New York Times #Fail in Report on Alleged 'Historian' David Barton, Fave of Huckabee and Beck

By digby, Hullabaloo
Posted on May 5, 2011, Printed on May 7, 2011
http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/580361/new_york_times_%23fail_in_report_on_alleged_%5C%27historian%5C%27_david_barton%2C_fave_of_huckabee_and_beck

This post originally appeared at Hullabaloo.

In case the recent Trumpmania didn\'t convince you, here\'s the latest example of how the media helps to mainstream the craziest wingnuts in the land. Check out today\'s front-page New York Times article on Glenn Beck\'s personal historian, the leader of his Black Robed Regiment, pseudo-historian David Barton. You\'ll find that he\'s quite a nice fellow who is influential in the GOP. You\'ll also find that some "liberal groups" like People for the American Way and Americans United for Separation of Church and State are alarmed because he\'s one of those ...zzzzzzzz. (Aren\'t they always upset about something???)

What you won\'t find is any serious discussion of his alleged scholarship, politics or theocratic vision for America. Instead you get this mealy mouthed nonsense:

[M]any professional historians dismiss Mr. Barton, whose academic degree is in Christian education from Oral Roberts University, as a biased amateur who cherry-picks quotes from history and the Bible.