The Columbus Dispatch

CBN begins talk show on Facebook Live

- By Kimberly Winston

The Christian Broadcasti­ng Network, founded by televangel­ist and Donald Trump supporter Pat Robertson, is launching a new online talk show focused on politics.

Called “Faith Nation” — a spin on CBS’ long-running “Face the Nation” — the show premiered on Facebook Live on Wednesday with presidenti­al press secretary Sean Spicer as its first guest.

The appearance of Spicer — remotely, from the White House lawn — underscore­s the Christian network’s access to the Trump administra­tion. Last week, President Trump, who frequently excoriates mainstream media, did a sit-down interview with Robertson for a segment of the network’s flagship show, “The 700 Club.”

Spicer, who has been portrayed as beleaguere­d and overmatche­d by everyone from mainstream news media to “Saturday Night Live,” took questions from hosts David Brody and Jenna Browder about health-care repeal, daily news briefings and the possible move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Brody, who is at work on a “spiritual biography” of the president, also asked Spicer how “people out there” should pray for him. He replied, in part, “Prayer is something every individual has to decide how they want to have that conversati­on and I appreciate any and all of it.”

There were no questions about the controvers­ies currently swirling around the president, including meetings with Russian officials for “opposition research” on Hillary Clinton or the recently revealed second meeting with Vladimir Putin that did not appear in White House records.

CBN airs all over the United States and overseas. Its mission is to promote Christiani­ty.

More than 80 percent of white evangelica­ls voted for Trump in November 2016, and people within that group continue to be among his staunchest supporters.

CBN is touting “Faith Nation,” which will air every Wednesday on Facebook Live, as “focusing on today’s political topics that are significan­t to Christians.”

 ??  ?? Spicer
Spicer

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States