Politics

Richard Wolffe makes fun of Palin for reading famous author of Christian works for ‘divine inspiration’

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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MSNBC commentator Richard Wolffe made fun of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for reading author C.S. Lewis for “divine inspiration,” despite the fact that the acclaimed British academic and creator of childrens’ books was also a noted writer of works on Christianity.

Appearing on MSNBC’s “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, Wolffe expressed incredulity, noting that Lewis wrote “a series of kids’ books.”

Matthews interrupted Wolffe: “I wouldn’t put down C.S. Lewis.”

“I’m not putting him down,” Wollfe responded. “But you know divine inspiration? There are things she could’ve said to divine inspiration. Choosing C.S. Lewis is an interesting one.”

Aside from authoring popular children’s books like the “Chronicles of Narnia,” Lewis was known as a Christian apologist who authored a number of books on religion, like “Mere Christianity.”

Both Wolffe and Lewis, who died in 1963 but who famously converted to Christianity thirty years before that, are from the United Kingdom.

The discussion occurred as Matthews, Wolffe and Time’s Jay Newton Small on Thursday discussed a recent interview Palin gave with Barbara Walters about her reading habits.

The prospective candidate for president in 2012 also said she reads the Newsmax magazine, the Wall Street Journal and Alaska newspapers.

Matthews was stunned she admitted to reading Newsmax.

“Explain Newsmax,” he said. “Why should she would say something like that? That’s a digest of conservative right wing conservative thinking. You don’t have to read. They just tell you the little items you’re supposed to know.”