Sen. Durbin blasts Fox News: God is not a franchise of the Republican Party

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) on Tuesday blasted Fox News host Bret Baier for "harping" on the fact that the Democratic Party Platform of 2012 didn't contain the word "god."

"Well, I can just basically tell you that if the narrative that is being presented on your station and through your channel and your network is that Democrats are godless people, they ought to know better," Durbin said. "God is not a franchise of the Republican Party. Those of us who believe in God, and those of us who have dedicated our lives to helping others in the name of God don't want to take a second seat to anyone who is suggesting that one word out of the platform means that the Democrats across America are godless."

Conservative outlets have hammered the Democratic Party for not including the word "god" in their platform. The Republican Party Platform of 2012, in contrast, mentions "god" twelve times.

Baier noted that previous Democratic platforms had contained the word "god" and questioned why the current platform did not.

"We know that both parties are devoted to this country," Durbin said. "Both parties are god-fearing parties. Lets get on with the agenda of creating jobs in America."

While the Democratic Party Platform of 2012 does not contain the word "God," it does contain a paragraph describing faith as a "driving force of progress and justice throughout our history."

Watch video, uploaded to YouTube on September 4, below:

[Image via Center for American Progress, Creative Commons licensed]