Far-left MSNBC host Joy Reid has criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on national television for openly expressing his Christian faith. Speaker Johnson (R-LA) is vocal about his deeply rooted Christian beliefs, which influence his political stance, including his pro-life stance against abortion, strong support for traditional marriage, and disapproval of radical gender ideology and alternative sexual behaviors.
While these positions align with the views of many Christian conservatives, MSNBC’s Reid characterizes Johnson as a “Christian nationalist and anti-abortion zealot,” as reported by Breitbart. On her show “The ReidOut,” Reid remarked, “Abortion rights advocates have an unbroken winning streak with ballot measures since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.”
“Now, advocates are racing to put the issue of abortion directly to voters in more states, with efforts in at least nine states to put abortion rights measures on the ballot in 2024.”
“It couldn’t come at a more critical time, especially now that Christian nationalist and anti-abortion zealot Mike Johnson is Speaker of the House,” she continued.
“We’re learning more about his extreme views as yet another batch of old interviews resurfaced, like this radio interview last year a month before Roe was overturned.”
In the audio clip played by Reid, Johnson referred to abortion as an “American Holocaust” and criticized Planned Parenthood and “Big Abortion” for predominantly establishing abortion clinics in “inner cities,” viewing minorities in these areas as “easy prey.”
“In another interview on the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, Johnson was asked about Clarence Thomas’ concurrence,” she continued.
“Thomas suggested the court should reconsider other decisions, like Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.
“Also known as ensuring access to contraception, the freedom to be in same-sex relationships, and legalized same-sex marriage.”
What Reid referred to without context was Johnson’s agreement with a point made by Justice Thomas in a concurring opinion, suggesting that if the underlying legal rationale that upheld Roe for decades was unconstitutional, then other decisions based on the same faulty logic should also be revisited by the court.
The old audio clips of Speaker Johnson that MSNBC’s Reid aired or referenced on her program were recently uncovered as part of an extensive investigative effort by CNN to delve into decades of old audio from Johnson, aiming to find anything that could be used to stir up controversy against the new Republican leader.
CNN produced a handful of audio clips of Johnson expressing personal views shared by the vast majority of Christian conservatives. Despite media claims, these views are not outside the mainstream opinions of those who adhere to the Christian faith, including opposition to abortion and gay marriage, support for reintroducing “biblical morality” into society, and a belief in mankind’s “inherent evil” that must be “restrained” by the government, among other standard Christian beliefs.
Joy Reid is not the only leftist media figure to criticize Speaker Johnson for his adherence to the fundamental tenets of his Christian faith. Last month, Newsbusters reported on early media efforts to find anything that could damage the new Republican leader’s reputation, leading to narratives portraying Johnson as a “far-right Christian extremist” aiming to turn America into a theocracy.
This narrative resulted in media figures labeling Johnson with loaded terms like “extreme MAGA,” “far-right,” and “ultraconservative,” with claims that he is “more dangerous than Donald Trump.” Despite such rhetoric, Mike Johnson remains a relatively normal, exceptionally faithful Christian conservative, and media criticism is unlikely to sway him from his core beliefs.
