the Tiger Woods sex scandal when he said the golf legend should give up his Buddhist faith because it doesn’t offer “the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith.” He later suggested that Woods become a Christian in order to “make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.”
Deace, who hosts a drive-time show on WHO-AM, said he will be interested to see how the media reacts to Hume’s advice.
“I remember the feces storm that was stirred up when I made similar statements about a Major League Baseball player five years ago, so it will be interesting to see what the reaction will be from the secular media on a national scale to this earnest plea by Hume,” Deace said on his blog. “Nonetheless, it’s a refreshing take and Hume’s mixture of truth and grace in the clip leads me to believe his Christian faith is very real to him.”
In 2004, while he was hosting a sports talk show on WHO-AM’s sister station, KXNO-AM, Deace criticized Shawn Green, a Jewish outfielder who at the time played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, for missing an important game scheduled during Yom Kippur. Deace said Green could solve all his problems by “accepting the fulfillment of his Jewish heritage, recognizing his Messiah is Jesus Christ, therefore he is the atonement for his sins, no further need to jump through hoops, no further need to recognize or go through observances or rituals or rites.”
Deace said at the time that an executive with Clear Channel Communications, which owns WHO-AM, asked him to allow Jewish leaders a chance to present their views on his show. The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines declined the invitation and instead discussed the comments with Deace and station executives off the air.
Deace also drew fire last November in the aftermath of the shooting spree at Ft. Hood, Texas, when he said the shooter “may have done America a favor” if the tragedy serves as a wake-up call that Islam is incompatible with military service.
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